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"BLANCHE FURY" (1948) Review

I suspect that many 粉丝 of costume dramas would be fascinated to know about the series of period dramas released 由 the British film industry during the post-World War II era. A good number of those films were released 由 a British film studio known as Gainsborough Pictures. But not all of them were released through this particular studio. Some were released through other studios 或者 production companies . . . like the 1948 period drama, "BLANCHE FURY".

Based upon the 1939 novel written 由 Marjorie Bowen (under the pseudonym of Joseph Stearling), "BLANCHE FURY" told the story of two 爱人 during the 1850s, who become embroiled in adultery, greed and murder. 更多 importantly, Bowen's novel and the movie was inspired 由 a real-life case involving the 1848 murder of an estate owner and his adult 由 a tenant farmer trying to stave off a bad mortgage. The story surrounding "BLANCHE FURY" proved to be a bit 更多 complicated and melodramatic.

The story begins with a beautiful impoverished gentlewoman named Blanche Fuller, who is forced to serve as a domestic companion for a wealthy woman (think of Joan Fontaine in 1940's "REBECCA"). To Blanche's great relief, she receives an invitation to become governess for the granddaughter of her rich uncle Simon Fuller. Upon her arrival, Blanche becomes romantically involved with Simon's only son, the weak-willed Laurence. She learns that her uncle and cousin have assumed the surname of Fury, which belonged to the 前一个 owner of the estate, the late Adam Fury. She also meets Philip Thorn, Adam's illegitimate son, who serves as the estate's head groom and resents Simon and Laurence's possession of his father's estate. Blanche decides to marry Laurence for the sake of security and wealth, but becomes dissatisfied with her marriage. She and Philip also fall in 爱情 and quickly drifts into a sexual affair. Longing for possession of both Blanche and the estate, Philip drags Blanche into a plot that leads to double murder.

The first thing that caught my attention about "BLANCHE FURY" that it is a beautiful looking film. Producer Anthony Havelock-Allan, director Marc Allégret and cinematographers Guy Green and Geoffrey Unsworth really made use of the Technicolor process. And if I must be brutally honest, I could say the same for the costumes designed 由 Sophie Devine, who created some colorful outfits for leading lady, Valerie Hobson. Despite my admiration for the 摄影 and costumes, I was not that impressed 由 the set designs and especially the production designs. Well . . . let me take some of that back. I had no problems with John Bryan's production designs for scenes featured in smaller rooms - Philip's quarters and a private bedroom 或者 two. But I was not impressed 由 scenes in large rooms - 你 know, the drawing room, foyer 或者 图书馆 of the Fury manor. Quite frankly, these "sets" resembled badly made matte paintings instead of lived-in rooms. Lifeless. An individual museum room with a collection of paintings looked warmer.

But I certainly had no problems with the story. The latter begins with Blanche in the process of giving birth before it flashes back to her days as a paid companion. Thanks to the screenplay written 由 Audrey Erskine-Lindop and Cecil McGivern, audiences received several glimpses into Blanche's mindset - her frustrations as a paid companion and later, as wife to the weak-willed Laurence Fury; her sexual fascination with Philip Thorn and the later realization that she had bitten off 更多 than she could chew, thanks to Philip's murder plot. For me, the most memorable scene in the entire movie featured an argument between the unfaithful Blance and the arrogant Laurence, who had insisted that she interrupt her rest to entertain a guest who had arrived with him and his father in the late evening. Blanche's blatant refusal to blindly obey her husband nearly caused me to stand up and cheer, despite the fact she had spent the last 24 hours cheating on him with Philip. I had an easier time understanding Blanche than I did Philip. He seemed to have this attitude that the Fury estate should have been 给 to him, despite being born on the wrong side of the blanket. And the fact that he was willing to destroy the Fuller-Fury clan (with the exception of Blanche), including Laurence's young daughter, left me feeling cold toward him in the end.

"BLANCHE FURY" featured some very solid performances, despite a penchant for some of the cast to nearly drift into slightly hammy acting. I could never accuse Valerie Hobson of overacting. Mind you, her performance did not exactly knock my socks off, but I thought she did a pretty job. Her best moments proved to be the Blanche/Laurence quarrel and Blanche's horror over Philip's arrogant behavior following the deaths of her husband and father-in-law. I had recently come across an 文章 suggesting that Stewart Granger was not exactly the most skillful actor. Recalling his performances in 电影院 like "KING SOLOMON'S MINES", "SCARAMOUCHE" and "BHOWANI JUNCTION", I found this opinion hard to accept. But a part of me could not help but noticed that his performance in "BLANCHE FURY" - especially in the movie's last half 小时 - threatened to wander in the realm of the melodramatic. Otherwise, I found his performance satisfactory. Michael Gough fared just as well as Miss Hobson as Laurence Fury - especially in the memorable Blanche/Laurence quarrel scene. Though, there were moments when I thought he would go a little overboard. Sybille Binder, who portrayed the Furys' stoic housekeeper Louisa was just that . . . stoic. I thought she would play a major role in the movie. But in the end, I felt that her time was 更多 或者 less wasted. Susanne Gibbs made a very charming Lavinia Fury, Laurence's young daughter. But I thought the best performance came from Walter Fitzgerald, who portrayed Blanche's no-nonsense uncle (later, father-in-law) Simon Fury. I found it rather interesting that Fitzgerald could portray such a blunt character with great subtlety. He seemed to be the only cast member who did not threatened to become melodramatic.

I may have had a few problems with "BLANCHE FURY". But if I must be honest, I found it entertaining and rather satisfying. Thanks to Marc Allégret's direction, Audrey Erskine-Lindop and Cecil McGivern's entertaining screenplay, Guy Green and Geoffrey Unsworth's 摄影 and a solid cast led 由 Valerie Hobson and Stewart Granger, I found the movie 更多 than satisfying.
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2002 TV miniseries starring Hugh Dancy, Romola Garai and Hugh Bonneville.
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2002
tv miniseries
hugh bonneville
romola garai
hugh dancy
daniel deronda
Below is my review of the 2004 BBC miniseries, "NORTH AND SOUTH", which is an adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's 1855 novel:


"NORTH AND SOUTH" (2004) Review

If someone had told me years 以前 that I would find myself watching the 2004 BBC 电视 adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s 1855 novel, let alone purchase a DVD copy of the miniseries, I would have dismissed that person’s notion as inconceivable. I have never shown any 前一个 interest in ”NORTH AND SOUTH”. And I am still baffled at how I suddenly became interested in it.

Mind you, I have been aware of the 2004 miniseries for the...
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Source: BBC
This comical scene is from Madame Bovary (1949) starring Jennifer Jones
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Source: rulethewaves.net
Fanvid 展示 the scenes between Lizzie (Keeley Hawes) and Eugene (Paul McGann)from the mini series Our Mutual Friend
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mini series
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our mutual friend
dickens
keeley hawes
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Source: BBC
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period films
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Mine! :)
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romance
lover
sean 豆
lady chatterley
joely richardson
chris isaak
1999 film revolving around the lives of two men, successful political figure Sir Robert Chiltern (Jeremy Northam) and his friend Lord Arthur Goring (Rupert Everett).
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an ideal husband
1999 film
rupert everett
jeremy northam
full movie
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Source: http://enchantedserenityperiodfilms.blogspot.pt
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