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List Price: $19.98 | | Label: Tango Entertainment
Salesrank: 51264
Released: November 22, 2005 |
| Our Price: $9.64 |
| Used Price: $9.64 |
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MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
This dramatic romance, set in northern England in the 1830s, centers around Riah Millican, a strong-minded miner's widow who takes a job as housekeeper to the reclusive Percival Miller. He gives her gifts - even educates her children - until Riah finds out the perverted motive behind his generosity and vows to leave his house forever. Miller, however, still exerts a hold over Riah. Will Biddy Riah's bright but willful daughter, ever find the happiness and freedom that have eluded her mother as she catches the eye of a wealthy young man?
Description of The Black Velvet Gown:
In the spirit of Thomas Hardy and revisiting the countryside of D.H. Lawrence, The Black Velvet Gown is a classic tale of overcoming impoverished means. Set and filmed on location in Northumberland in northeastern England, the countryside and stark gray sky provide the dramatic backdrop for this story, which takes place in the 19th century. A widowed mother and her three children become servants in a reclusive man's household. The family brings the lonely academic joy and laughter and in exchange he bestows upon them his knowledge of books. It was unheard of for servants to be educated and literate, however, and after the master dies it's up to the mother and her daughter to overcome the narrow-minded prejudices held by society and create a liberated life on their own terms. Based on the bestselling novel by Catherine Cookson, The Black Velvet Gown is an entertaining watch. --Samantha Allen Storey
The Black Velvet Gown Reviews:
BBC production 
2009-11-16 - Love the BBC productions because they are well acted and lavish productions. The individual on the cover has a very limited part and do not understand why she was chosen to grace the cover. But the story was touching and well acted well worth buying.
The Black Velvet Gown
2009-02-08 - It just goes to show you how hard of a life women had as Mother's to keep their children safe and happy. This movie depicts a young widow who would do whatever it took to give her children as normal a life as possible and making sure that they could be somebody someday, no matter how long it took.
strange story 
2008-10-21 - A very strange story but with a happy ending. Not one of the best ones that I have ordered.
Dark Period Drama 
2008-10-10 - An impoverished young widow enters into service as a maid to a creepy old pederast in his mansion in England. After the pederast makes improper advances to her son, he blackmails her into staying in the house, and preventing her from marrying her commoner boyfriend. The second half involves the daughter of the young widow, who must enter into service after their employer dies.
This was a very strange story, very dark and deep. I admit I didn't care that much for the first half since the master was a creepy guy, and I felt bad for the poor widow. The romance wasn't very strong. I did like the second half involving Biddy and her troubles as a servant.
I'd give this 3 stars. It wasn't my favorite, and the subject matter was a tad dark for my taste.
a review on Catherine Cookson
2005-07-05 - I adore all of Catherine Cooksons books, and this one is no exception..
The mood and feelings of total lack and abject poverty are captured so well, especially for a single mother with children trying to do her best for her children and serve the master...
In order to completely understand Catherine Cookson, you have to know about her amazing life story, it was incredibly cruel and she lived in such poverty. Her mother was employed in these large country homes, cleaning these houses and being very underpaid and overworked [also the ''work houses'' in England were dreaded by the working classes..Charlie Chaplans fans will remember only too well] so her description was from not only what her mother told her but from first hand accounts and seeing the plight of so many who were employed under the worst conditions that she came to know about these things first hand...
It was shocking, very sad and must have been totally depressing for the many who had to endure under horrendous conditions not only to feed themselves and their children, but having to put up with loathsome owners who abused them in so many ways...
I am from Northumberland in England, [the cold frozen north] I grew up there and already knew a lot of the stories
which my mother told...stories first hand and stories passed down...[there was such incredibly poverty..Miss Cookson and her mother were a part of that]
There is also a great deal of written information about Miss Cookson, and the area which is called ''Cookson Country''...
I have always thought of the intolerable conditions and situations that she and her mother had to endure..
It is so amazing that in later life [my family knew her] she was so incredibly kind and generous, and I feel a credit to her generation...
I have been thrilled with the adaptations of her books...and highly recommend them...
Amazingly, she knew how to write and her stories I think are an incredible witness to the horrendous conditions for those 'domestics' during that period..
