 | |
List Price: $14.98 | | Label: BBC Warner
Salesrank: 33801
Released: April 17, 2007 |
| Our Price: $6.33 |
| Used Price: $5.25 |
|
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD |
|
Editorial Review:
Beneath the tranquil surface of George Eliot's tale, passions run deep and the bitter gall of betrayal is all too prevalent. Adam Bede is a hard-working carpenter, with his heart set on marrying his sweetheart, the pretty dairymaid, Hetty Sorrel. Unfortunately, Hetty's affections are captured by the local squire, Arthur Donnithorne.
Description of Adam Bede:
Adam Bede is the very definition of a brash young man. George Eliot's young English country hero is headstrong and arrogant, and sees the world in black and white--not unlike his 18th-century countrymen, living and (barely) breathing by the strict moral code of the day. In this excellent 1991 BBC adaptation, Adam is played by the appealing Iain Glen, who shows he's as comfortable in a sweeping period drama as he is in popcorn fare like Lara Croft: Tomb Raider or the Resident Evil films. Adam is torn by love and commitment, and once he sets his sights on the fetching farmgirl Hetty (Patsy Kensit), he's convinced Hetty's love for his rich acquaintance Arthur is a sham, and uses force to get Arthur to break off their relationship. But what Adam has set in motion, the world will be reeling from for a very long time: in the wake of his impetuous act lie despair, heartbreak, a secret pregnancy, thoughts of suicide, a nd death. And still, the moral order must be upheld. Glen shows Adam slowly but truly growing up, realizing the consequences of his actions. (It doesn't hurt that he ends up with the lovely Dinah, played by the fabulous Susannah Harker of House of Cards and the 1995 Pride and Prejudice--why on earth has this talented young woman not become a huge star?) Viewing the characters' transgressions through 21st century eyes can make some of the plot lines feel remote--nearly unbelievable--but the all-too-human struggles of people trying to do the right thing will always ring true. --A.T. Hurley
Adam Bede Reviews:
Very brief review 
2009-10-20 - The acting was A.BOM.IN.A.BLE. By everyone but especially Iain Glen and Patsy Kensit. I felt as though I was watching a high school production. Both are good looking but that's as far as it goes. When Hetty was found guilty of the murder of her newborn child, Kensit let out the most ridiculous cry I've ever heard. No pain, no sorrow, no regret, no fear, just a screech. And Adam was beyond weak; he was downright wimpy as played by Glen. These two need to take some serious acting classes. Now. The accents were awful; everything was awful. AW.FUL. Avoid it.
Well done 
2009-10-06 - I like the fact that BBC decided to branch out a little and do an adaptation of something besides Emma and Jayne Eyre!
This was well-done, although the ending was a bit rushed. Does not detract from the overall quality of the story here.
only Average 
2009-09-14 - I did not like Adam Bede. I thought it was booring and tedious.Since this is the only version I have seen, I would not be inclined to check out other versions. I just thought the whole story was un-interesting.
A Heart Wrenching Story! 
2009-06-03 - George Eliot writes a wonderful story of one working class young man's dream for love with one, only to find true love in another. I highly recommend this one.
Masterpiece Classic
2009-04-27 - I've read the book, and seen this DVD. Of course, the book is more detailed with more development of characters and storylines. That is to be expected. However, this production is true to the book. I think people who have not read the book will enjoy this story, and who knows, may feel inspired to read the book. I've certainly read many a book after seeing the TV program or movie.
This is the story of Adam Bede, a salt of the earth working man in late 18th century England. He is a hard worker, who tends to be intolerant of others faults, such as his father's drinking. He fancies himself in love with Hetty, a dairymaid, but he doesn't know Hetty's true self. Hetty dreams of fancy clothes and houses, but it's not possible to change your station in life in England in 1799. Hetty's beauty also catches the eye of Arthur, the grandson of a nobleman. He knows he could never marry her. He struggles to resist temptation, but soon enough seduces Hetty, who is all too willing because he is handsome, wealthy, very charming and she is unrealistic. Arthur truly loves Hetty, but of course, this cannot work out well for them. Also, Dinah is visiting the village. She is a sweet young woman who is too pious for her own good, as she believes anything she does to make herself happy is wrong in the eyes of God.
This is a typically terrific BBC production. Almost all of the parts are well cast. I thought Susannah Harker played pious Dinah perfectly, and James Wilby did very well portraying the struggles and pain Arthur felt. They were supported by an outstanding cast of character actors who really made the story come alive. The minister and Hetty's aunt were particularly memorable characters. The one miscast character was Hetty, played by Patsy Kensit. Not that Patsy Kensit didn't do a good job of acting. She was miscast. First, she doesn't look like an 18th century farm girl. They used too much eye makeup and lipstick, and something about the way she holds her mouth partly open says Debbie Does Dallas more than it does Masterpiece Theater. I considered dropping my rating to four stars because of this miscasting, but everything else about it was so top notch that I went with five stars.
