Customer Reviews

2pc Box: Set 2-Forsyte Saga -

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

One of the previous reviewers presents a significant factual error in their review of this production of "The Forsyte Saga." The 1960s BBC production is not by any means the "original." It wasn't even the first filming of the story (1949's "That Foryste Woman" with Errol Flynn may have that distinction). The original version is John Galsworthy's writing. Bearing that in mind, this rendition of the saga is a perfectly valid and entertaining one. Saying that the current version is forced to resort to prurient interest to attract an audience also ignores that portraying Soames' rape of his wife in the 1960s production in no small part contributed to that version's attracting an audeince. This current version deserves to be discussed on its own (not inconsiderable) merits, not turned into a whipping boy just to puff up the 1960s BBC verison, which (while it may be superior in some respects) is not quite as great as some would make it out to be. The current version has a fine cast of actors (young and experienced alike) and is done with good spirit. It's a fine entertainment, well worth a few hours of your time.

I have never read the books or seen the original series. I only was obsessed with the first series on DVD last year and for the last couple of days have been obsessed with the second. The only reason why I went onto the internet as soon as the second one finished is I wanted to see if that was indeed the end. Unfortunately it is.

I am upset that they rushed through the developing love affair between Jolyon and Irene in the first series. I also did not love Series 2 as much as Series I.

But as I had not read the books or seen the 1969 series I did not miss the omissions that obviously disturbed other viewers. It was just a fabulous British drama with wonderful sets and costumes and it totally sucked me in. That is what I really want these days when constantly searching for new dramas to watch on DVD. This one fulfilled this requirement.

I would recommend this version series to anyone!!!!!!!!!!!! I am now just going to have to buy the 1969 series.

What a disappointment is Series 2 of Granada Televison's production of "The Forsyte Saga", based upon John Galsworthy's novel "To Let." Again, it is as though the producers and writers at Granada never read more than an outline of Galworthy's complex and richly detailed works. This time they were not content to make minor alterations to the plot....no, only a meat cleaver was good enough for the writers who adapted "To Let" for the screen. The film opens with a scene that never took place in the novel, where pre-teens Jon Forsyte (son of Young Jolyn & Irene) and Fleur (daughter of Soames and Annette) meet and are instantly fast friends, in the way that children do. Seeing his daughter and the son of Jolyn & Irene (his sworn enemies) playing in the garden turns Soames into a raving monster who in his rage almost strikes Jon. Damian Lewis as Soames frequently appears to be foaming at the mouth when ever he becomes angry...the scenery must have been in constant danger during the filming of this production. Other equally strange liberties were taken with the book, including Jon and Fleur making love right after his father's funeral, and a reconciliation of sorts between Soames and Irene that concludes Series 2 and which never happened in the books.

Now, as to the more positive aspects of the production: Gena McKee was not nearly as annoying as the middle aged Irene as she was in Series 1, when she was supposed to be a young woman possessing a fatal beauty that attracted all men into her orbit. Her character was warmer and more sympathetic than in the first series. Rupert Graves was an excellent Young Jolyn, wise, loving, and scared of what would happen to his family upon his death. I thought Emma Griffiths Malin was a more-than-adequate Fleur, although she could not quite get the same subtle emotions across as did Susan Hampshire in the 1969 production of "To Let." The character of Michael Mont was as charming and appealing in this version as it was in the original, but Lee Williams as Jon left much to be desired IMO, somewhat due to his too youthful appearance.

This series gave us more insight into the relationship between Soames and Annette than did the original production, which was one case of the new series being more faithful to the book than was the 1969 version, where Annette simply disappeared never to be seen again after her relationship with Profond was discovered. However, that alone cannot make up for a deeply flawed script and the over-the-top acting of Damien Lewis. I really feel Mr Lewis could have benefited by watching the original Soames, the great Eric Porter, who had most viewers eating out of his hand by the end of the 26 episodes of the 1969 series. I hardly think that will be the case here.

Those familiar with the first "Forsyte Saga" needs no introduction to "Forsyte Saga: To Let" which is based on John Galsworthy's novel. I admit that I have not read Galsworthy's novel but I certainly enjoyed this series as well as series 1. I will then review this dvd based on its own merit and without making comparisons to the novel.

One of the major strengths of "To Let" is that it doesn't depend on "Forsyte Saga Series 1" (which I shall refer to "Series 1" hereafter) for audiences to understand and embrace it. Familiarity with the characters of Series 1 certainly helps but a novice will take no time in getting absorbed with the story as it unfolds. The strength of the screenplay is that it doesn't talk down to the audience but it also takes its time in introducing (or re-introducing) the varied characters from Series 1 (as well as a few newcomers).

Soames and Annette Forsyte's daughter, Fleur, is now an indulged, strong-willed yet charming young woman. Young Jolyon and Irene Forsyte's son, Jon, is now a handsome, sensitive and artistic young man. The two meet and fall madly in love - much to the dismay and disapproval of their parents. "To Let" centers on these young lovers as well as the dramatic lives of their affluent and proud families - Soames' long-standing feud with Jolyon and Irene; Soames and Annette's strained relationship; Annette and her sister-in-law Winifred's fascination with the Belgian playboy Prosper Prufond; and the dynamics of these relationships make for a compelling viewing.

Like its predecessor, "To Let" possesses the high production values, fabulous locations, excellent acting and compelling storyline that made Series 1 a hit with fans. Though produced by ITV, it has all the excellent production values that you would expect from a BBC series. Rupert Graves (Young Jolyon), Gina McKee (Irene) and Damian Lewis (Soames) continue their excellent work from Series 1. New additions Emma Griffiths Malin (Fleur) and Lee Williams (adorable as Jon) turn in pitch perfect performances as the young lovers. I disagree with an earlier review that classifies Fleur as a "spoiled brat, completely selfish and incredibly manipulative." On the contrary, I found Fleur to be rather likeable, sweet and even sympathetic. She is ultimately a resourceful young woman who knows what she wants and goes for it. She is also very much in love with Jon. I also enjoyed the casting of Oliver Milburn (Michael Mont) whom I admired as Angel Clare in the equally excellent tv series "Tess of D'Urbervilles" (starring Justine Waddell). One of the great advantages of Series 2 is the return of all of the principal actors from Series 1 (including Amanda Root as Winifred, Ben Miles as Montague Dartie and Julian Ovenden as Val Dartie).

In short, I would recommend this DVD to anyone who enjoys excellent British drama. "To Let" is an engrossing British soap opera based on the 1920's that deals with such universal themes of love, hate, forgiveness, greed, passion and possession. I would rate the series 5-stars but only give 4-stars due to the lack of dvd special features.

I very much enjoyed the second installment of the Forsythe Saga. Damian Lewis is remarkable as Soames. His portrayal is just so heart-wrenching at times. The relationship between Soames and Fleur is lovely. Emma Griffiths Malin is beautiful and does justice to the name "Fleur." The returning characters from the first installment glide right back into their roles. The new characters, Jon and Michael Mont are played by excellent actors, Lee Williams and Oliver Milburn. Unlike some of the other reviewers it didn't bother me that the adaption wasn't entirely faithful to John Galsworthy's books. In fact, I found that this version resolved things between various characters better than the novel. I highly recommend the DVD to anyone who enjoys Masterpiece Theatre. I gave it 4 stars rather than 5 because the DVD has a sad lack of special features. A making-of featurette would have been nice, but all and all, it's a highly entertaining and well-acted series.

Without set expectations (having neither read the book nor seen the old miniseries), I found this to be very satisfying drama. In fact, I think I like this follow-up even more than I liked the first part, maybe because the love story is more modern. It's not the Victorian era any more, it's the 1920s. It was a time of enormous change, and that's something that this story highlights (with more gorgeous settings and costumes). Everything was loosening up, including sex (even though I expect there was plenty of sex outside marriage in the Victorian era, too, just maybe not in broad daylight). As a doting father, Soames is more sympathetic, more complex, and ultimately more human. I found the last scene very moving, but I was sorry that it was over.

I remember watching the original Forsyte Saga on television - it was riveting, the acting superb, and I am sure Galsworthy would have been pleased. I was living in Ireland at the time, and remember an item on the news that some churches had re-scheduled their evening service because the Forsytes were being broadcast then, and parishioners were glued to their screens instead of their pews!
I can't re-read the novels without clearly seeing Eric Porter, Kenneth More, Nyree Dawn Porter, Margaret Tyzack, and the other wonderful actors who were in the original.
I tried to watch the newer version without judgement, but it did not come up to the standard of the original series - as someone who loves to watch a lot of good British drama, I am surprised at some of the choices for the parts, and at some of the over-acting. Apologies to the actors, but I couldn't see Galsworthy's Irene, Young Jolyon and Soames here at all - maybe it's something to do with charisma, but my first thought was that they didn't look as though they had been hand-picked. Also, I wonder if any of the actors had read the books. I know quite a few people who saw the series without reading the books or viewing the original series, and they didn't feel that the main characters had enough depth. It's not a new thing for transferral to the screen to mean changes, big or small, but with a writer such as Galsworthy, surely there was no need to make the changes to the story that have been referred to by my fellow reviewers. When people watch a period piece, they don't want it to look like a modern story with costumes!
It must be hard to re-make something that has been so successful - but perhaps "trying too hard" and "trying to be different" is what all the criticism is about.

Unlike other viewers, I don't mind when TV and movie adaptations are different from the books they are based on. As long as the CHARACTERS are not completely unrecognizable!

Jon and Fleur are presented as Romeo and Juliet, star-crossed lovers. They weren't. In the books, it's made clear that like her father, Fleur is too selfish and possessive to be happy. Jon had doubts about her even before Soames came by and wrecked it.

A few points that they got completely wrong:

June did not hate Fleur. She felt rather sorry for the girl. In fact, June visited Fleur on her wedding day to wish her luck.

Jon left the country to get on with his life after breaking off with Fleur. He did NOT wait around pining, or try to stop her from marrying Michael out of possessiveness. In fact, he sent her a letter with good wishes. Fleur held on to Jon's memory obsessively.

Soames would NEVER have told Fleur about his rape of Irene. He was a Victorian. Not only would he not have spoken to his daughter about sexual matters, he never thought that he had done anything wrong. Irene was his wife back then, so it wasn't rape.

Soames did not make peace with Irene directly. She left the country a few weeks after Fleur's wedding. They saw one another and she waved goodbye.

A few points they got right.

Fleur's "having nature". Annette's observation that Soames was ruining their daughter was right on the mark. I enjoyed Annette's characterization. The book shows very little of her interacting with her daughter.

The scene with Soames and Irene. Some people complained about that. But the fact is, for the rest of his life, Soames continued to think of Irene as the cause of all his troubles.

Fleur's hysteria when she realized that Jon was not coming to her. No, she didn't make a scene at Robin Hill in the original. When Soames came back home and told her that Jon had told him that it was "no good", she screamed at HIM, telling him that he had betrayed her. (Because for the first time in her life, Soames had failed to give her exactly what she wanted. It never occurred to her that he simply couldn't.)

As one of England's most gifted actors, Gina Mckee is superb in "The Forsyth Saga" (BBC) . Her subtle, gentle performance gives her character an intensely complex dimension usually stripped out of BBC period dramas. KcKee almost leaves the other actors for dead in many of her most important scenes. An actor of superb technique and armed with undeniably the most beautiful, complex profiles in contemporary film and television. Her alluring, slightly theatrical presence and physicality are what make this remake so impressive. A fine example of an exceptional actor totally in control of her craft, handling an incredibly difficult role with decorum that only a first rate, classically trained, and gifted actor could.

I had high hopes for one of the most interesting novels in the Forsyte Chronicle Series: To Let. This novel featured the "star crossed lovers" Jon Forsyte, son of Irene and Young Jolyon and Fleur Forstye, daughter of Soames and Annette Forsyte. I read the novel and was enthralled with the 1969 dramatization which featured the exceptional and perfectly cast Susan Hampshire as Fleur Forsyte. The episodes covering To Let not only featured Ms. Hampshire but Kenneth More, Eric Porter, and Nyree Dawn Porter. It was wonderful.

As I started to watch the new series I thought I was in for a treat. Was I wrong! The writers seemed to throw Galsworthy's wonderful story out the window for a revisionist look at Jon and Fleur's love story. It started by creating a meeting that never took place in the book between Jon and Fleur as children (giving the young people a sense of deja vu when they meet in the art gallery in 1920). Nothing of the sort ever took place. Jolyon and Irene spent much of their time at Robin Hill and Soames and Annette at Mapledurham. The young people never met until the fateful encounter at the art gallery.

The writers took liberties with the plot in many jarring ways. Monty Dartie died before events of To Let took place. Yet there he is (looking like he hasn't aged a day) stirring up trouble for Winifred. The new series has Fleur going incognito to Robin Hill and making the acquaintance of Young Jolyon(who also looks like he never aged a day). Fleur Forsyte was an intelligent young woman who never in a million years would have pulled something so blundering. And Young Jolyon, according to Galsworthy, only met Fleur once, at an awkward tea at Robin Hill; Irene met Fleur and Jon and invited them to tea. Young Jolyon never really had anything against Fleur save she was the daughter of Soames Forsyte. It was Irene that he was most worried about; Jolyon was horrified for Irene to have her son married to the daughter of the man who once hurt her. And there was never a reconciliation between Irene and Soames at the end of To Let. Irene refused to shake hands with Soames at Robin Hill and later, in an art gallery, Soames refused Irene's offer to shake hands with him.

I was disappointed at the way the writers handled Jon and Irene's trip to Spain so Jon could "forget" Fleur. All we have are Irene dancing in a restaurant. It doesn't convey Jon's longing for Fleur and his desperately trying to shorten the vacation so he could get back to her.

Fleur and Jon never had sex during events of To Let. In a later novel, Swan Song, Fleur wishes she had trapped Jon into marriage by sleeping with him and being "compromised," but Jon and Fleur only had a one night stand many years after events of To Let took place.

I was disappointed with the age discrepancies of the characters. June Forsyte was supposed to be in her fifties. Here she looks younger than her half sister Holly (who was supposed to be born about 12 years after June). Prosper Profund was a shadowy, sinister figure; here he's played like a buffoon.
Michael Mont, a pivotal character, is never fully delineated like he was in the 1969 series. Nicholas Pennell who played Michael then did an excellent job of depicting his longing for Fleur and his patience with her.

The acting of the players was good, but they lost credibility playing the characters who didn't seem to belong to Galsworthy at all.

I hope the producers do not plan to do the Modern Comedy series; this was the weakest part of the Galsworthy saga. The best of the three novels in the trilogy was Swan Song, which concerned Fleur's reawakened passion for her cousin Jon (even though both Fleur and Jon are now married to others). The Forsyte Saga novels: The Man of Property, In Chancery, and To Let, were the best of the series. I would probably cringe at what the producers/writers do to the Modern Comedy series.