Last Day to Watch Downton Abbey Online at PBS

It's March 6th, 2012, the last day to watch Downton Abbey Season 2 online on the PBS website. If you want to revisit your favorite characters or catch up on an episode you missed, now is the time. There are only a few hours left.

The Crawley Sisters

World War One played a major role

The sets and costumes are so authentic

Season 2 left you wanting for more

NEWS ALERT! Will Maggie Smith be joining the fourth season? We'll wait and see. Click here.

Any Human Heart Features A Number of Jane Austen Character Actors

Any Human Heart, the new mini-series that will be shown on Masterpiece Classic for the next three Sundays, features a variety of actors who have starred in Jane Austen film adaptations.

Matthew MacFadyen

as Logan Mountstuart in Any Human Heart

as Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice 2005

The man with the deep sexy voice, as I think of Matthew, gave Colin Firth's portrayal of Mr. Darcy a run for his money. Many young fans prefer Matthew's interpretation as the iconic Jane Austen hero. I, for one, like them both. As Logan Mountstuart, Matthew once again delivers a shaded performance. While I could not like his character (who can respect a man who abandons a son for his lover?), Matthew's sensitive portrayal of Mounstuart tugged at my heartstrings.

Haley Atwell

Haley Atwell as Freya Deverell

as Mary Crawford, Mansfield Park 2007

Haley Atwell looks absolutely stunning in 1930's costume. Jane Austen fans will recall her portrayal of Mary Crawford in the unfortunate 2007 version of Mansfield Park. I say unfortunate, for I found that particular film adaptation particularly lacking (especially Billy Piper tomboyish representation of Fanny). I did, however, like Haley, who was perfect for the part of the sophisticated woman that Fanny Price could not like. Unfortunately, Haley's lines were few and far between, largely because the film was too short. Thankfully, she is given a much larger role in Any Human Heart as Matthew MacFadyen's love interest. When those two actors are together, magic happens onscreen.

Jim Broadbent

as an older Logan Mountstuart

as Colin Jones (with Gemma Jones and Renee Zelwegger) in Bridget Jones's Diary

Any Human Heart revolves around the character of the older Logan Mountstuart, played by Jim Broadbent, one of my favorite character actors. Jim's connection to Jane Austen is peripheral. He portrayed Bridget Jones's father and has acted opposite a score of actors who starred in Jane Austen film adaptations. I have always thought that he would make an excellent Mr. Woodhouse or Mr. Bennet, but I doubt we will see another version of Emma or Pride and Prejudice soon. Any film that features Mr. Broadbent is worth watching, and his role, while largely quiet, is extensive and he appears in all the episodes from start to finish.

Charity Wakefield

as Land Forthergill

as Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility, 2008

Charity had the unenviable task of following Kate Winslet in playing Marianne Dashwood, the histrionic sister, in the 2008 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. While she is not classically beautiful, the camera's lens loves Charity's large eyes and dramatic features. She also looks fabulous in a classic 20's bob. Charity appears in only one episode of Any Human Heart, but her character is important in forcing Logan to think more seriously about his writing career and giving him his first major heartbreak.

Tom Hollander

as the Duke of Windsor after his abdication as King Edward VIII

as Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice, 2005

Tom Hollander's role as the Duke of Windsor comes at a propitious time for viewers who have seen (or who intend to see) The King's Speech. In this mini-series he is shown after his abdication as King Edward VIII, and he plays the former king as a petty, self-centered, and self-serving man. While I think he was perfect for the part of David, I had a small problem with his casting as Mr. Collins. Oh, he played that part to a tee and his proposal to Lizzy Bennet was unforgettable, but Jane Austen described Mr. Collins as tall, which Mr. Holland most certainly is not. However, his lack of height added comic relief to his dance scenes with Keira Knightley's Elizabeth, and so I have decided in the future to overlook this casting faux pas.

Samuel West 

Samuel West as Peter Scabius

Samuel West as William Elliot in Persuasion 1996

In Any Human Heart Samuel West plays Peter Scabalius, one of Logan's two childhood friends, and a successful author. Jane Austen fans will remember Samuel as William Elliot, Anne's unsuccessful suitor, who was less than a gentleman towards the Elliots and in particular towards Mrs. Smith.

PBS Masterpiece Classic will feature Any Human Heart on February 13, 20 & 27, 2011 at 9pm. Click here for details. 

On a different note, I urge anyone who is as addicted to PBS as I am, to contact your representatives and request them not to cut their funding. 

Downton Abbey: Archived Chats with Hugh Bonneville and Dan Stevens

Masterpiece is giving you exclusive access to the stars of Downton Abbey! Read the complete transcripts of the January, 2011 chats with actors Hugh Bonneville and Dan Stevens at this link.

Hugh Bonneville
Downton Abbey's Lord Grantham, portrayed by Hugh Bonneville, interacted with Masterpiece fans about researching his role, the talented and young cast, which actors he'd like more scenes with and what may be ahead for his character. Chat with Hugh Bonneville on Twitter @hughbon.

Dan Stevens
Dan Stevens, the actor who portrays Matthew Crawley onDownton Abbey, chatted with Masterpiece fans about the hardest parts of period drama, working with Maggie Smith and the rest of the cast, his roles in Sense and Sensibility andDownton Abbey, and what's ahead for him and the next series of Downton Abbey .Follow Dan Stevens on Twitter at @thatdanstevens.

Downton Abbey Poll: First Episode of this PBS Masterpiece Classic

The Earl (Hugh Bonneville) and Countess (Elizabeth McGovern) of Grantham

Downton Abbey Poll: 1st Episode
	I loved it
	I liked it
	It was ok
	I didn't like it
	Hated it
	Didn't see it
pollcode.com free polls

Join the Downton Abbey PBS Masterpiece Classic Twitter Party on Sundays in January

The first episode of Downton Abbey will be aired by PBS Masterpiece Classic at 9 PM tonight. At the same time, PBS will be hosting a Twitter party, and yours truly intends to be there as an unofficial host! @janeaustenworld.

Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey

The event will begin from 9 PM EST through 10:30 PM PT. Including Vic, the other bloggers who will be hosting are:

• @pbs; @masterpiecepbs; 
• Evangeline Holland of Edwardian Promenade (@edwardian_era); 
• Laurel Ann Nattress of Austenprose (@Austenprose); 
• Cheryl LeBrun of Enchanted Serenity of Period films (@charleybrown77); 
• Vic Sanborno of Jane Austen’s World (@janeaustenworld) 

If you plan on joining, make sure to tag.your posts with the hashtag #DowntonPBS and then visit the TweetGrid.

Remember to use the hashtag: #DowntonPBS

Links to articles about the series:

Jane Austen's World: 

• Entertaining visitors in an English country house, such as Downton Abbey
• Downton Abbey's Recycled Costumes
• Downstairs in Downton Abbey: The Servants
• Upstairs in Downton Abbey: The Three Crawley Sisters
• The Jane Austen Connection to Downton Abbey and Egypt

Edwardian Promenade: Introduction to Downton Abbey

Enchanted Serenity of Period Films: Familiar Faces of Period Drama: Downton Abbey

Austenprose: Preview of Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey Creates a Stir & Hissy Fit

Read about Dowton Abbey, a marvelous new series, on Jane Austen's World. This Edwardian special is coming to PBS Masterpiece Classic on January 9th. The four part series (for the U.S.) was a surprise blockbuster in Great Britain, and a second season has been ordered.



Jean March, co-creator of Upstairs Downstairs has discharged a salvo, denigrating the originality of Downton Abbey:

Hackles were raised when Marsh suggested that Downton Abbey, one of the unexpected hits of the year, was a thinly-disguised facsimile of the original Upstairs, Downstairs, which ran from 1971 to 1975 and has been watched by an estimated 1 billion people worldwide.

Jean Marsh as Rose in Upstairs Downstairs

 "I think we were all surprised," Marsh told BBC1's The One Show. "The new Upstairs, Downstairs had been in the works for about three years. We were trying to sort out … 40 years of rights and then it also started – Downton Abbey – in the Edwardian era, which Upstairs, Downstairs did. So it might be a coincidence and I might be the queen of Belgium."

Bonneville, who plays the Earl of Grantham in the ITV drama, replied on Twitter: "I thought Jean Marsh was bigger than that – running down Downton while bigging up Upstairs? Downton never downed Up when upping Down. -  - War declared as Upstairs, Downstairs creator fires volley at Downton Abbey, Guardian UK

Upstairs, Elizabeth McGovern as Countess Grantham and Hugh Bonneville as the earl.

Ooh! Cat fight! As if there is not enough entertainment room for two costume dramas about the upper crust and their servants in turn of the 20th century England.  Julian Fellowes, who wrote the script for Dowton Abbey, has impeccable credentials as the screen writer of Gosford Park. (His wife, BTW, is lady-in-waiting to Princess Michael of Kent.) One suspects that Julian knows whereof he writes. Here is his response to Ms Marsh's comments:

"There are a limited number of ways you can bring people of different backgrounds and ages under one roof. We have all had masses of lawyers' offices, police stations and hospitals, which are obvious, and the staffed house is rather less obvious. I think there is certainly room for more than one. Good luck to them, say I." - The real Upstairs Downstairs, The Independent

Downstairs: Lesley Nicol (front) as Mrs Patmore and Sophie McShera as Daisy

Featuring a sterling cast (Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Dame Maggie Smith, Dan Stevens, Penelope Wilton, Jim Carter, and Brendan Coyle), Dowton Abbey offers 6 hours of entertaining drama. The schedule in January is as follows: Episode One, January 9; Episode Two, January 16; Episode Three, January 23; and Episode Four, January 30 (my birthday -oh, what a treat!)

Read The Daily Mail's take on this brouhaha as the new Upstairs Downstairs makes its debut this holiday season.

Editing PBS Masterpiece Presentations

Have you ever wondered why so many original BBC adaptations of the classics we love, including Jane Austen's, are cut down for PBS Masterpiece Classic? Erin Delaney, an editor at PBS, explained in a Barnes and Noble discussion thread last year, why so many scenes seem to be cut out, such as the donkey scene with Mr and Mrs Elton at the Strawberry picking party at Donwell Abbey in the current production of Emma or the bath tub scene in which Catherine fantasizes about Henry Tilney in Northanger Abbey 2007:

Masterpiece gets involved in these productions at various points in the process, depending on the show. Sometimes, yes, we generate suggestions for which books are ripe for adaptation. Sometimes we get involved at the scripting/casting stage. And sometimes we do buy the shows after they're finished. Basically we're looking for, well, Masterpieces!

The air dates on PBS differ from those in England primarily because whichever channel in England is airing the program has its own schedule to manage, as does PBS. Masterpiece airs on Sunday night and we might want to make sure, for example, that we have five Sundays in a row, uninterrupted by holidays, to air something like Little Dorrit. There have been occasions when Masterpiece has aired a title in the U.S. before it aired in England.
Regarding the question about editing to time... Sometimes we might feel that the show would benefit by being slightly tighter. But more commonly, editing is due to odd lengths. The BBC has long had a very free-wheeling schedule. If you've travelled in England, you may have noted that programs might start at 5 minutes past the hour, 10 minutes past, etc. This flexibility allows the BBC to air shows of odd lengths. American television, by contrast, is really ruled by the clock! We need Masterpiece to begin promptly at 9:00. And whatever show is airing next needs Masterpiece to end promptly as well.

Because these films are works of art in their own right (yes, I do believe this), decisions have been made all along, about what to leave in and what to take out. The book's author made such decisions, the screenwriter made more, each performer makes decisions about how to say each line, the director makes still more choices, and so forth. Each iteration of the film is its own piece of art.

Reading some of the books has helped me on occasion to understand parts of the puzzle that may have gotten altered throughout this artistic process...

For the DVD's that you can purchase and whether you receive the full versions or not, please read Cinthia's answer in the comments.

Jane Austen Movie Throwdown

PBS Masterpiece Classic will be showing the new adaptation of Emma with Romola Garai from January 24 - February 7 . Jane Austen declared her to be her favorite heroine, yet observed: " I am going to take a heroine whom no-one but myself will much like."

Indeed, this intrusive, interfering and meddlesome woman dominates Jane's longest novel. Jane described her as "handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition...[she] seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her." She is pretty, but she is not vain about her looks, for her faults lie in an entirely different direction.

This week we ask you: How much are you looking forward to watching Emma?

How much are you looking forward to watching Emma next week?
	Very much. I love the heroine.
	Somewhat. I don't like Emma, but I do like the story.
	I'm curious to compare it to the other film adaptations
	A little. She's too meddlesome for my taste. I can take it or leave it.
	Not at all. Emma and the book turn me off.
pollcode.com free polls

PBS Movie Throwdown

Have you watched the first episode of Return to Cranford? If not, the episode will be shown online for the next two weeks on PBS's website. If you did, how did you think this episode stacked up to the original Cranford?

How do you like Return to Cranford, Episode One?
	Loved it
	Liked it
	Not sure yet
	It did not stack up to Cranford, 2008
	I disliked it
pollcode.com free polls

Watch Little Dorrit Online Until May 3rd

Oh, yes, Little Dorrit had a purply happy ending that culminated in Arthur's and Amy's wedding. If you missed crucial episodes this past month, PBS Masterpiece Classic will be showing the series in its entirety online until May 3rd. Click here to watch Little Dorrit all over again.

Most favorite minor character? In my estimation, Russell Tovey's interpretation of John Chivery as an earnest young man who could not hide his feelings for Amy was masterful. The tender love he expressed in a restrained but vulnerable way simply bowled me over, and the hurt he revealed as he escorted Arthur Clennam to the very same room where the Dorrits were incarcerated in the Marshalsea broke my heart. I will be following Russell's career as an actor with avid interest.


My second favorite minor character in this adaptation was Flora Finching. Poor deluded woman. Ruth Jones's sympathetic yet comic interpretation gave this sad character dignity. Yes she was pathetic, but she was sincere in her love for Arthur and good natured about having lost him to Amy. The fact that Flora was based on a real relationship in Dickens's life made Flora an even more interesting character to my mind. Keen observers will recall Ruth as Mrs. Durbeyfield, Tess's mother, in Tess of the D'Urbervilles.

• For our reviews of this outstanding adaptation, click on this link.

• Also read Ruth's reviews here.

• The Egalitarian Bookworm Chick offers a poll about the minor characters from the series. Mine was for Flora. Who did you vote for?

• If the film's quick denouement confused you, Dickensblog offers some fabulous Clennam Family Secrets explanations.
  

Little Dorrit: Final Installment

Don't forget to watch the final installment of Little Dorrit on PBS's Masterpiece Classic this Sunday (April 26) at 8 p.m. Believe it or not, all the loose ends will be tied up and most of your questions will be answered. And, yes, there is a happy ending when all is said and done.

Our reviews of the series sit below:

Vic's reviews:

• Little Dorrit and Bankruptcy
  
• Little Dorrit and The Grand Tour
  
• Little Dorrit: The Father of the Marshalsea, The Prison Within the Prisoner
• Little Dorrit: Matthew Macfadyen as Arthur Clennam
• Little Dorrit: The Character of Flora and How She Resembles Charles Dickens' First Love
• Little Dorrit on PBS Masterpiece Classic

Laurel Ann's Reviews:

• Little Dorrit: Recap and Review of Episode Two
• Little Dorrit: Recap and Review of Episode One
• Little Dorrit: Remotely Connected
• What Little Dorrit Should Have Learned from Jane Austen About Money
  

David Copperfield: Coming to Masterpiece Classic

In March PBS Masterpiece Classic will air David Copperfield filmed in 1999 with Bob Hoskis, Maggie Smith, and a young Daniel Radcliffe. If you have not read the novel recently and would like a turbo review of the story, click on the link below. It will lead you to an entire edition of a Classics Illustrated comic book that is over a half century old.

• David Copperfield: Classics Illustrated

The Women of Oliver Twist

The second installment of Oliver Twist will air on PBS Masterpiece Classic this Sunday at 9:00 PM EST. While most of the tale centers on the male of the species - Oliver, the Artful Dodger, Bill Sikes, Fagin, Mr. Brumble, and Mr. Monks - the women also play a prominent role. They are in no order of importance:

Mrs. Corney, Sarah Lancashire

You last saw her as the never aging Nelly Dean in Wuthering Heights, and now as the coldly calculating and unfeeling Mrs. Corney in Oliver Twist. Her portrayal as the avaricious workhouse matron who looks out for her own benefit is spot on. Born in 1964, Sarah shot to stardom as Coronation Street's popular Raquel Watts. After leaving the role in 1996, she starred in Clocking Off, Rose and Maloney, the BBC TWO drama The Rotters' Club and as a guest star in the fourth series of Doctor Who.

Learn more about Sarah at this link.


Nancy, Sophie Okonedo

Sophie was unforgettable in Hotel Rwanda and won an Oscar nomination for her portrayal as Tatiana. In Oliver Twist she plays Nancy with an unromantic and realistic bent. The prostitute with a heart of gold, she is conflicted between her loyalty/love for Bill Sikes and her sympathy for Oliver, which puts her life in danger. Nigerian-Jewish actress Sophie Okonedo has enjoyed a splendid and versatile career. Born in 1969, she trained at RADA after attending Cambridge. Her most recent theatrical films were The Secret Life of Bees, Skin, and Father and Son. Read about her career in IMBd and more about her in aProfile and Interview with Sophie


Rose Maylie, Morven Christie

Morven Christie made a big splash as Jane Bennet in Lost in Austen. She was born in 1979 in Glasgow and trained at the Drama Centre in London, where she graduated in 2003. Morven's career is so new, very little information about her sits online. After working as a ski instructor, her work on stage, and in film and television drama since 2003 has become more varied, and has included an increasing number of leading roles. She will play the lead in ITV's Monday Monday, and a supporting role in The Young Victoria. Morven is currently part of the first Bridge Project company, playing Anya in Tom Stoppard's new adaptation of The Cherry Orchard, and Perdita in Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale. The productions will play in repertory at The Old Vic in London from June 2009, after an international tour. Her movies include The Flying Scotsman and House of 9.


Mrs. Bedwin, Anna Massey

We last saw Anna Massey's familiar face in Tess of the D'Urbervilles as Mrs. D'Urbervilles, the blind woman who loved her canaries more than her son. It was a minor role, as is her role as Mrs. Bedwin. One of Britain's most respected actresses, Anna has been in the business for over 50 years. She has won an Olivier award, a Bafta, two RTS awards and she is also a CBE. It is too bad that actresses of her age are given such short shrift in films. This role as Mr. Brownlow's housekeeper is almost non existent and does little to move the story forward. Nevertheless, she plays the part beautifully. Anna is the daughter of famed actor Raymond Massey. She made her film debut in 1958, appearing in Michael Powell's Peeping Tom in 1959 and in Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy in 1972. Read more about her in this link.

• See the men of Oliver Twist in this link.

• Vic's review of Part One of Oliver Twist sits here; LA's review of the film can be read in this link.

Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World

PBS gets twisted with new Oliver this Sunday

Last season Masterpiece Classic gave us The Complete Jane Austen and our world was all propriety, parlor room drama and romance. Life was good. Our happily-ever-after was complete. That was before the economic downfall.

How appropriate that PBS has turned its tenor to the darker side of life with The Tale of Charles Dickens, four new adaptations of the Victorian author's famous works. Beginning the season will be a new production of Oliver Twist, a bleak look at the economic woes of early Victorian England that could soon match our own spirits. How timely of them to know so far in advance that this classic story would mirror our own troubles. It’s not all doom and gloom though. The famous story of the young orphan Oliver Twist is as compelling as ever and the cast shines. Here’s a look at a few of the major male players.

Eleven year old William Miller (Oliver Twist) beat out 700 other Oliver hopefuls to win the part of classic literatures most endearing waif. The son of actress Janine Wood and director Sam Miller, he is a relative newcomer to acting and if given a choice he is uncertain about continuing, preferring football. What young boy would not?



Timothy Spall (Fagin) is a self professed Dickens fan and a regular on Masterpiece Classics as of late featuring in last seasons A Room With (2008) and Nicholas Nickleby (2002). He may be most recognizable in his role as Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter films. Watch an online interview of Timothy Spall about his interpretation of Fagin for a modern audience.



Tom Hardy (Bill Sikes) returns to Masterpiece after portraying Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights last month and in The Virgin Queen (2005). Some of Hardy’s other films include Band of Brothers (2001), Marie Antoinette (2006) and Sweeney Todd (2006). Playing the sinister Bill Sikes should be an easy role for him and fun for us to watch.

Check out the Oliver Twist website at Masterpiece Classics and sign up for a free drawing for a copy of the book. Be sure to tune in this Sunday February 15th at 9:00 pm (check your local listing) and concluding on the 22nd.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose