Reviews (3)

Houdini, a wonderful movie to view and own.
Houdini, is a television based movie. I find that it has easily become my favorite movie. With the strange twists, it gives some insight as to what Houdini's life was like. Of course, the whole movie isn't based upon the truth, but that's something to expect from a TNT movie. Every good movie, be it based upon the truth or not, has at least a few plop twists. The movie begins with Houdini's early childhood, up to his death, and a little past for entertainment value. The love story - like moments in the movie are sure to make you smile. The comedic parts of the movie, will draw something from you. Finally, the reality of the movie, will give you somewhat of an insight to Houdini's daring escape illusions. The end of the movie, will most likely touch your hearts and perhaps even bring a tear to your eye, as it did for mine. Enjoy Houdini.

That's not how it happened!
Before I saw this film I saw as many documentries on Houdini as I could. They got the facts all wrong! That is NOT the way that those people were. That's not what happened that night, ten years after his death. Those hoping to learn anything of substance about the celebrated magician and illusionist will walk away disappointed, because writer-director Pen Densham's superfical and overly melodramatic biography turns Houdini into a shrill, unpleasant narcissist. This TNT original film has "TV movie" written all over it: The production values look cheap, and the most talented actors turn up in only brief supporting roles. We're still waiting for a definitive portrait.

"Houdini" makes you believe
The first time I saw this movie it touched my heart like few movies have. It makes you believe in the power of true love and how nothing is impossible as long as you believe. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

good thriller..
When I first saw it , it was scary, I liked the scene where the daughter get's brave and takes on the scary aunt..this movie is hard to find..Can't find it in the video stores.

Seemed a bit boring on tv
I've only seen the MONSTERVISION version on tv. I want the R version so I can see the scene where the blonde girl gets ripped up in the escolater. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

it's the movie, not the book that's being reviewed...
I have never read the novel of Moll Flanders, and besides, that's not what we're reviewing anyway. We're reviewing the movie itself. From my unbiased opinion, I think it was a great movie, well executed from the cast members. The little girl was an astounding actress for her age, and I'm quiet surprised that I haven't seen her in any other movies. Robin Wright did very well, because, I take it, Moll is a very challenging part. Moll is a multi-faceted character and I think any actress would have a very hard time pulling off. So congradulations to Wright. And, as usual, Morgan Freeman pulls off a wonderful performance. Stockard Channing is also very good at being evil, so the part suited her well. All in all, it's a good film to rent when all of the modern stuff seems like trash.

Where's Defoe's version?
I liked the movie. Don't get me wrong. However, this version of Moll Flander's tale deviants so dramatically from the version written by Defoe in the 18th century. Instead of our heroine, his the early version being the victim of money's intense seduction, of trading her morality for money and compassion for commodification, Densham's version of Moll Flanders is a frosting-type Cinderella whose beauty and innocence give her her just reward, money. I'm not exactly sure what the director, screen writer is trying to say here. That virtue isn't it's own reward, but that with luck and good looks, eventually you'll get the cash you need to own a estate in the Bahamas?
Either way, the movie's romance hooked me. I love to see true love conquer all.
It was a good movie.
I just wouldn't try to watch it and compare it to Defoe's version.

Not Moll Flanders at all
If you are a fan of period piece movies and only care about the movie, not the book, this is a nicely done period piece movie. It is nothing like the version of Moll Flanders starring Alex Kingston which I also liked very much. I have a huge collection of period piece movies and am glad I added both versions to my collection.

Read the book, but don't cast this movie aside!
I first read the *book* Moll Flanders when I was in eighth grade, and I loved it. Then I saw the Masterpiece Theatre adaptation of the novel, and loved that. When I saw this title at the video store, I thought I'd give it a try.

First off, as other reviewers have stated, it is nothing like the novel save the name of the main character and some of the "adventures" she has. HOWEVER, as a story it is not bad. Take a movie adaptation like "The Scarlet Letter" (with Demi Moore) or "Queen of the Damned" (with Aaliyah)--those are horrible adaptations of great books. This movie, however, is a good story in its own right, and not really an adaptation at all. The acting is good, the sets and costumes are pretty, and the plot, while not life changing, is moving and interesting.

My advice: 1)Read the book. 2)Watch the Masterpiece Theatre adaptation. 3)Watch this version, but keep an open mind and don't expect to see the same story that you read in the novel.

An enjoyable film
Personally I prefer the masterpiece theater version to the Moll Flanders story, but I don't believe that this one should be cast aside. Yes it doesn't follow the book, but for what it was written to be, it was excellent. The acting, costumes, and sets were wonderful. I just watched it last night as a matter of fact. Stockard Channing brings radiance to the screen as always. There is much to be appreciated. If you want better accuracy to the story, buy the masterpiece theater version. If you have an appreciation for great acting and art direction, buy both. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Robin Wright gives an adolescent, one-note performance as Daniel Defoe's 18th-century heroine, who has successive experiences as an abandoned child, a prostitute, a wife (five times over!), a thief, an artist's model, a felon, and much else. Writer-director Pen Densham takes a Forrest Gump-like sentimental angle on Moll's many manifestations (quite a bit different from Terence Young's bawdy 1965 film version) and mostly succeeds in making a movie that is too silly, precious, and weepy. Morgan Freeman plays a narrator (who doesn't exist in the book), and there are some good performances from John Lynch, Stockard Channing, and Jeremy Brett. But by the time this wobbly adaptation reaches its sappy conclusion, one can't help but feel the overriding power of the film is to insult the intelligence with treacle. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (29)

it's the movie, not the book that's being reviewed...
I have never read the novel of Moll Flanders, and besides, that's not what we're reviewing anyway. We're reviewing the movie itself. From my unbiased opinion, I think it was a great movie, well executed from the cast members. The little girl was an astounding actress for her age, and I'm quiet surprised that I haven't seen her in any other movies. Robin Wright did very well, because, I take it, Moll is a very challenging part. Moll is a multi-faceted character and I think any actress would have a very hard time pulling off. So congradulations to Wright. And, as usual, Morgan Freeman pulls off a wonderful performance. Stockard Channing is also very good at being evil, so the part suited her well. All in all, it's a good film to rent when all of the modern stuff seems like trash.

Where's Defoe's version?
I liked the movie. Don't get me wrong. However, this version of Moll Flander's tale deviants so dramatically from the version written by Defoe in the 18th century. Instead of our heroine, his the early version being the victim of money's intense seduction, of trading her morality for money and compassion for commodification, Densham's version of Moll Flanders is a frosting-type Cinderella whose beauty and innocence give her her just reward, money. I'm not exactly sure what the director, screen writer is trying to say here. That virtue isn't it's own reward, but that with luck and good looks, eventually you'll get the cash you need to own a estate in the Bahamas?
Either way, the movie's romance hooked me. I love to see true love conquer all.
It was a good movie.
I just wouldn't try to watch it and compare it to Defoe's version.

Not Moll Flanders at all
If you are a fan of period piece movies and only care about the movie, not the book, this is a nicely done period piece movie. It is nothing like the version of Moll Flanders starring Alex Kingston which I also liked very much. I have a huge collection of period piece movies and am glad I added both versions to my collection.

Read the book, but don't cast this movie aside!
I first read the *book* Moll Flanders when I was in eighth grade, and I loved it. Then I saw the Masterpiece Theatre adaptation of the novel, and loved that. When I saw this title at the video store, I thought I'd give it a try.

First off, as other reviewers have stated, it is nothing like the novel save the name of the main character and some of the "adventures" she has. HOWEVER, as a story it is not bad. Take a movie adaptation like "The Scarlet Letter" (with Demi Moore) or "Queen of the Damned" (with Aaliyah)--those are horrible adaptations of great books. This movie, however, is a good story in its own right, and not really an adaptation at all. The acting is good, the sets and costumes are pretty, and the plot, while not life changing, is moving and interesting.

My advice: 1)Read the book. 2)Watch the Masterpiece Theatre adaptation. 3)Watch this version, but keep an open mind and don't expect to see the same story that you read in the novel.

An enjoyable film
Personally I prefer the masterpiece theater version to the Moll Flanders story, but I don't believe that this one should be cast aside. Yes it doesn't follow the book, but for what it was written to be, it was excellent. The acting, costumes, and sets were wonderful. I just watched it last night as a matter of fact. Stockard Channing brings radiance to the screen as always. There is much to be appreciated. If you want better accuracy to the story, buy the masterpiece theater version. If you have an appreciation for great acting and art direction, buy both. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

it's the movie, not the book that's being reviewed...
I have never read the novel of Moll Flanders, and besides, that's not what we're reviewing anyway. We're reviewing the movie itself. From my unbiased opinion, I think it was a great movie, well executed from the cast members. The little girl was an astounding actress for her age, and I'm quiet surprised that I haven't seen her in any other movies. Robin Wright did very well, because, I take it, Moll is a very challenging part. Moll is a multi-faceted character and I think any actress would have a very hard time pulling off. So congradulations to Wright. And, as usual, Morgan Freeman pulls off a wonderful performance. Stockard Channing is also very good at being evil, so the part suited her well. All in all, it's a good film to rent when all of the modern stuff seems like trash.

Where's Defoe's version?
I liked the movie. Don't get me wrong. However, this version of Moll Flander's tale deviants so dramatically from the version written by Defoe in the 18th century. Instead of our heroine, his the early version being the victim of money's intense seduction, of trading her morality for money and compassion for commodification, Densham's version of Moll Flanders is a frosting-type Cinderella whose beauty and innocence give her her just reward, money. I'm not exactly sure what the director, screen writer is trying to say here. That virtue isn't it's own reward, but that with luck and good looks, eventually you'll get the cash you need to own a estate in the Bahamas?
Either way, the movie's romance hooked me. I love to see true love conquer all.
It was a good movie.
I just wouldn't try to watch it and compare it to Defoe's version.

Not Moll Flanders at all
If you are a fan of period piece movies and only care about the movie, not the book, this is a nicely done period piece movie. It is nothing like the version of Moll Flanders starring Alex Kingston which I also liked very much. I have a huge collection of period piece movies and am glad I added both versions to my collection.

Read the book, but don't cast this movie aside!
I first read the *book* Moll Flanders when I was in eighth grade, and I loved it. Then I saw the Masterpiece Theatre adaptation of the novel, and loved that. When I saw this title at the video store, I thought I'd give it a try.

First off, as other reviewers have stated, it is nothing like the novel save the name of the main character and some of the "adventures" she has. HOWEVER, as a story it is not bad. Take a movie adaptation like "The Scarlet Letter" (with Demi Moore) or "Queen of the Damned" (with Aaliyah)--those are horrible adaptations of great books. This movie, however, is a good story in its own right, and not really an adaptation at all. The acting is good, the sets and costumes are pretty, and the plot, while not life changing, is moving and interesting.

My advice: 1)Read the book. 2)Watch the Masterpiece Theatre adaptation. 3)Watch this version, but keep an open mind and don't expect to see the same story that you read in the novel.

An enjoyable film
Personally I prefer the masterpiece theater version to the Moll Flanders story, but I don't believe that this one should be cast aside. Yes it doesn't follow the book, but for what it was written to be, it was excellent. The acting, costumes, and sets were wonderful. I just watched it last night as a matter of fact. Stockard Channing brings radiance to the screen as always. There is much to be appreciated. If you want better accuracy to the story, buy the masterpiece theater version. If you have an appreciation for great acting and art direction, buy both. ... Read more