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One of the most endearing and intelligent romantic comedies of the '90s, the Oscar-winning Shakespeare in Love is filled with such good will, sunny romance, snappy one-liners, and devilish cleverness that it's absolutely irresistible. With tongue placed firmly in cheek, at its outset the film tracks young Will Shakespeare's overwrought battle with writer's block and the efforts of theater owner Philip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush, in rare form) to stage Will's latest comedy, Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter. Jokey comedy, though, soon takes a backseat to ravishing romance when the beautiful Viola De Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow) disguises herself as a young man to wangle herself an audition in the all-male cast, and wins both the part of Romeo and, after much misunderstanding, the playwright's heart. Soon enough, Will's pirate comedy becomes the beautiful, tragic Romeo and Juliet, reflecting the agony and ecstasy of Will and Viola's romance--he's married and she's set to marry the slimy Lord Wessex (Colin Firth) in the near future.

The way that Oscar-winning screenwriters Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard enfold their story within the parameters of Romeo and Juliet (and even Twelfth Night) is nothing short of brilliant--it would take a Shakespearean scholar to dissect the innumerable parallels, oft-quoted lines, plot developments, and thematic borrowings. And most amazingly, Norman and Stoppard haven't forgotten to entertain their audience in addition to riding a Shakespearean roller coaster, with director John Madden (Mrs. Brown) reigning in his huge ensemble with rollicking energy. Along the way there are small gems to be found, including Judi Dench's eight-minute, Oscar-winning turn as a truly regal Queen Elizabeth, but the key element of Shakespeare in Love's success rests on the milky-white shoulders of its two stars. Fiennes, inexplicably overlooked at Oscar time, is a dashing, heartfelt Will, and as for Best Actress winner Paltrow, well, nothing she'd done before could have prepared viewers for how amazing she is here. Breathtakingly beautiful, fiercely intelligent, strong-willed, and lovestruck--it's a performance worthy of Shakespeare in more ways than one. By the film's end, you'll be thoroughly won over--and brushing up your Shakespeare with newfound ardor. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (456)

Not of an age, but for all time. And better on DVD
Purists who turn up their noses at Shakespeare in Love don't know what they're talking about - or rather, don't know what they're missing. This was, after all, written by Tom Stoppard, author of some of the very best plays of modern times (Arcadia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead - the latter filmed with Gary Oldman and Tim Roth). He's done a splendid job of balancing accessibility with genuine wit. The screenplay is littered with allusions to the bard's works, and gives some great - albeit hypothetical - insights into how and why he wrote.

Beyond that, in true Shakespearean style, we are offered the "play within the play" - in this case Romeo and Juliet. Excellent editing gives us just enough to convey the mood of an Elizabethan performance, leaving us wanting more. This film does a great job of broadening the appeal of the most popular writer.

And don't miss the topical in-jokes - the "cabby" rowing the boat, and especially Glenda Jackson saying she knows what it's like to do a man's job (she plays "M" in the Bond movies). Bill S. would have approved. High praise indeed.

Top-Ten Romance, and One of the Most Clever Screenplays!
"Shakespeare in Love" is a triumph, pure and simple. With screenwriters Tom Stoppard and Marc Norman at the top of their game and feeding immortal lines to a top-notch cast, "Shakespeare in Love" could not fail to succeed.

The film opens with young Will Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) struggling with writer's block . . . he is clearly not yet the magnificent WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (insert trumpets here), the world's most famous writer. Indeed, the top playwright of the age is Kit Marlowe (Rupert Everett), as Shakespeare is reminded several times. And young Will is also hopelessly infatuated with Rosaline, a woman completely unworthy of his affections.

After some psychotherapy that anticipates Freud, Will is no better. Still, heavily in debt, Will attempts to stage his next opus, "Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter." Working with Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush, who would have stolen a lesser film with his perfect performance), who's also heavily in debt, Will seems headed for disaster.

That is, until he sees his muse, young Viola de Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow, never better). Smitten, young Will begins to write the romantic poetry that becomes "Romeo and Juliet." Viola, who recognizes Will's genius, meets Will through some classic Shakespearean disguises and mistaken identities. Of course, Viola is betrothed to a true slug, Lord Wessex (a plump Colin Firth), who plans to take her to Virginia in seek his fortune across the sea -- essentially sending her into exile.

Despite the roadblocks, Will and Viola are soon hopelessly in love. Viola, daring to breach the silly rule that only men can play parts on stage, has taken the role of Romeo by day. By night, Will and Viola write Will's most romantic play together.

"SIL" keeps the wheels turning mighty fast, and one of the joys of watching this movie over and over is catching a quick joke that you didn't get the first time around.

It's also a pleasure to watch this stellar cast go through its paces. While Judi Dench won her Oscar for her surprisingly brief performance as Queen Elizabeth, other actors turn in equally entertaining performances. Tom Wilkinson, Simon Callow, Martin Clunes, and Imelda Staunton each bring amazing proficiency to the supporting cast, and even the much-maligned appearance of Ben Affleck elevates the movie -- he is perfectly cast as a self-absorbed theater star (first line -- "What is the play, and what is my part?"). Affleck's comeuppance, when he realizes that he, as Mercutio, doesn't have the title role, is handled wonderfully well.

This is simply a movie that doesn't miss a trick. The film is shot beautifully, the extravagent costuming gets at the ridiculous conformity that we associate with jolly old England (and makes the torrid romance of Will and Viola that much more intimate), and the music is uplifting.

The film's final shot, as Viola walks along the beach and we realize that we've just seen the birth of arguably Shakespeare's greatest heroine, Viola of "Twelfth Night," is a masterpiece of powerful understatement.

This movie is simply a must for the film library!

A GOOFY YET DELICIOUSLY SEDUCTIVE ROMANTIC COMEDY!
The DVD casing claimed in big bold letters "Best Screenplay" Academy Award winner. I can surely see why! Must have been some deviously creative team that crafted this crisp comic period-piece.

The film is really two love stories: one a bawdy romance between two smitten humans, and the other an ode to the art of theatre. The writers'/director's love for showmanship is loud and evident throughout the brilliant screenplay, and if you're a fan of wordplay in any way, well then this is a surefire delight.

Both Paltrow and Fienners turn in lusciously romantic performances in their respective roles -- she pulls off the formidable order of gender-switching without a hitch, and he has just the right pitches and patterns for a young, struggling Shakespeare. Geoffrey Rush is magnetic as usual.

Don't be fooled by the Elizabethan accoutrements, this film and its arsenal of laconic quips could easily shoot several contemporary romances to dust. Buy this one in fact, don't just rent, it quite comfortably stands the test of more than one viewing..

Rush in an unforgettable role
Although Geoffrey Rush is not the star of the film, he delivers a memorable performance, as usual. Fiennes does, also. The costuming is very beautiful, and the humour is delightful. Highly reccommended.

Emotionally Fraudulent and Morally Offensive NON-Love Story
Before I start out, I should say that I am NOT one of those people who think they have to deride "Shakespeare in Love" because it's a "chick flick" and therefore unworthy(?!) of Oscars. Nor do I feel the need to condemn it for winning Best Picture over "Saving Private Ryan," as so many have done. I certainly do have a beef in that regard -- and it's that my own favorite film of 1998, "The Truman Show," wasn't even nominated for Best Picture! But none of these things have anything to do with my loathing for "Shakespeare in Love." My beef is solely with the offensive nature of the film itself. It's advertised as a love story, but is emotionally and morally empty when it comes to any notion of love.

You could see the writers straining to convince us that those two awesomely idiotic characters, Will and Viola, were really deserving to be the inspiration for "Romeo and Juliet." The film wanted to show that "the truth and nature of love" so magnificently expressed in Shakespeare's play resulted from this casual (and to my mind very unromantic) affair between a lying weasel of a married man, and an apparently dimwitted girl who can't be bothered to decide whether she wants to marry him or not, though she's being forced into marriage with a man she hates.

Starting out by having a man needing to fall in love for a mercenary reason -- so he can finish his play -- and then conveniently having him decide that the first pretty girl who comes along is the love of his life, doesn't strike me as a convincing way to start a love story. Did writers Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard really stop to think this out? From the beginning we know he's using this girl, and they never find a convincing way to show us that this ever changes.

The worst line in the film, to my mind, comes right after their first soft-core sex scene. Viola murmurs: "I never would have believed that there could be something better than a play -- even your play!" Will: "Huh?" Well, there goes any possible higher emotional or spiritual aspect to their relationship.

This is the deepest flaw in the movie (which was otherwise well acted, gorgeously shot and beautifully costumed). I could not enjoy it or buy into it in the slightest because the fundamental conception of the filmmakers was based on modern notions of love that don't go beyond the purely physical. Descriptions of love in Western literature have at least on occasion gone much deeper than that. The Will in "Shakespeare in Love" not only couldn't have written "Romeo and Juliet"'s dramatic sonnet "If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine. . ." he wouldn't even have been able to understand it.

Not to mention the glamorization of a man's adultery, and the strenuous attempts to avoid all the real-life emotional ramifications of such an action, in favor of a feel-good justification of it, in spite of the obvious harm to the young virginal woman who was used by a cad. But it's excused and made to seem no real harm, by having her anger abated by thinking Will is dead, then readily going back to him when she discovers he's alive (a cheap dramatic trick if I ever saw one). Above all, no matter what a real Elizabethan girl's attitude miught have been, Viola is made to adopt the "modern" attitude (love is just a "stolen season").

I think there actually could have been a believable story in the idea of Shakespeare falling in love while writing "Romeo and Juliet." Why not start with the historical fact that Shakespeare didn't even make up the plot of the play at all, much less make it up out of his own love life? In fact, "Romeo and Juliet" was an Italian novella that had gone the rounds of Europe, had been turned into a French play, an English poem and at least one preceding English play. What if Shakespeare finds himself adapting this love story, not believing in love, then actually falls in love in a way that resembles the plot of "Romeo and Juliet"? I think it would have been nice if he had fallen in love with a virgin like Viola, realized in all conscience he couldn't take advantage of her, and wrote his play out of his frustrated love, which he turns into art. I think it would have been more convincing. But of course then it wouldn't have been a Miramax film . . . ... Read more

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A romantic drama in the Masterpiece Theater vein, this John Madden film looks at the relationship between Queen Victoria and John Brown, a commoner who, though a servant, becomes her closest friend and confidant. As such, he proves the catalyst to bring her back into public life and out of her private mourning for the late Prince Albert. But the closeness of their friendship sets tongues wagging about the impropriety of what appears to be an affair between queen and commoner (an issue the film never directly addresses). The film's charm lies in the flinty give-and-take between the wonderfully starchy Judi Dench as Victoria and the robust Scottish comedian Billy Connolly, here playing it straight as a strong-willed Scotsman who comes to enjoy the power he wields by virtue of having the queen's ear. Antony Sher is also striking as Prime Minister Disraeli, in a performance that all but shimmers with unspoken malice. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (34)

I bet John Brown knows Victoria's Secret
MRS. BROWN was a great film about Victoria, one of the longest reigning monarchs in British history (1837-1901). The movie opens with Victoria (Judi Dench) in mournig over the death of her husband, Prince Albert. One of Albert's manservants is summoned to court to help the queen cope with her mourning by taking her on horse rides. When John Brown finally gets her out of the house to ride and also what to do. Being the Queen, she finds John Brown to be rude, but actually enjoys his company. She doesn't treat him as any commoner, but as an equal. This distressed Parliament who believes John Brown is controlling her both personally and politically. This was an excellent film and I highly recommend it.

Excellent movie, beautiful performances
I have always been intrigued by the life of Queen Victoria and Judi Dench's performance contributes to the continued mystique of her life. John Brown's friendship with her is a fascinating relationship that grows from the beginning and culminates into Victoria's best friend, the most loved of advisors. I was surprised to learn that Victoria is buried with a picture of Brown in her tombstone. I think that there was more to the relationship than just a deep friendship but the movie does respect their lives & does not intend to create a version of love that was never true. The film does liberty to both people & is in my opinion one of the most thought provoking movies ever made.

Intelligent and Sensitive, Beautifully Acted
MRS. BROWN is a film that is so exquisitely acted, so sensitive in its portrayal of grief and friendship and so lacking in artifice that it's almost impossible to find words glowing enough to describe it.

MRS. BROWN centers on Queen Victoria and is based on actual events. It opens in 1864, two years after the death of Victoria's very beloved husband, Prince Albert. Unable to pull herself out of mourning, Victoria lives in almost total isolation at Windsor Castle and her family, friends and staff have become her unwilling prisoners. Silence and grief are the rule at Windsor and even though several well-meaning friends and advisors attempt to bring the queen out of the deep depression into which she's fallen, it's all to no avail. Finally, in one last, desperate effort, Victoria's wonderfully loyal and caring secretary, Henry Posonby, sends for one of Albert's old stable hands at Balmoral, John Brown. Brown is a Highlander and Victoria, you see, subscribed to the belief that "all Highlanders are good for the health." Posonby can hope she's right.

Brown certainly shakes things up when he arrives at Windsor. Unlike Victoria's other servants, Brown doesn't coddle Victoria's depression. He's too smart for that and he knows that's not the way to get the job done. Naturally, Victoria is, at first, annoyed at Brown's loud and unpolished manner and her staff is horrified. Little by little, however, Victoria responds to Brown's affection and caring and a deep and lasting friendship develops between the two as Brown pulls Victoria back to life.

Although the friendship between Brown and Victoria develops rather slowly and, in the film, at least, there's no hint of it being anything other than platonic, palace gossips can't help but dub Victoria, "Mrs. Brown."

MRS. BROWN is primarily a film of friendship, but palace politics do play a minor role. Both Edward, the Prince of Wales and Prime Minister Disraeli dislike Brown and try their best to have him sent back to Balmoral.

It is the growing friendship between Brown and Victoria, however, that really drives this film. Judi Dench is superlative in the role of Victoria as is Billy Connolly as John Brown. Even though this isn't a "romantic" film, there is definite chemistry between Dench and Connolly and their deep and sensitive friendship is totally believable and very moving.

I expected Dench to turn in a superb performance (she never gives anything less) but Connolly's exquisite performance as John Brown is an unexpected delight simply because he's far better known for over the top comedy. In MRS. BROWN, however, he plays the part of a coarse, uneducated, but deeply caring and sensitive Highlander, perfectly.

Antony Sher as Disraeli and Geoffrey Palmer as the loyal Henry Posonby certainly deserve mention as well.

While MRS. BROWN belongs to Dench and Connolly, credit has to be given to screenwriter, Jeremy Brock and director, John Madden for keeping MRS. BROWN low-key and for letting Dench and Connolly work their magic without throwing in even a hint of romantic scandal.

MRS. BROWN is a beautiful, exquisitely acted film that should appeal to anyone who loves quality and depth over formula and thrills. MRS. BROWN is one of my most prized DVDs and I couldn't recommend it more highly.

Expect for Excitement and you'll be Disappointed
Quite a lively account of Queen Victoria as a person since her husband passed away. There isn't too much drama or suspense. There is instead a lot of attention todetailssuch court life and etiquette costume etc. But it is neither as boring as one would expect from such movies.

Fiction can be duller than truth
This rather gloomy film tells the story of an imaginary love affair between Queen Victoria and her Highland servant John Brown. In reality, their relationship was much more intersting and lively than the soppy one portrayed in the film. john Brown had a brisk, no-nonsense manner of talking to the Queen which outraged everybody else, but which she loved. Moreover, Queen Victoria was a matriarch who ruled her entire family with a rod ofiron, you would never guess that from seeing the timid, shrinking creature she is portrayed as being in this film. And as for Henry Ponsonby (Geoffrey plamer), who is portrayed in this film as a miserable git, the one thing everybody always sazys about him is what fun he was, and what a wonderful sense of humour he had. you'd never guess it from this film. nor was there every any estrangement between John Brown and the Queen,as this film implies. he stayed with her until his death, and was as rude and outspoken at the end as at the beginning. this melancholy film does not do justice to any of the characters portrayed in it. However, if you like gloomy romances, you'll probably love it. ... Read more

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Here's the film of a novel nobody liked in high school (but probably succumbed to when they read it in later life, as they should). Based on the book by Edith Wharton, it's one of those repressed romances of longing and regret carried out in real time and real life. Liam Neeson plays the humble Ethan, manipulated into marrying a plain and sickly woman (Joan Allen, every bit as good as she is in The Contender), who still manages to dominate him. When she grows so ill that Ethan requires help to care for her, they import her poor cousin (Patricia Arquette), who sparks thoughts in Ethan that never occurred to him with his wife. Neeson has a great fire within, as he confronts an array of possibilities that simply remain out of reach because the alternative is unthinkable in this tight-knit New England community. Arquette bubbles with life, while Allen can freeze blood at 100 paces with one of her icy glances. Slow-moving at times but worth it for the final payoff. Directed by John Madden (Shakespeare in Love). --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Are you a Born Romantic ?
If you love Romance, you simply must have this video! Yes, Ethan and Mattie are what we call "star crossed lovers" in a way, so all the more reason why their courtship escalates so far beyond the mundane.

I promise you this: there are at least two love scenes in this film that are so amorous and seductive that you will most certainly rewind the tape just to reassure yourself that it was accomplished completely without nudity.

Liam Neeson (Ethan) is at his expected best, portraying a character who is astonishingly sexy and lovable regardless of his physical deformity or intensely tragic circumstances. And Patricia Arquette (Mattie) exquisitely personifies a beautiful and kind young woman approaching her first peak of sexuality.

All of the actors are wonderful and the film follows the book very closely. Buy the video, read the book, and then if you are a true Romantic you will watch the video again and again.

Do read the previous reviews from other customers, I enjoyed reading all of them.

It could've been a great movie...
...If only Patricia Arquette weren't in it. I never had anything against her before I saw this movie, but boy, does she know how to ruin a good movie. Liam Neeson was brilliant, and Joan Allen's performance was good, too, but Arquette's "acting" (I use the term loosely) was so overblown, so limp and clumsy and unbelievable, that it ruined the whole film for me; I've seen sixth-graders with better acting skills than I saw out of Arquette in this movie. It's a shame, because the scenes without her in them are brilliant, and the other actors turn in commendable performances. If only they'd hired a more competent actress or paid for some lessons for Arquette.

It was a good book
Ethan Fromme is a great romance book, however as books to movies go, this is one of the worst. Most of the facts were there, but there were added details, and a few missing things which just destroyed the message portrayed in the book.

In the book, Ethan's crippled condition is only barely highlited, yet in the movie, it is dragged out to almost hillarious proportions. This reduces the novels intended effect on viewers of the movie, as the fact that it is supposed to seem almost a punishment on Ethan is lost almost completely. Zeena, the lifeless doll which we see with a certain sense of dread at her introduction in the novel, is a beautiful young woman when she appears in the movie, with only a little less charm later on, when, in the events of the novel, she is supposed to seem almost like death itself. Zeena in the movie is constantly portrayed as being not as bad as we are led to see in the book, therefore making us care for her and almost wonder why Ethan would want to have an affair when he has such a 'good' wife. Also, the character of Mattie, an innocent, vivacious character in the novel, is portrayed as a flirtatious... and almost instigates the affair more than Ethan. In the novel, Ethan is the one who truely begins everything, secretly longing for her, but never able to express his feelings to her until he fears she will be gone.

All these changes destroy the tone with which the author of the book adressed Ethan, and ruined the message that we were supposed to get out of her work. Instead of feeling for the characters of Ethan and Mattie as the evil Zeena destroys Ethan, we feel a sense of disgust at Mattie and Ethan's affair. While the movie was true to the book in many ways, it was the ways in which it wasn't that make this movie sub-par, and almost disgraceful to the book.

Interesting Movie
I really enjoyed the VHS version of this film and I'm looking forward to watching the DVD. I purchased the video a few years ago for a relative and I recently tried to buy one for myself. I was disappointed to find out that it was no longer for sale on VHS format. Fortunately, they are now going to offer it on DVD...I'm placing my order today!

AWESOME CHEMISTRY!!!
If you LOVE Romantic movies with chemistry, especially between the actor and actress, you will LOVE this movie. The chemistry between Liam Neeson and Patricia Arquette is breath taking!!!
I get butterflies in my stomach on a couple of scenes. I wouldn't change a thing in this movie it is absolutely superb!!! ... Read more

Reviews (104)

Tragedy & love, drawn from history, on a sunny Greek isle!
For pure entertainment, it's hard to beat a love story wrapped in a war story. As a war story, Captain Corelli's Mandolin is a failure. As a love story, it's barely there, but the combination is greater than the sum of the parts. The story is rich; it's historical, and the cinematography of a sunny Greek island will give any movie a lift.

Set in World War II, the Italian army, under the control of the Germans, occupies the Greek Island of Cephallonia. The islanders are not intimidated in the least, by the Italians. They regard them as hopeless, spineless cowards and the most pathetic excuse for soldiers. These soldiers are not real fighting men anyway. They are musicians in uniform. Despite the intrusion of the Italian occupiers, these musicians bring a love of music and an enjoyment life, where they can find it, to the war stressed town.

Penelope Cruz plays Pelagia, a medical student and daughter of the village doctor. She has a boyfriend in the village, Madras, who is involved with the Greek resistance. Nicholas Cage plays Captain Corelii, the ranking Italian officer on the island. He of course, works on charming the initially hostile Pelagia away from Madras. The romance is a little frustrating. It's stretched out over the length of the film without enough romantic, "Action, " along the way.

I've always liked Nicholas Cage. By the formulas of Hollywood, he was not perfectly cast as the Captain. His posture is awkward. He's not slick, not a classic romantic type. But the rough fit gives the film some of it's charm. Penelope Cruz doesn't seem perfectly cast either, but by some magic, she made a Penelope Cruz fan out of me. On the down side, Cage's accent is horrendous, by the way, and varies throughout the film. It doesn't hurt the film, but both Cage and Cruz seem far too old for the roles they play.

I thought the portrayal of the German officer, Captain Weber, by David Morrissey, was exceptional. He is not characterized as the stereotypical, Teutonic tyrant. With very little screen time, I felt his characterization was human, complex, sympathetic and conflicted.

Christian Bale's acting, as Madras, is also excellent. As a member of the Greek resistance and as Captain Corelli's rival for Pelagia, he has every reason to do him. Observe his non-verbal behavior.

In contrast to the Greek islander's initial view of the Italians, in the end, Captain Corelli and his band of musicians turn out to be courageous men of conviction. The musicians fight, and die, for the love of life, humanity and the love of a woman. By contrast the Germans fight and kill, for all the wrong things. And when it came to life and love, it is our German officer, so capable of life and love, who becomes the spineless coward.

How sad it was to read in the film's afterward that the German military executed thousands of Italian soldiers on Cephallonia in 1943. How sad it is that so many films today entertain people with faked violence, exaggerated a thousand fold; yet, we remain ignorant where it was a reality. By contrast, the makers of Captain Corelli's Mandolin had to minimize showing the historical violence so it would not obliterate the love story. In the movie there is just violence enough to shock and inform us.

The film was based on a historical novel of the same name, by the way. If you want to know more about the historical incident upon which the movie was based, just search on the Internet for Cephallonia. It is one of the three Ionian Islands, which also happen to be the birth place of Greek philosophy. Today, the Greeks have a shrine there for the executed Italian soldiers. The actual execution sites and places where the bodies were dumped are marked and preserved. Many Greeks and Italians pray at the sites.

Dazzling....
I will not write a review about this movie from an expert critique's stand point. Nor will I give you a summary of the plot as others have done.
I will simply tell you this: this movie touched me deeply on an emotional level.
Nicolas Cage plays an uncanny role as the compassionate and music loving captain of a small group of Italian soldiers on the Greek island. He falls in love with the beautiful Pelagia (superbly acted by Penelope Cruz) who is torn between her hidden desire for the Captain and her loyalty to her finance Mandras (Christian Bale)who ignores her to take partake in the Greek resistance.

Well thats a very brief summary there...(sorry I've contradictd myself) But the rest of the movie is pure beauty and emotion.
The scenes on the actually island are breathtaking, the music by Stephen Warbick (Shakespeare in Love) simply fabulous and heartbreaking,and the acting by Cruz,Cage was perfect despite Cage's somewhat not so perfect accent. I also have to add great support by Christian bale and especially John Hurt who I thought should ve been nominated for an oscar for supporting role.

I think this movie can be summed up by one tiny scene where the Italian and German soldiers along with the local Greeks are at terrace in the evening drinking and debating on war and justifying their point of view. The argument gets heated until one Italian soldiers gets up and says poignantly :
"its such a beautiful night.....I want to fall in love"

could have been a good movie with a different set of actors
I can't stand either Nicolas Cage or Penelope Cruz so I was prepared to hate it. It wasn't as bad as I anticipated but it wasn't great either. Nicolas Cage is a terrible actor and his fake Italian accent was getting on my nerves in a major way. All the Italians in the movie joke around and sing-that all they do. I also couldn't see how they(N and P) fell in love. One day they just were. Yeah, right. I have to add one more thing and its about Penelope's looks. I think with right clothes and makeup she can look decent but in this movie she looks downright horrid. Her hair is done in the most unflattering hairdo on the planet and her clothes look as if she robbed the scarecrow. Whether the look was intentional or accidental is a mystery. The ending was incredibly stupid. He leaves Penelope until the war is over and then doesn't come back until two years later because he feels guilty about coming between her and her fiancé. Give me a break

Pizza and Chianti for this slow-mo tearjerker
A confession: I did not read the book. From what I can gather from reviewers, those who did read "Corelli" were sadly disappointed by Hollywood's hatchet job. Whaddja expect?

As for the besotted grognard that I am, and not having been contaminated by prior perusal of that sensitive and romantic novel, I found the DVD "Corelli" to be a passable evening's entertainment, not great, but OK. I happen to be a Nicholas Cage fan, although he is showing signs of overexposure in real turkey movies ("e.g. "Windtalkers") but still shows brilliance in films like "Matchstick Men." He is best when playing eccentric characters ("Raising Arizona") and does less well when confined. "Corelli" is somewhere in between. His Italian accent is OK but along the lines of the old faux Italian restaurant operator in the ad, "Chianti for everybody!" I found Penelope Cruz to be an unconvincing Greek, but how many convincing Greeks are there between Irene Pappas and Anthony Quinn?

The story line is plausible. We see a happy and prosperous Greek fishing village where Penelope Cruz and her physician father live high on a hill above the town. A swarthy but otherwise illiterate young fisherman yens for Cruz but she is hesitant (this is about all we get to know about the dark handsome fisherman, who eventually runs off to join the partisans). Suddenly, the war intervenes and the Italians arrive to take over the town, assisted by a few Germans who are, at this point, non-assertive. (Italy attacked Greece from Albania in the fall of 1940, got pushed back into Albania, and was ultimately bailed out of its embarrassment by German forces in the spring of 1941.)

I suspect that in the book, the Italians are more complex; here, Corelli's artillerymen would rather sing opera and drink wine than tend to their guns. Corelli's guileless charm ultimately wins over Cruz (she likes him, she likes him not) and a young German liaison officer who senses that his Italian allies are great drinking buddies but unreliable. Flash forward to 1943: Italy capitulates to the Allies and attempts (mostly unsuccessfully) to switch sides; Corelli's troops are forcibly detained by the German occupation forces. I will not get into the resulting tragedy, but I liked the treatment of this volatile period for the Italians in WW2. I will not describe what happens to Corelli himself, save that I began to draw uncomfortable parallels to another tear-jerker, "The English Patient."

I found the earthquake scene near the end of the movie stupid. Was this to draw a connection between the natural disaster and manmade disaster that was WW2? Hit me over the head. And why does Corelli stay away so long after the war? It's like the Rafe (Afflick) character in "Pearl Harbor", who disappears while flying overseas with the RAF, and then after many months all he can pen to his girlfriend is a hastily scrawled note, "I am alive." Is the man illiterate? Was he in a coma? They did have telephones. Or Western Union.

OK, so a typical Hollywood romantic war-date movie, worthy of a pizza and some cheap Italian plonk.

Good movie ... if you have not read the book
If this movie had been an original screenplay, I would think it brilliant, lovely, and wonderful. However, I read the book first (which I absolutely adored) so the story was set in my mind. The movie cut so many scenes that I thought were completely necessary to the plot, and added silly Hollywood scenes in their place. The film relegated major characters in the book (like Carlo Guerccio) to one or two lines in the film. In my opinion, this was a big mistake by the screen writers.

Cage and Cruz played their respective parts well in this film. Cage was funny and quirky like Corelli's character is described in the book, and Cruz honed in on Pelagia's quiet, reserved nature. Christian Bale looked surprisingly Greek in the movie, playing Pelagia's fiancé, Mandras. Although his character in the novel was the complete opposite in the filml, he played the part well. Dr. Iannis was intelligent, kind, and loving, and his character in the film translated the same way.

In conclusion, the movie is good and beautiful, but it pales in the light of the novel. Read the book! ... Read more

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Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett) is approached by an American senator (Daniel Massey) to clear the name of a governess (Catherine Russell) in his employ, the lady having been accused of murdering the senator's wife (Celia Gregory) on his estate and leaving her body on Thor Bridge. Holmes and Watson (Edward Hardwicke) take their clues from a few markings on the bridge itself; the solution is among the most complex and satisfying of the Great Detective's career. An excellent episode from the Granada Television series, with Brett in fine form and acting opposite his one-time, real-life brother-in-law, Massey. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

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A good one
One of Doyle's best mysteries is well-served in this film, crackling with creative excitement. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Did Sherlock Holmes survive his apparent demise at the hands of Professor Moriarty in The Final Problem? Clearly so, as his resurrection three years later in this story is a dramatic and happy event--though it causes his old friend Dr. Watson (Edward Hardwicke) to faint at the sight of him.Jeremy Brett is outstanding as the famed sleuth, whose return from what Sherlockians call the Great Hiatus is challenged by one of Moriarty's most murderous lieutenants (Patrick Allen), already a killer on the run in London. The action is swift and exciting, and the colorful reentrance of Holmes into the life of Dr. Watson is a highly memorable event. With Rosalie Williams in a more extensive part than usual as the wonderful Mrs.Hudson, Holmes's Baker Street landlady. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (12)

We are so glad to have you back, Mr. Holmes
While it is wonderful to have Sherlock Holmes back among the living, the real star in this video is the introduction of Edward Hardwicke as Watson. He is so comfortable and bemused as the teller of Holmes adventures that you believe him to be Watson. The screenplay is a bit uneven at points. It's almost as if the short story was unnaturally stretched to fill the time slot. But despite all that, Jeremy Brett is in top form as he keeps Holmes barely one step ahead of Moriarty's thugs and the infamous air guns.

Sherlock Holmes is back!!
When Conan Doyle wrote the "Final Problem" it was supposed to be his last chronicle as he was tired of the character. But through public pressure he brought back the first Consulting Detective. In this adventure we find out that Sherlock Holmes didn't die with his "evil counterpart" but had to stay in hiding in order to evade Dr Moraity's accomplices. When the story starts, years has gone bye since the "death" of Mr Holmes and a crime gets the attention of Holmes old cohort, Dr Watson. A murderer is afoot, and nobody knows who he is and why he kills. You can guess who comes a calling. The scene where Sherlock reveals himself alive to Dr Watson is right out of the book and brought off in great fation. This is an exellent sequel to the "Final Problem" where Sherlock Holmes retakes his place in London as it's most famous Detective and ties off any loose leed left in the earlier story. As per usual Granada Television rendition of this story is visually astonishing in the period details and scenes and Mr Brett depiction of Holmes is right out of the book. If you saw "Final Problem" this a must see. If you haven't, get both

We love it
With Sherlock Holmes dead at the Reichenbach Falls, Watson returns to his daily life. But, three years later, when Holmes suddenly appears in his examining room Watson receives the shock of his life. But, it's not time for happy reunions; Holmes is on the track of a major villain, and he is in need of his able assistant. Once again, the game is afoot!

Every once in a while, an actor comes along who not only plays the role of Sherlock Holmes, but actually redefines the role. In 1984, veteran actor Jeremy Brett (1933-95) actually did it yet again! This fifty-minute episode, the Empty House, was episode one of the third season, and originally aired on July 9, 1986. (By the way, if you like Jeremy Brett, you can see him in an entirely different role in My Fair Lady (1964) as Freddie Eynsford-Hill!)

I loved this tape and think that any fan of Sherlock Holmes, or just plain fan of mysteries, will love it, too. My family and I highly recommend it to you!

Excellent DVD
These two stories may not be as involved as some contemporary mysteries involving modern forensics, but Holmes' use of rational deduction and the forensics of his time (late 19th Century) is grand. If you are a true mystery fan, this is the place to begin--and return to again. Conan Doyle was a superb story teller.

The first story involves Holmes reappearance following his reported death at the hand of his arch enemy. Conan Doyle "killed" his dectective because he was tired of writing Holmes serials for the newspaper, but Holmes fans were so outraged and heartbroken the author was forced to resurrect him.

This volume marks Holmes "return" following the notorious "fall" in the Alps only to find himself pursued by a crony of his dead arch enemy (Professor Moriarity). The second tale involves the death of the owner of the Abbey Grange--who did it? Was it his Australian wife, her nanny, or the three villans the wife says hit her and tied her to a chair. Holmes is back in fine form and the "game's afoot" he tells Watson. The film includes the live depiction of illustrations from the Sherlock Holmes books we read as kids.

The DVD version of these two Sherlock Holmes tales is excellent. I love the reenactment of past times where every detail is faithfully depicted down to the steam from the locomotive engines and being able to see the detail with clarity is a pleasure.

Jeremy Brett is Sherlock Holmes
I am once again transfixed on my television and I have gleefully tossed out all my home tapes of the PBS series - they were horrible quality. What can I say...like a kid in a candy store..which episode do I watch next...were all life's problems so easy to deal with... I have most all of the old B&W ones in various 'collections' but...to me...there has been no Holmes like Mr. Brett. I would definitely recommend any and all of these episodes to EVERYONE!! A true 'must see'. Superb! I have them all up to date as far as I know but I am hoping for more releases. ... Read more

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Typical excellence - and one extra feature
A painter dies mysteriously, and various interests including his father, his erstwhile model and a mysterious rich man all seem to have something to do with it. Typically excellent fare from the Morse team, with the great John Thaw (a national resource, and his death from cancer was a dreadful loss) in typically grumpy and expressive form as Morse, and gorgeous, sunlit English landscapes - in Morse's England it practically never rains (not that I mind). But I hope you don't mind my saying that it is something else that makes this one episode absolutely unforgettable for me: the mysterious model - a single mother living a life of squalor in one of Morse's few genuine slum dwellings - is Nicola Cowper, a little-known English actress who is probably the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. She simply burns on the screen like a flame. One does not wonder that one character is troubled by her almost to his death, and that another is willing to pay for her favours. But even if you do not share my taste for small, exquisite, intense women, you will still not regret buying this episode. ... Read more

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perversion in high places
This story covers a multitude of sins, as it deals with sexual abuse of children, corporate greed, blackmail, and homosexuality among other things. The plot involves an intersection of issues related to possible environmental hazards, corporate efforts to suppress information regarding those hazards, and the attempts of those who have been victimized by sexual abuse to take revenge against the perpetrator. All these issues surface only after Morse investigates the death of a professor, a death which
ironically is attributed to natural causes (a heart attack). Morse once more demonstrates the "thinking man" approach to detection, reaching conclusions based upon analysis of clues (childhood photographs) which might be overlooked by less sagacious investigators. The performances are first rate, and the manner in which the story unfolds maintains interest throughout. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Morse in misery
This is certainly a highly unusual entry in the series, given the fact that Morse is the chief suspect in a murder investigation. Morse is subjected to all sorts of trials and tribulations--- some of which are designed to create a trail of evidence framing Morse for more than one crime. One of the more amusing aspects of the mystery involves Morse's helplessness when confronted with computer technology and its bearing on the case. However, Sgt. Lewis, who never doubts Morse's innocence, comes to the rescue by utilizing his computer skills to help rescue Morse from his predicament. The role of Inspector Bottomley, who is assigned to investigate Morse, offers some amusement value as well. Bottomley, who belongs to a Masonic lodge, ends up looking rather foolish; moreover, he also seems to have been genuinely chagrined when Morse's innocence is finally established. In any event, this mystery represents an interesting and entertaining role reversal for Morse.

When Life Imitates Art...
First thing to do is to ignore the "Part 1" above in the item title; you're getting the full-length (100 mins, approx.) episode of "Masonic Mysteries." In terms of the world of Inspector Morse, this is probably the Inspector Morse episode even people who wouldn't otherwise care for the series can enjoy (immensely, in most cases), as it's considerably different to any of the other 32 films in the series. Morse is "the hunted, instead of the hunter" for once, as he is being constantly framed (literally & figuratively) by someone whom he put away years ago and is trying to get his own back. The trials Morse is put through parallel the trials by fire & water in the Mozart opera, "The Magic Flute," which he is in rehearsals for at the beginning with his lady friend (played by Kevin Whately's real-life wife), who is subsequently found dead, before a dumbfounded Morse, knife-in-hand and covered in her blood. It's not based on a Colin Dexter novel and was written by Julian Mitchell, who has written/adapted more Morse screenplays than any other. Morse's close relationship with Lewis is manifested in this episode more than possibly any other. A great deal of humor is to be found in "Masonic Mysteries" (at the Masons' expense), especially from the brief exchanges between Chief Inspector Bottomley, who, working with Lewis, is put in charge of the case. Morse is uncharacteristically upbeat throughout most of the duration of the film, particularly especially given the circumstances he is put in. John Thaw regards this as among his three favorite Morse films (and cites its differing from the others as a factor in that), along with "The Dead of Jericho" ("for sentimental reasons") and "Promised Land". This is the first of two Morse films to be directed by Danny Boyle, the director of such cult hits as "Trainspotting" and "Shallow Grave". The incomparable Ian McDiarmid (who played "The Emperor" in the Star Wars films) stars as the evil-genius nemesis. The Inspector Morse series is widely regarded as the peak in televisual entertainment, and this is a prime example. ... Read more

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Excellent episode....
DECEIVED BY FLIGHT, made in 1989, is one of the better Morse dramas. Morse (John Thaw) is more light hearted in this film than some of the later episodes and it is a joy to see him interact with the other actors including his Sgt.'s child. He actually engages in a bit of prank-playing with Robbie (Kevin Whately) who, forced to go 'undercover' as a porter at one of the local colleges at Oxford, finds himself "watching" Morse's parked car as part of his duties.

The gist of the story is that an old boys club called 'The Clarets XI' is in town for an annual cricket match. One of the members, as well as the team coach are former classmates of Morse. The player-friend approaches Morse for a get-together lunch which turns out to be fish and chips on a park bench near the Thames. Morse senses that his former flatmate has something important to share but he can't quite bring himself to the point of telling Morse what it is. As they part, the friend mentions a Zen saying that involves the sound of one hand clapping and a dead student. Later, the friend turns up dead as a result of suicide. Or was it suicide. Soon Morse believes the man was murdered and he is on the trail of the killer. Was the killer his beautiful wife who could have been having an affair with one of the other cricket players? Was it one of the other cricket players? And what about the couple named Foster who behave suspiciously by asking Robbie the porter for a key to the dead man's room.

This episode has it all-great scenes of Oxford and its environs; Morse and Robbie struggling over the cricket match versus classical music on the various office, car, and other radios at hand; Robbie showing he can play cricket as well as any upper class ponce; a really interesting cricket match (I finally realized the pitcher is trying to hit the little poles behind the batter); Morse sleeping through the cricket match; and Morse falling for the wrong woman. The cast includes some familiar faces such as Daniel Massey, Amanda Hillwood, Sharon Maughan, and a very young Nathaniel Parker.

A complicated mystery for amateur sleuths to solve.
Deceived by Flight is one of author Colin Dexter's favorite televised Morse mysteries. Having seen at least twenty or so of these fine programs, I agree with his judgement.

The performances are uniformly excellent; not just Morse, played reliably and well by the fine actor, John Thaw, but also the supporting cast, particularly Kevin Whately as his able assistant, Sergeant Lewis, and Sharon Maughan as Kate Donn, television hostess and wife of slain barrister Anthony Donn. The plot is complicated and the clues are difficult for even Morse to decipher. Apparently Anthony Donn has committed suicide on the eve of his participation in a cricket match at Oxford. Morse doubts that his old friend deliberately killed himself and begins questioning suspects. As we soon find out, much more is at stake in this mystery than the death of an aging cricket player.

Cricket is part of the fun of this mystery. Much time is spent discussing the sport (Morse would prefer to listen to his music) and we also get to see it played. Sergeant Lewis goes undercover as a porter and expert batsman. At the matches another murder takes place and now Morse must try to determine if there are connections between the two deaths.

I think most viewers who watch the Morse series of films like to put their detective caps on and follow the clues carefully to see if they can arrive at the answers before Morse. Deceived by Flight will keep even the best armchair detectives struggling with clues until the satisfying conclusion of this fine program. ... Read more

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"We have not yet met our Waterloo, Watson, but this is our Marengo, for it begins in defeat and ends in victory," says Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett), in the midst of a bloody mystery with significant moral and ethical implications. Holmes and Watson (Edward Hardwicke) are summoned to the Abbey Grange, where Sir Eustace Brackenstall has been brutally murdered, apparently by a local gang of thieves. But the case proves much more complex, and ends with one of Holmes's rare but decisive and personal interpretations of justice. An early episode in the new onscreen association of Brett and Hardwicke (who ably replaced the departed David Burke), the two actors seem as perfectly meshed as their allied characters.This fine production is as enjoyable for the casual viewer as it is for the most dedicated Sherlockian. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

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We love it
When Sherlock Holmes is summoned to investigate the murder of Sir Eustace Brackenstall, it appears to be an open-and-shut case of simple housebreaking gone wrong. However, when Holmes begins to look at all of the clues, his view of the case is turned upside down. He finds a cut bell-rope and a burnt dog-collar. The lady of the house is hiding something, but what?

Every once in a while, an actor comes along who not only plays the role of Sherlock Holmes, but actually redefines the role. In 1984, veteran actor Jeremy Brett (1933-95) actually did it yet again! This fifty-minute episode, the Abbey Grange, was episode two of the third season, and originally aired on July 16, 1986. (By the way, if you like Jeremy Brett, you can see him in an entirely different role in My Fair Lady (1964) as Freddie Eynsford-Hill!)

I loved this tape and think that any fan of Sherlock Holmes, or just plain fan of mysteries, will love it, too. My family and I highly recommend it to you!

ONE OF THE VERY BEST EPISODES OF THIS FINE SERIES.
Outstanding performances from all, terrific script and direction, and a wonderful opportunity to watch Sherlock Holmes deduce the mystery make THE ABBEY GRANGE one of my personal favorites in the series. We see many facets of Holmes' personality here, from the cold calculating machine to the warm and sympathetic friend. Jeremy Brett gives one of his best performances as Holmes and the other castmembers are also outstanding. It's a treat to see the shipping clerk who is also a fan of Doctor Watson's stories helping out with a clue, and even his shy wife is memorable. Watch for the 'trick shot' where you see what Holmes sees and Watson does not observe. Edward Hardwicke is a worthy successor to David Burke as Dr. Watson (I actually prefer his performances since it's obvious that he and Brett had great chemistry working together.) And speaking of chemistry, it's a real treat to see Holmes/Brett's reaction to a particularly grateful client who takes him by surprise. This is a wonderful show. If you want to introduce someone to Brett as Holmes, show them this episode. I did--I loaned this to my parents, old Rathbone fans, and they were instantly also fans of Jeremy Brett. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Dr. Watson's proclivities toward gambling on horses open the door tothis very interesting mystery, which finds a famous playboy and equestrian, Sir Robert Norberton (Robin Ellis), in multiple jeopardy. First, his estate has come under the control of his late sister's brother-in-law. Second, his creditors are going to ruin him if his prize horse, Shoscombe Prince, doesn't win the Derby. Third, his own head trainer has declared him mad. Finally, his sister, Lady Beatrice (Elizabeth Weaver), who kept him together body and soul with her own funds, has vanished following an argument with her brother, and Sir Robert has actually given away her favorite spaniel. The dog becomes a crucial link in the solution to the disappearance, but it is Holmes who must get to the bottom of a sprawling mystery. An intriguing puzzle, expertly produced for this episode of the Granada Television series based on Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, and wonderfully performed by Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke as Doyle's famous duo. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Partly Boring!
This is not one of my favorite Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes. People would give excuses that since it is a late film Jeremy Brett didn't act good when he was sick. The plot and directing (filming) is just boring. Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke are fine it it. It it about a racing horse who only a couple of people know he is being raced. At the end they find a dead body, from a couple of days ago hidden. This is definately not one of the best!

Solid Installment of the Long-running Series
"Shoscombe Old Place" was actually the last Sherlock Holmes story, but was filmed in the middle of the series, probably because it is not as weak as some of those which were included in the later "Memoirs." The adaptation is strong, adding a few thrills via a breaking and entering escapade by Holmes which does not occur in the story. Jeremy Brett is clearly not as fit as he was in the earlier series, but his voice is still strong, and he gives his usual fine performance. Welcome back to Michael Cox, the original producer of the series, who returned for "The Casebook." One of the recurring conceits of the series, that of Holmes throwing paper around as he searches for something, does start to feel a little shopworn here, but in general a good episode. Jude Law has an interesting part in what must have been one of his earliest TV appearances. ... Read more

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One of the most interesting stories in the Sherlock Holmes canon, The Devil's Foot finds the Great Detective's friend and ally, Dr. Watson (Edward Hardwicke), pressuring the exhausted sleuth (Jeremy Brett) into joining him on a vacation on the Cornish coast. Instead of relaxation, however, Holmes and Watson encounter one of the most horrifying multiple murders they have yet come across. Though our heroes nearly die from Holmes's effort to prove the cause of death, they carry on until Holmes finally unmasks the identity of the culprits--and then makes a controversial decision about the fate of one. Brett and Hardwicke excel as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous team, who are under more duress than usual in this fascinating tale. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Beautiful and Dark
I havn't seen all the episodes in this series yet, but so far this is one of my favourites. This is because Jeremy Brett is absolutely PERFECT as Sherlock Holmes ( In all the episodes, not just this one.) This episode reveals his darker, more melancholy side ( one of the things I love so much about Holmes.) He goes for long walks along the beach alone,lost in his own little world.
We also see him shooting up and guiltily trying to hide the evidence when disturbed by Watson, who always shows concerned dissaproval at this habit. However, he cannot keep his secret for long because soon afterwards he starts acting a bit weird-to the surprise of the local vicar who has come to visit.
He is supposed to be on a recouperative holiday but this is soon interrupted by the news that one local person has died and two more have inexplicably gone insane.
This is another reason why I love this episode. It has a strong hint of Victorain gothic horror in it from the scene where the two victims are being driven away to a mental asylum to the scene where Holmes experiments with the drug and has dark, nightmarish hallucinations.
Holmes is his usual, sexy self, with his odd little expressions and always dressed in his smart, trademark black which he never seems to mind getting dirty when he does his usual crawling about on the ground.

Slow moving
I love the Jeremy Brett/Sherlock Holmes, but this isn't that good. Jeremy Brett gives an outstanding performance but it is so slow. This is one of my least favorites. It does have a couple of sceens that are alright. I like the beginning where it shows the drug, The Devil's Foot. This is not that great though I like the performances in the film!

Excellent episode, excellent acting
This episode of The Return of Sherlock Holmes is one of Jeremy Brett's very best performances. With the very capable Edward Hardwicke as Watson and a fascinating screenplay, The Devil's Foot is riveting. It doesn't hurt that it is filmed in beautiful surroundings, either.

This episode sees Holmes leaving London for a period of extended convalescing at the seaside in Cornwall. Naturally, Watson accompanies him, but a terrible set of murders will soon upset the calm.

Some good does come out of the journey; for example, Holmes is shown burying a syringe on the beach, an apparent triumph over his habit of injecting cocaine. The strongest scene shows Holmes willfully ingesting a poisonous hallucinogen in order to test a theory. The psychedlic scenes that result have been criticized by some as overly graphic -- and they are a bit of a departure from the norm for this series -- but this is a very brief interlude that is quickly concluded.

Brett's acting is brilliant throughout -- after all, he's supposed to be recovering, and so he needs to show a wide range of emotions, from depression to frustration and finally elation. Hardwicke gets additional screen time since Holmes is supposed to be resting under doctor's orders at a secluded cottage. The mystery itself is convoluted and will keep you guessing. If you've never seen Jeremy Brett as Holmes before, this is as good a place as any to see the breadth of performance that he was capable of. This is also one of the earlier episodes -- filmed well before both the production values and Brett's health began to decline noticeably. It's well worth a look.

John!
As usual, Jeremy Brett and Edwarde Hardwicke have portrayed the dynamic duo superlatively. Notable events in this show: Holmes kicks his cocaine habit, and is having a breakdown in the beginning. (Don't worry, he gets better.) The best scene is the one where Watson pulls Holmes out of the house after trying the experiment with the Devil's Foot. When Holmes comes to he is hollering and forgets himself for a moment. "John!!!" he screams, and clings to him like a frightened child. Priceless!

This show is not for everyone. Younger children will most likely be frightened by the view of the crazy/dead victims and by the dream sequence. (I watched it when I was 10, and couldn't sleep for days.) Please keep this in mind before showing it to the young ones.

Though rather macabre, this is a wonderful episode.

Perhaps Jeremy Brett's most compelling Sherlock performance
A must have for the die-hard fan. In this truly captivating episode, Sherlock reveals a sincere appreciation and respect for his loyal colleague, Dr. Watson. And, in one particularly captivating scene, Holmes reveals an endearing statement of his appreciation for his friend, with a single, unforgettable word. All told, this episode signifies why Jeremy Brett is the superlative portrayer of this legendary character. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Movie with a Heart
This film was one which worked purely on emotional levels. Matt Dillon and Joan Chen give fine performances as individuals whose cultures' although widely different bring them together in a poignant but tragic way. Although the film tries to cover a large segment of time and simplifies the conflicts exhibited by the 50's and 70's from the cold war to the peace generation it does not lose track with its focus upon how events impact human relationships. Conscience, guilt, love, ambition, and redemption of the human spirit are sensitively embodied in this film. Sounds "corny", but it works. The entire cast does a fine job and the music score by Elliot Goldenthal is beautiful to hear. Bring a hankerchief. This is a film with a heart. ... Read more

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This was a very funny Morse!
It was very fuuny and sad. Poor Morse he had to learn the hard way . And I love the music and where the flimed it! ... Read more

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A bit low on funds, Dr. Watson (Edward Hardwicke) has to takea scaled-back holiday in the English countryside, where he meets the charming Lady Frances (a nice performance by Cheryl Campbell) and then worries after she vanishes from sight. As in The Hound of the Baskervilles, Holmes puts Watson on the case and instructs him from afar (then, of course, criticizes him for committing every "possible blunder"). The kidnapping suspect is a notorious con man and thief, but even knowing that doesn't tell Holmes (who arrives in time to save Watson from probable murder by a mysterious, bearded man) what he and the good doctor urgently need to know: Where is the missing Lady Frances? The suspense is strong and the acting superb in this excellent installment from Granada Television's long-running Sherlock Holmes series. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Not a favorite
I bought this video based on the reviews of others, but I found it to be my least favorite of the Holmes mysteries. Holmes and Watson almost missed the boat (a usual excitement build up) but with a result I found hard to take. The original character of Lady Frances Carfax - independent, eccentric - was charming and well acted. However, the episode left me with a negative rather than positive feeling. I think it is one of the darker plots.

One of my favorites!
I love this one. Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke are perfect! A woman called Lady Francis Carfax is being followed by a man who has a beard. Watson writes to Holmes about these mysterious events! Holmes thinks about it. A general, wheel-cahired for life is spending time at the hotel with Watson and Lady Carfax. One day, she falls in a lake off her boat and the general amazingly wheels himself up to the dock and plops in. He saves her and Waston helps them up. Soon, the woman disappears and mystery begins!

Amazing adaptation of a classic Holmes story
The original short story upon which this episode is based falls rather flat compared to this adaptation. I would suggest that the scenes with Jeremy Brett contemplating Watson's reports from a holiday, amidst swirling pipe smoke and chess figurines, are worth the price of the video alone. This is my favorite episode from the series! ... Read more