The opening salvo of Masterpiece Classics (formerly Masterpiece Theatre) missed the target with its new adaptation of Jane Austen's "Persuasion."  Vital scenes were played out of order and context, dialogue assigned to the wrong character and an embarrasing marathon by Anne Elliott through the streets of Bath.  Really!  Young ladies of good character did not hurtle down the streets in pursuit of young gentlemen in Regency times, yet this adaptation shows Anne running to and fro, hither and yon and meeting up with all the major characters in the novel, including her invalid

Masterpiece Theatre is America's longest running dramatic program.  Starting this Sunday, they will devote four months to dramatizations of all of Jane Austen's novels, as well as a film biography of the novelist's lost loves.  This is an unprecedented presentation of any author's work, but Jane Austen is acknowledged by scholars as the creator of the modern novel.  4 of the six film adaptations will be new to American audiences, and the best-known, "Pride & Prejudice" with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle has never been shown in the U. S.

Jane Eyre on Masterpiece Theatre@ 

Don't forget Masterpiece Theatre this Sunday December 30th and continuing January 6th.  This adaptation, with Ruth Wilson as Jane and Toby Stephens as a very handsome Mr. Rochester, is my favorite of all the many Jane Eyre versions.  If you didn't catch it in September, try to make a point of watching it this Sunday on WKAR-TV.

DVD's - Upcoming & Current Releases

December 8, 2007                                                          Jane M. DeBano

DVD's - Upcoming & Current Releases

November 15, 2007                                                          Jane M. DeBano