I think most everyone who visits here must be aware of Kristie's great North & South Crusade -- she seems to have infected most of us with her enthusiasm for this movie. ;) I was, of course, curious, so Twin and I rented it a few weeks ago. We watched it, loved it, watched it again the next day, and reluctantly returned it. One of us made the comment that we should buy it, but then we remembered that these mini-series things usually cost about a gazillion dollars. (But, psst, it's only $22 on Amazon!)
So a few days before Christmas, we were struggling through that last week of work and decided one night that we really ought to open one of our presents for each other. You know, to ramp up for the big day. So I open mine, and it's North & South!! Yippee!! And she opens hers, and it's North & South too!! Hee. Great minds. (We ended up giving the extra copy to our mom.)
I love a lot of mini-series, but this one is especially great. Fabulous story, pretty cinematography and costumes, love the theme song, and I was really impressed by the acting -- Richard Armitage, obviously (besides being completely gorgeous and DELICIOUS). But Mrs. Thornton and Nicholas Higgins were also great. I even liked Fanny Thornton, because she's so wonderfully silly. The woman who plays Margaret Hale is not quite as good (she ends up looking confused and a bit dense when I think she's going for sad), but she's okay.
It's hard to say what exactly makes me like the story so well. But I think it's the fact that you have this great romance (sort of P&P-ish in that she dislikes him at first because she doesn't understand him), and you also have this really interesting time period -- the very beginning of the Industrial Revolution, when so many things were changing in society. It makes for some fabulous conflict.
Twin also got me a copy of the book, which she then proceeded to read first (sheesh!). But she says that the movie is fairly faithful to the original story, and that it does a good job of condensing the book and updating it just a tad for modern audiences (you know that kiss at the end's not going to happen in the book, lovely as it is).
One of my favorite lines (which refers to the hard working conditions in the cotton mills):
"I believe I have seen hell. And it is white. It is snow white."
Thanks to Kristie for bringing N&S to our attention! :D
9 comments:
I loved Margaret's description of hell in N&S ~ especially when you see John Thornton emerging from the cotton and walking all alone through his factory.
I'm so glad you enjoyed this, Jennie!
I suspect I'm going to have to check this out!
I hav edecided that I am going to read the book soon too! Loved the mini-series.
Oooohhhh SQUEEE,SQUEEE, SQUEEE
Isn't it just everything I said it would be? I just watched it again tonight with a coworker and she loved it too - wanted to watch the train scene again after we watched it. Luckily I'm such a nice person that I said OK (very quickly *g*)
And I love that you and twin both got each other a copy. That's so funny! So - is she going to do a review so I can add Twin to the Crusaders *wink* And what did your Mom think? Did she like it too?
I liked Margaret. I think she was just so much a fish out of water when she first arrived in Milton.
And isn't Richard Armitage gorgeous? I was telling my friend tonight while we were watching it that he gets more and more good looking as it goes along - 'cause she didn't like him to much in the very begining.
And each time I watch it I find something new to oooh and aww about. Tonight it was his hands! Mighty nice hands he has!
And Nicole - you really REALLY must see it. It really does seem to be the talk of blog land lately for some reason.
Kristie: I'd say it's the talk because you have this habit of making things popular. :-)
Wow-Kristie is on a roll here! LOL
I like that scene too, for your favourite line. Him walking all stern through the cotton. :P I didn't like the mum, but I like Nicholas.
And what about poor old Henry? :P
I definitely want to read the book after seeing this. I am so glad Kristie was so persistent with this - I was sure I wouldn't like it when she first started talking about it.
Yeah Ames, what about Henry? Poor guy.
I just finished this TODAY and I have to tell you it was FANTASTIC!!! I absolutely LOVE Richard Artimage in this. I shall be purchasing it at weeks end, thats for sure.
Dev--Those scenes in the mill with the cotton floating all around are gorgeous, aren't they?
Nicole--Definitely give it a try!
Marg--I hope the book doesn't get buried in my TBR. ;)
Kristie--You're so funny! Yes, we've watched it several times now, and Richard Armitage definitely grows on you. I don't think Mom has watched it yet, but I'll ask next time I talk to her. And Twin's lost most of her blogging mojo, but I'll see if I can get her to post about it. ;) YAYY!
Ames--I really liked the mum, though I don't think I'd want her for my mother. :) Her accent was so thick that she was sort of hard to understand sometimes. And oooh, Henry. I did feel sorry for him. But really, he was kind of weasly.
Stacy--I'm glad Kristie went on and on about it too. Or else I don't think I'd have watched it either.
Beautoxic--Yeah, I'm glad I own it. It's great to pop in and just watch parts whenever you want. Especially the best parts. Like the last scene. ;)
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