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Daniel Deronda | Year: 2002 Classification: Drama Directed: - Tom Hooper (II) Simply Marvelous................ I had the wonderful opportunity to first view this film on Masterpiece Theater on PBS. Based on one of George Eliot's lesser-known novels, this film serves as a fascinating interpretation of Victorian England. Not only will viewers attain valuable insight about the treatment of Jews during that particular time period, but they will also become acquainted with the profound, three-dimensional characters who inhabit a society where women are expected to marry respectable gentlemen who possess a strong financial status. "I shall be better for having known you." The marvelous BBC mini-series "Daniel Deronda" is based on the George Eliot novel. "Daniel Deronda" is a weighty, problematic novel, and it is not considered to be Eliot's best. The BBC adaptation is excellent, well-paced, and truly elegant. The Victorian, multi-plot novel is far better suited to the series format--there's just too much plot to expect the story to squeeze into a standard 90-120 minute film. If someone tried to squash the novel "Daniel Deronda" into a film, it simply wouldn't work as effectively. The major theme of "Daniel Deronda" is the pursuit of the spiritual versus the pursuit of worldly gain, and this theme is worked through the characters, Gwendolen Harleth and Daniel Deronda. Gwendolen Harleth is the eldest daughter of a impoverished widow, and so the hopes of Gwendolen's mother rest upon the chance--slim, though it is, that penniless Gwendolen will make a good marriage and provide for her younger sisters. Gwendolen's mother and uncle promote Gwendolen in society with the idea that she will make a good match, and in fact they consider her a sort of investment. Gwendolen's horse-riding, for example, is encouraged even though the family cannot afford it, but she is indulged as an ultimate pay-off is expected. As a result, Gwendolen becomes an accomplished horsewoman, excelling at many sports, and outshining all the other girls (including the rich ones). But as the product of indulgence, Gwendolen's sense of self worth is grandiose, and her character suffers as a result--she isn't a particularly good friend, and she isn't a particularly nice person. All of the hopes for an improvement in the Harleth family fortunes seem to bear fruit when Gwendolen catches the eye of the wealthy and arrogant Henleigh Grandcourt. It is with a sort of perverse intensity that Grandcourt drops his interest in a local heiress--Gwendolen is better looking and more accomplished than the heiress--and yet there is something not quite right in Grandcourt's interest. Grandcourt seems to be on his best behaviour when first courting Gwendolen, but it is clear that he is a rather unpleasant fellow. No one likes or respects Grandcourt, but he does have money, prospects and position at his command. There is something quite dark about Grandcourt, and this sense of the unpleasant is not alleviated by the fact that he is always accompanied by his obsequious and equally unpleasant henchman, Lush. Grandcourt desires Gwendolen, but he does not love her. Gwendolen is attracted, at first, to the very unpleasantness of Grandcourt's odd nature, and she prefers him to her other suitors because he isn't as easy to manipulate. She sees him as a challenge and imagines that she will rein him in just as she has controlled other suitors. Daniel Deronda--the main male character--is the very earnest and serious young man who is rumoured to be the illegitimate son of Lord Mallinger. Daniel is the antithesis of Grandcourt, and some rivalry exists between Grandcou Absolutely beautiful film Extraordinary acting and captivating story! The character Daniel Deronda possesses that blend of sensitivity and ability to see right into others' souls that is so rare. Hopefully I'm not stepping over the boundary in saying that every girl dreams of a DD coming into her life. I know I do! Buy Daniel Deronda at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Daniel Deronda Search with the Priority Search Engine on Daniel Deronda This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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