Tuesday, May 26, 2015

"North & South" (2004)

I've seen this three times now, three times in 4 months, and I finally feel qualified to blog about it a little.

Yes, it wasn't until February that I finally saw this amazing miniseries.  In fact, I hadn't even heard of it until a year or two ago!  Isn't that awful?  And at first, when bloggers mentioned North & South, I thought they were talking about the Patrick Swayze miniseries about the American Civil War.  Took me a while to realize this was a completely different thing.

Eventually, Heidi, Kara, and DKoren together convinced me to give this a try.  I originally watched it on Amazon over 3 or 4 nights,  and yeah, completely fell in love with it.  Promptly ordered the DVD.  Have watched it twice since.  Want to watch it again.  Because every time through it, I see new details, new depths to the characters, new nuances I had missed before.  Like the first time through, I didn't notice how often Margaret looks back over her shoulder -- when Mr. Thornton said, "Look back.  Look back at me," I found it pretty swoonworthy, but I didn't make the connection until my second viewing with the fact that she was constantly looking back at the factory or at other people, and so he'd noticed that and wanted her to do it one more time.  Little things like that, see?  So powerful, so rich.

One of the coolest things about this miniseries is how, by the end of it, I like every single character.  Okay, except Fanny Thornton, I don't really like her.  But everyone else, by the end, I like!  Even the characters I disliked or was annoyed by to begin with, like Mrs. Thornton, Mrs. Hale, and Mr. Bell.  By the end, I couldn't do without them.  I even love some of them.  Not as much as I love Nicholas Higgins and Mr. Thornton and Margaret Hale, but quite a bit.


To be honest, I'm not sure who I like best in this miniseries.  I love Margaret (Daneila Denby-Ashe) for her intrepid curiousity, the way she ventures forth in a strange world time and again, asks questions about things she doesn't understand, and apologizes when she misunderstands Milton ways.


I love John Thornton (Richard Armitage) for his general stubbornness, whether it's about making his workers do as he says, doing the honorable thing at all times, or refusing to stop loving Margaret or even try to forget her.


And I love Nicholas Higgins (Brendan Coyle) for his shrewdness, his openhearted ways, his tender care for his daughter and Boucher's orphans.

I think this may be the most perfectly cast period drama miniseries I have ever seen.  Not one actor feels out of place or wrongly chosen, and I can't imagine anyone else in these roles.  However!  I do really want to see the 1975 version too, because... Patrick Stewart!  Happily, the library has it, so I'm hoping to see it soon.  I'm sure I'll review it when I do.

I just finished reading the book this week, and also reviewed it today, here.  I leave you with this one passage from it, which I think proves my point about Mr. Thornton's perfect casting, at least.
"Now, in Mr. Thornton's face the straight brows fell low over the clear, deep-set earnest eyes, which, without being unpleasantly sharp, seemed intent enough to penetrate into the very heart and core of what he was looking at.  The lines in the face were few but firm, as if they were carved in marble, and lay principally about the lips, which were slightly compressed over a set of teeth so faultless and beautiful as to give the effect of sudden sunlight when the rare bright smile, coming in an instant and shining out of the eyes, changed the whole look from the severe and resolved expression of a man ready to do and dare everything, to the keen honest enjoyment of the moment, which is seldom shown so fearlessly and instantaneously except by children" (p. 81).


Is this miniseries family-friendly?  Mostly.  There's a bit of mild violence (hitting, kicking, throwing rocks) and a couple of era-appropriate curse words.  

55 comments:

  1. Love it. Like Pride & Prejudice, but with cultural and social depth and a richer setting. Not as much silliness, but ... it does tend to fall into Gaskell's ever-present melancholy. You can tell she was a student (literally) of Dickens, who also suggested the name of the book (as opposed to her "Margaret Hale").

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    1. YES! Like a deeper, richer P&P. What was it with the Victorians and their perpetual gloom and doom???

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    2. I don't know. I think maybe it had something to do with the rising atheism of the time, the questioning of spiritual forces, the lessening of hope overall, as Christianity came under attack from various sources at once. If there is no God, the suffering on earth becomes infinitely more tragic and inescapable.

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    3. Yeah, very likely. And life could be pretty wretched at that time, with all the coal smoke and horrible factories and so on. The Industrial Revolutions are things I would NOT want to live through.

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  2. I haven't seen this movie myself--I really need to watch it! I tried reading the book online on Project Gutenberg, but I find I have trouble "getting into" e-books because it's so easy to just scroll down the page and read everything way too quickly. But it seems like a really fascinating story, especially for me, because I'm a history major and it seems like there's a lot of history in North and South.
    Did somebody say once that Richard Armitage would make a good Captain Wentworth? Because I think he definitely would--he might be a teeny bit old for the part but not too bad. And he looks like he could bring out Wentworth's "hard-core" side really well, probably better than Rupert Perry-Jones.
    I LOVE seeing any and all photos of Daniela Denby-Ashe, because she's actually of Polish ancestry and so she actually happens to look kind of like me--something that almost never happens with period-drama actresses, since so many of them are British :)

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    1. Jessica, I also have trouble getting into e-books. I hope you can find a paper copy of this, because it's awesome! Definitely lots of history about what was going on in England at that time, social upheaval and so on. Just not as dreary as Dickens gets.

      And yes, someone did mention Armitage as Captain Wentworth somewhere -- wouldn't he be fun?

      Have you seen pictures of Daniela Denby-Ashe in real life? It's hard to recognize her as the same person! I didn't know she's Polish, but comparing her "look" to the people I know personally who are of Polish extract, I can see the similarity. That's cool that you look a bit like her!

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    2. I'll certainly have to look for a copy, then! Our library doesn't have it, but maybe I'll find one at a used book sale or something.

      Yes, she looks really different in the "real-life" photos that pop up on Google! I think it's mainly because she has her hair down instead of up--it makes a huge difference. Also, it's hard to tell what color her hair really IS because in some pictures it's blond and in others it's brown. I actually read online that her parents' last name was really Pszkit, but they changed it because they were living in Great Britain and it would be more convenient to have a more English-sounding name.

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    3. Used book sales are the best! As are thrift stores, used book stores, etc. Or, never know, someone might offer up a copy during the Great Book Giveaway Bonanza next month!

      The hair style makes a HUGE difference. What an interesting last name! I think both Polish and Welsh have some of the most unusual spelling-vs.-pronunciation things going on with their words and names.

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    4. Thanks, I'll keep my eyes open!

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    5. Psssst! Jessica! Guess what I found at the thrift store for a dollar today? Totally putting it in my giveaway that starts the 15th. Never know, you might win it!

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  3. I love this movie (and the book)! It's a family favorite. :) It's similar to Pride and Prejudice but definitely is different enough to be a great story on it's own. :)

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    1. It's becoming a family favorite here too! I love it, I gave it to my mom and now she loves it, and I just found out my sister-in-law likes it too. And I just posted about the book on my other blog because I just finished reading it -- it's even more awesome!

      Definitely enough differences from P&P to be its own story. Just a few similarities here and there.

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  4. This series is beautiful. It's been too long since I watched up, but clearly at some point I'll have to do just that. The character depths (they're really all well fleshed out, or the primary's are) and the acting is brilliant. Plus, it has to be one of the most romantic period dramas in a long time. :)

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    1. Rissi -- yes! Beautiful, deep characters, brilliant acting, and very, very, very romantic ;-)

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  5. Aaaahhh, I love this movie SO much. It's both my mom's and my favorite Elizabeth Gaskell movie. I'm so glad you were able to see it!
    Unfortunately I have yet to read the book....I'm dying to do so and a friend tells me it's even better than the movie, even though she adores the movies as well. :)

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    1. Natalie -- read the book! Read The Book! Totally rocks.

      It's the only Elizabeth Gaskell movie I've seen yet :-o Hoping to see more soon!

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    2. Oh yes, Wives and Daughters and Cranford are delightful too! (Although quite different from North and South, I think....) I hope you can see them soon!

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    3. My library has Cranford, but not W&D. So I'll likely be seeing Cranford first! In fact, I may just put a hold on the first disc now...

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    4. Wonderful! I hope you enjoy it! My mom and I are actually in the middle of watching Cranford right now. :) We like to have period dramas to watch whenever we take a break from school or house work. haha

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    5. I like to relax with them after I've put the kids to bed at night. Actually, that's when I do almost all my movie-watching, unless I go to a theater, hee.

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  6. I LOVE THE PATRICK SWAYZE MINISERIES!!!!!! More than this one, I must admit. But I like this one a lot too. :-) I only saw it once several years ago, and I'd love to watch it again! Like you said, I'm sure I'd catch a lot more of the little things. ;-P

    ~Emma

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    1. Emma, I do too! I didn't mean to denigrate the Patrick Swayze miniseries -- it's extremely fun. Especially George and Orry's friendship, so awesome. Those series made me a total James Read fan.

      I like this better, though :-o

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    2. Oh, I didn't think you meant that. I was just so excited to hear anyone mention it that I had to freak out a little. ;-)

      And I'm definitely a bona-fide James Read fan too. ;-P My sister and I found out he grew up about two hours from where we live!

      ~Emma

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    3. Hee. It's very fun. Have you seen James Read in the first season of Remington Steele? I had no idea he was in it, but a few years ago, I got the first disc or two from the library cuz I love Pierce Brosnan, and was positively agog to discover James Read was in it too! Very exciting surprise :-) That's cool that he grew up near where you live! (I'm always overly pleased by the fact that John Wayne and I were both born in Iowa, albeit on opposite sides of the state.)

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  7. This miniseries is spectacular! Gah! I love both the book and this miniseries equally although I've watched the miniseries more times than I've read the book because, well, it's less time consuming. And like you I notice different things every time I rewatch this miniseries. For example: it took me a couple of viewings to notice that the cinematography for the Milton scenes gradually gets more and more colourful and the cinematography for the Helstone scenes less so. Then I found out that this was deliberate because they wanted to show how Margaret's feelings on these places has shifted. I love that attention to detail!

    Hehe, I love all of the characters in this miniseries. I used to think that Boucher was an annoying, weak-willed coward but over the years I've come to sympathise with his plight and I feel for him far more now. And I even love Fanny. She's hilarious! I know I'd find her incredibly annoying in real life but when I watch her on screen she cracks me up ("I almost fainted!")

    To be honest the only reason why I'm interested in seeing the 1975 version is so I can compare it to this one. I mean I can't imagine it being any better. It's... inconceivable! I think that version is on YouTube in case your library doesn't have a copy.

    Again, another wonderful review!

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    1. Hannah, yes. Spectacular is a good word for it. I love that detail about the change in color!!! I will have to look for that next time.

      I've sympathized with Boucher from the first, because dude, he has 6 little kids. I'm imagining my own kids starving, and yeah, I'd do anything to keep that from happening.

      And Fanny is funny, it's true. Her tuneless humming is endlessly funny.

      My library does have the 1975, so I hope to see it soon, but I'm sure it can't possibly be better than this one. But it might be good!

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    2. Mmm, it's one of those things where as soon as you pick up on it you wonder why you never noticed it before.

      Yikes, looking at my old comment I can see that sounds rather heartless. It's not that I didn't sympathise with Boucher at all but before when I used to watch N&S I was like "WHAT?! By taking your own life you've increased the chances of your children starving to death!" But now I realise that he would have convinced himself that his kids were going to starve anyway and he didn't want to see that happen :(

      That's true. I've enjoyed some of the older BBC/ITV adaptations like the 80s adaptation of Jane Eyre. But then other old adaptations have bored me to tears like Persuasion 1971. I never quite know what to expect from them.

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    3. AHA! Okay, that makes more sense. I think by the time he drowns, he had been driven mad by grief and despair, so it's not so much a rational decision as just the final act of hopelessness. In the movie, that's how it feels, anyway.

      The 1983 Jane Eyre is my favorite JE adaptation, so yes, you never know what to expect from those pre-90s BBC things.

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  8. Oh my word! I love this miniseries! I'm so glad you saw it! :)
    I read the book first, and it is really incredible how Richard Armitage fits even the character's physical description. I get slightly annoyed if an actor doesn't look like the character in the book, but if their acting is good, I'll like them. Richard Armitage seemed to really capture the character completely, which I really love. :)
    Most people I've met have seen the miniseries, but have not read the book. What do you think of the book compared to the miniseries? How would you compare it to Pride and Prejudice?
    One more question, and it's too tempting not to ask it. Do you like Mr. Darcy or Mr. Thornton more?

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    1. Ekaterina, now I understand why everyone gushes about it. One can't help it! I really liked the book, and in my review I did go into a little about some differences in what I was expecting of the book versus what it was. I think I like the miniseries a teensy bit better than the book, but that's partly because I've seen it 3 times, but read the book 1. After a reread or two, that could change. (No, it couldn't.) (But it might.)

      Compared to P&P? Uff-da. Um, I'm not sure I can fairly compare them in my head. They're so different. This is so much more serious. I like both.

      Darcy or Thornton? Thornton. (But Wentworth or Thornton? Wentworth.)

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  9. Oh, just where do I start...? Dear Hamlette, this has to be my favourite, favourite miniseries of all...even my dad, who has serious prejudices regarding BBC period adaptions (hee!), loved it and raved about so yes! It is AMAZING! And the music...heavenly! I even downloaded the soundtrack from YouTube:)
    I thought the costumes, scenery and casting were absolutely perfect and Daniella was just 'Margaret Hale' and I couldn't picture her as anything else!
    Mr Thornton...I love him dearly -- especially when we see the deeper, softer side to his character. I know many don't like Richard Armitage being Mr Thornton, but I really enjoyed his acting and his accent...in fact all the accents were great!
    Brendan Coyle (Higgins) is a favourite actor of mine. I loved him in Larkrise to Candleford (have you seen it?) and he was super at this role too!
    There are a few morbid moments in this series and dear me! I was so upset over Boucher and the difficult circumstances that the Milton folks experienced! Just the older people in our family watched this one...mainly because it was a bit above the younger girls and might have disturbed them. But it obviously depends on the child and if he or she isn't too sensitive, then great!
    Aww! Now I want to watch it all over again...so good to discover someone else who watches things over and over again...quite comforting in fact! :)
    And thank you for your sweet visit to my blog...lovely to have you!
    Aplogies for this rather long comment...oh, how I love North and South -- can't stop raving!
    Have a blessed day!
    Kelly-Anne

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    1. Kelly-Anne, hee! Your comment is making me grin. Because this whole thing is so AMAZING! I've downloaded the soundtrack too, and I found the sheet music for the main theme online somewhere and printed it off because wow. Heavenly.

      HOW on EARTH can ANYONE NOT LIKE Armitage as Thornton?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? What even. That can't be a thing. I reject it.

      I haven't seen Lark Rise to Candleford yet, but I sat through 4 episodes of Downton Abbey with my mom (she's a fan) just to watch Brendan Coyle in something else.

      Yes, this is definitely a deep, serous, somewhat dark series, which is what I like about it. Won't let my kids watch it anytime soon, but when they're older, absolutely.

      And now I want to watch it all over again too!

      The raving was warranted. :-)

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  10. I am shocked that it took you so long to watch North and South. Now you understand why I had such a huge crush on Richard Armitage.

    I had no idea that some people don't like Armitage as John Thornton. That is news to me. When North and South originally aired the BBC website crashed on the first night because of the wonderful reaction viewers had to Armitage and Daniela. It was North and South that finally made RA a star.

    I love the earlier version starring Patrick Stewart as John Thornton. It includes dialog from the book that I wish was kept for the 2004 version. I have both versions in my video library. I am interested in reading your review of the earlier version.

    I am still a big fan of Armitage, but my crush on him is OVER.

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    1. What can I say? My library didn't have it, and I'm loathe to spend more than a few bucks on a movie I've never seen, much less $20+. But now that I have Amazon Prime, I can sometimes watch movies online for free, and N&S was one of those for a brief time, so that's when I watched it. And, of course, once I knew it was wonderful, I was more than happy to buy the DVD :-D

      That's rather cool that N&S fans crashed the BBC website :-D

      I definitely want to see the earlier version, and you're the first person who's said good things about it. My library *does* have it, so I'm hoping to get it at some point.

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  11. Oh, btw, if you haven't already, you MUST watch the television series When Calls the Heart. It is a fabulous period drama and actor Daniel Lissing is now my current crush. Daniel plays the part of Constable Jack Thornton. He is not only extremely handsome, but the chemistry between him and costar Erin Krakow is wonderful.

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    1. My mom likes that series! She's been watching it on the Hallmark channel. Perhaps I'll get access to it on DVD some time. I read the books years and years ago, and quite liked them.

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  12. Yay -- I'm FINALLY able to comment!!!!! :) (With, hopefully, some degree of adequate coherency. ;))

    And I'm still just thrilled to absolute pieces about this. :) Eeeesh..... My favorite period drama (which you know) and you did such a marvelous, marvelous job!! ;D I agree 100% on the perfection of the casting -- and also I love, LOVE how you added that excerpt at the end.

    Btw, when I first watched the 70's N&S I was rather fearfully determined I couldn't possibly love it as much as the '04, but it has won me over to happy appreciation and enthusiasm. It helps if you go into it knowing it's 70's and willing to overlook some things. I actually feel it deviated from the story slightly more than the '04 (especially in the reticence area/the underlying tug and pull of the things that aren't and can't be said), but it has it's definite strengths, too. And Patrick Stewart.... yes, amazing. :)

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    1. Heidi, hello at last! (Coherency? Who needs that?) I love your exuberant comments :-)

      When I read that part of the book, I think I kind of filled the margin up with hearts and a note about the perfection of RA's casting....

      I'm glad to hear the Patrick Stewart version is worth seeing! After I finish Cranford, I'll begin on it, I expect. And is it just me, or are all things made in the '70s tinged with '70s-ness, even if they're not set in the '70s? It's like they couldn't help themselves....

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    2. Eeeeeeeee. I am SO ready for my next N&S fix... ;D

      But oh! I was really popping on to leave a note on the 70's again. :) Which is... in short, I think the 70's-ish-ness does pass off/work a LOT better in N&S than in the 70's JA's I've seen. Mostly I think, because the 70's had some throwbacks fashion-wise to the Victorian era anyway, whereas certain hairdo's/plaids just don't work quite as well in Regency England. ;D

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    3. I actually tried the '70s version a while back, but it came due at the library before I got farther than the first episode. I do want to try it again.

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  13. The happies!!!!!!!

    I'm so glad you liked it! It's just...siiiiigh. Those bleak but awesome three episodes, and then the fourth one and suddenly all the mental torture you went through was worth it;)

    Wait...so did you watch Robin Hood before you watched N&S? That must've been different! I remember being apprehensive going into RH because I was concerned about seeing Richard Armitage in a more villainous role, hehe. Anywho, rambling.

    But YES! I agree, isn't the casting great? Especially for John and Margaret. 'T'is wonderful. How did they even do it:D

    I have to say, though, (cough) I'm not a big fan of Nicholas. That is, I do love him in the fourth episode, so I guess you could say then that I do like him...I just find it really hard to get past his hard-headedness and how he blames EVERYTHING on Boucher, whom, it must be confessed, was driven mad by Higgins' own passion for 'equality.' Of course, Nicholas had a right to be a revolutionary, but still. He was a bit unreasonable (and so inappropriately cruel and out of line to Boucher) for awhile. BUT, then again, by the fourth episode he'd changed, and he did regret Boucher's death, and it appeared he felt a little guilty (plus, ya know, taking in Boucher's children when he was poor and out of work himself!) and I absolutely LOVE the comaradarie between he and Thornton, so...ugh, torn! I probably should like Nicholas, because he does have great character development, and his heart is for the most part in the right place. Anyway, sorry for babbling. Almost every time I watch or discuss N&S, my love/hate relationship with Higgins resurfaces, and I have to rehash it all over again XD

    Great review!:D

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    1. No, I watched this before I started Robin Hood, but not by much. Maybe a week earlier. While I do appreciate RA's acting and so on, I'm not exactly swooning over him, so it wasn't that weird to see him as a villain. (Besides, he's such a fun villain!)

      Hmmm. Hmmmmmmmmm. Not a big fan of Nicholas Higgins. What am I going to do with you? Yes, he's hard-headed and determined, but he's not the only one leading the strike, it wasn't his sole idea, so I don't see him as solely to blame for Boucher's death. Not at all. In fact, he offered Boucher money to help take care of his children. However, I must admit that although I sympathize with Boucher 100%, I find him cringing and whiny, and I think if he'd just manned up a bit, Higgins would have been much more sympathetic to him. However, I don't think he was driven mad by Higgins' passion for the strike (as I saw it, Higgins never wanted equality, he just wanted fair wages) -- he was driven mad by everyone shunning him because he broke the rules of the strike, which called for nonviolence. He ruined the whole strike because he threw that stone at Margaret and Thornton, and was driven mad by the fact that no one would talk to him after that, or hide him, or help him in any way. His own actions and inability to control himself are what led to his death, IMHO.

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    2. Oh, haha, gotcha. I was a leetle nervous because I absolutely fell in love with the character of Thornton (now I still love him, but not quite as 'swooningly', hehe). BUT, like you said, he's such a fun antihero that Guy might actually be the RA character to whom I'm most attached XD

      Yeah, Higgins and I go back and forth. Oh, I understand, I don't think I'd go so far as to say that Higgins was solely responsible for Boucher's death. In the end, it was a decision Boucher made after he had already, sadly, gone insane. But I do find it extremely irritating how Higgins blames Bessie's death on Boucher, at least at first. Granted, he was in the throes of grief, but still. And yes, he was definitely foolish to be violent. I do think, however, that Higgins might have been a wee bit more compassionate to a man in Boucher's position. About the fair wages thing, while I understand his opinion, and it's certainly well-founded, some of the masters, like Thornton, sincerely couldn't raise the wages because of the cotton problems and such. But I have never been in as extreme a situation as Higgins was, so I shouldn't judge him too harshly. Plus, I might be misunderstanding the whole issue, hehe.

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    3. Especially in seasons 2 and 3, when his wardrobe improves and his part gets beefed up :-)

      Did Higgins blame Bessie's death on Boucher? Really? Why? How? I don't remember that at all. I've only seen it 3 times, though, so could be he did and I just, well, missed it.

      Yes, Higgins didn't know that Thornton and the other owners couldn't raise the wages -- that was the most heartbreaking thing for me in the first 3 episodes. The masters and the workers had zero good communication, so how were either set to know what was really going on with the others? Once Higgins and Thornton began to see each other as people and not blanks with roles assigned to them, then obviously it all improved.

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  14. It still makes me a bit giddy knowing that you love this miniseries! When I practically shout my enthusiasm and love of this story from the rooftops, it is always much more lovely to have someone else to shout with me. (Metaphorically of course. :) And yes! You are absolutely right. The casting is beyond perfection. Each of them truly embodies their characters. A fact which I appreciated even more once I read the book!

    And I'm so happy to know you love Nicholas too. He can be a bit frustrating at times and I don't agree with every decision he made, but his heart is good. And he's a very fair and just man. He expects a lot from those he has contact with, but he expects a lot of himself as well. He and Margaret and Thornton all DO have very similar character arcs. I think that's one reason they appreciate each other so much. For all that they frustrate each other (and they all do, don't they? :), they understand each other as well. I think they're really the only ones who can truly understand what the other two have to go through and endure in their minds. I just love all three of them so. And their friendships by the end of the story just make me all happy and giddy with joy! :)

    Also I never noticed the "look back at me" details until further viewings myself! There are SO many awesome details like that which jump out at me at different times. And I notice different things with each viewing. (I think I'm probably closer to a hundred viewings by now? No joke. I've watched this SO. MANY. TIMES. Is that bad? Nah. I don't think so. ;)

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    1. Kara, I'm more than happy to be up on the rooftop with you :-) Metaphorically or literally, as the case may be -- this story simply must be shared.

      I think you're exactly right, that Margaret, Thornton, and Higgins all understand and appreciate (and frustrate) each other because they're all very similar. They are strong-minded, intelligent, and determined to do what they believe is right. But what each of them sees as "right" is at odds with the others' views, and until they can all open up and try to understand each other's points of view, they just keep clashing.

      This movie demands many viewings. Plain and simple.

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  15. Ah, I love this movie. I'm so glad you watched it and loved it so much too! And that's a great passage. I remember thinking Richard Armitage was perfectly cast when I read that part of the book too. :D Great review Hamlette!

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    1. Sarah, I'm not surprised you love it too! Glad you liked my review :-)

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  16. Hehe, yay, North and South! I'm so happy you finally got to watch it! I JUST posted my 10 Favorite Screen Characters Tag and included Mr. Thornton, and now here I am catching up on my blog feed and your review just makes me want to rewatch it again. Clearly, I haven't watched it enough yet, because I still hadn't noticed why he said "look back." I will have to pay attention to that now... and I really want to try liking Margaret more. She gets on my nerves a little, particularly the line where she's like "I've not learnt h-how... how to refuse... how to respond when a... when a man talks to me as you just have." I liked her much better in the book.
    All the other characters are perfect, though! Even though Fanny's a bit annoying, I actually like her, and I definitely agree about Higgins, Mr. Bell and Mrs. Thornton!
    But Mr. Thornton is my favorite. Richard Armitage is so absolutely perfect for the role. Agh, I must see it again!

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    1. Oh wow, really? Margaret gets on your nerves? I find her so sensible and straight-forward and courageous. I'm sad she annoys you, because I find her quite cool. I think her stammering hesitancy in that instance you quoted is endearing because she generally knows exactly what to say, but this has actually discombobulated her -- shows how strongly she's feeling there.

      I must see it again too! MUST.

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    2. Well, that's a great way to explain it, thanks! I think you've helped me like her a bit more. I am trying to like her, I don't know why silly things like that get on my nerves. And she doesn't always annoy me, I love the scene at the beginning when she comes up on the two men talking about her in the house and takes charge! I just haven't come to love her as much as I would wish to yet.

      Sarah and I were just talking about watching it again soon, it's SO GOOD!

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    3. You're welcome, Lizzie! I'm glad I helped make it a little easier to like her :-) And I also sometimes take a dislike to characters for seemingly insignificant reasons, so I do understand.

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  17. The first couple times I watched N&S I was youngish and thought it was boring and dreary. Just recently, I rewatched the whole thing and, man, I looooove it now. Such a great, great miniseries.

    Nicholas is my favorite character. :)

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    Replies
    1. Eva, I can see that. I was not at all sure what I thought of it until probably ep 4 the first time I watched it. And that was only a couple years ago.

      Yeah, Nicholas Higgins miiiiiiight be my fave too.

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