Kirch Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I watched North and South last night on the strength of the recommendations here. All of it. Oh. My. Goodness. It is now on my Christmas list. I just about lost it when he stood on the steps muttering, "Look back at me!" :svengo: Thanks to all who recommended it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorilou Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 :iagree: Oh yes!!! I replayed that scene about 5 times the first time I watched it! So good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 The book is really wonderful, and not a hard read. I thought the movie was well cast and on the whole, well done. However, I did have issues with the uglier scenes involving Mr. Thornton, particularly the one wherein he is beating the smoking factory worker. The book does NOT portray him in such a brutish fashion. On the contrary, the book portrays him as a man with innate nobility and wisdom, someone whose fine nature causes him to rise above his humble roots to make a success of himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhudson Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 "I have seen hell and it is white" The last scene is the end all in romance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 (edited) The book is really wonderful, and not a hard read. I thought the movie was well cast and on the whole, well done. However, I did have issues with the uglier scenes involving Mr. Thornton, particularly the one wherein he is beating the smoking factory worker. The book does NOT portray him in such a brutish fashion. On the contrary, the book portrays him as a man with innate nobility and wisdom, someone whose fine nature causes him to rise above his humble roots to make a success of himself. I've read a lot of commentary on the movie, and this was a directorial choice that is not in the book because the director felt that a modern audience would not understand that at the time the difference in class alone was enough to make Mr. Thornton repugnant to Margaret. The director decided Mr. Thorton should be more harsh so that a modern audience would believe her disgust with him and still like Margaret's character. Personally, I don't like the choice either, especially since it assumes the audience is dumb and can't comprehend the historical context of class nuance. Edited August 11, 2011 by FairProspects Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Which North and South did you watch? There are several, I think, right? I want to check it out in case it's a version different from what I have seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imprimis Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Absolutely love this movie. And, as I've mentioned here before, if you are studying the Industrial Revolution with your older kid/teen, this movie makes a great supplement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imprimis Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Which North and South did you watch? There are several, I think, right? I want to check it out in case it's a version different from what I have seen. North and South Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 One of our favs!!! I intend to read the book soon. Reading "Wives and Daughters" at the present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsrevmeg Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I convinced my husband to watch it with me. He really liked it but he said he likes Jane Austen movies better because they are not as sad. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrissySC Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 North and South This one is saved in my Netflix. I am glad to hear that it is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I've read a lot of commentary on the movie, and this was a directorial choice that is not in the book because the director felt that a modern audience would not understand that at the time the difference in class alone was enough to make Mr. Thornton repugnant to Margaret. The director decided Mr. Thorton should be more harsh so that a modern audience would believe her disgust with him and still like Margaret's character. Personally, I don't like the choice either, especially since it assumes the audience is dumb and can't comprehend the historical context of class nuance. If helping a modern audience understand the class issue was important they could have written that into the script rather than portraying him as a brute, IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirch Posted August 11, 2011 Author Share Posted August 11, 2011 The book is really wonderful, and not a hard read. I thought the movie was well cast and on the whole, well done. However, I did have issues with the uglier scenes involving Mr. Thornton, particularly the one wherein he is beating the smoking factory worker. The book does NOT portray him in such a brutish fashion. On the contrary, the book portrays him as a man with innate nobility and wisdom, someone whose fine nature causes him to rise above his humble roots to make a success of himself. I asked dh if it was available for free on the kindle and it was, so I started it just a little while ago. I'm glad to hear that it's wonderful--I haven't read any Elizabeth Gaskell. :D I've read a lot of commentary on the movie, and this was a directorial choice that is not in the book because the director felt that a modern audience would not understand that at the time the difference in class alone was enough to make Mr. Thornton repugnant to Margaret. The director decided Mr. Thorton should be more harsh so that a modern audience would believe her disgust with him and still like Margaret's character. Personally, I don't like the choice either, especially since it assumes the audience is dumb and can't comprehend the historical context of class nuance. ITA. I had a hard time getting past her being willing to "get over" that. The only way I could justify it to myself was thinking that if someone was in my home playing with matches next to a leaking gas valve, dh would probably beat him too! It helped when he talked about the previous fire; still, he really came across as cruel. I guess it's a testimony to the quality of the acting and the rest of the script that the viewer is able to move past that and really care about him and want them to end up together. I'm glad it's not that way in the book, though. I convinced my husband to watch it with me. He really liked it but he said he likes Jane Austen movies better because they are not as sad. :lol: :lol: I was surprised afterward at how beautiful I thought the movie was, considering it was mostly shades of gray. The scene at the Great Exhibition was almost a shock with its light and brighter colors--such a contrast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemywhirlygirls Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 LOVED it. I do not watch movies multiple times--almost without exception. I've seen this one many times. Yep. Good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirch Posted August 11, 2011 Author Share Posted August 11, 2011 Which North and South did you watch? There are several, I think, right? I want to check it out in case it's a version different from what I have seen. Yes, I almost checked out the wrong thing from the library. It's not the civil war miniseries with Patrick Swayze; it's a BBC miniseries based on the book by Elizabeth Gaskell and is set in England. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happygrrl Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 It's the collar askew that gets me every time. :blushing::001_wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret in GA Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Did you know that Mr. Thornton (Richard Armitage) is in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit as Thorin Oakenshield? And was just in Captain America (which is just one of the many reasons you should see this movie in theaters. It is awesome) Margaret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happygrrl Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Did you know that Mr. Thornton (Richard Armitage) is in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit as Thorin Oakenshield? And was just in Captain America (which is just one of the many reasons you should see this movie in theaters. It is awesome) Margaret Sigh. I can't see him as Thorin. I am sure to be won over, right? I did not know about Cpt. America! The movie now just moved up my list of things to do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in CA Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 The last scene is the end all in romance. It's the collar askew that gets me every time. :blushing::001_wub: :iagree: I love that last scene ... but speaking of nuance, I did find it jarring (although totally romantic) that they would engage in a PDA right there on the platform in that day and age ... and that he would even poke his head out of his carriage without being fully and properly dressed ... It did seem a play to modern audiences. But ... hmmm ... time to get it again from Netflix :D Did you know that Mr. Thornton (Richard Armitage) is in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit as Thorin Oakenshield? And was just in Captain America (which is just one of the many reasons you should see this movie in theaters. It is awesome) My ds14, who is keeping up with all the latest news about "The Hobbit," told me they had cast some of the dwarves with handsome young actors (even though when reading the book, I imagined grizzled older types!). I hadn't made the connection between the "North and South" actor and Thorin. Thanks for the info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happygrrl Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I love that last scene ... but speaking of nuance, I did find it jarring (although totally romantic) that they would engage in a PDA right there on the platform in that day and age ... and that he would even poke his head out of his carriage without being fully and properly dressed ... It did seem a play to modern audiences. But ... hmmm ... time to get it again from Netflix :D :iagree: I wondered about that as well. It does not stop me from hitting the rewind button though! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeaganS Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 But ... hmmm ... time to get it again from Netflix :D It's on instant play right now, so you don't even have to rent it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyco Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Glad to hear this recommendation! I just watched the Wives and Daughters miniseries streaming on Netflix and thought it was excellent. *sigh* Am really curious about the book now too (Wives and Daughters), my understanding is it wasn't finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-FL Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 "It was back in November 2004, that a relatively unknown 34-year-old from Leicester appeared on our screens as the tall, dark and thrillingly proud Victorian mill-owner John Thornton in Elizabeth Gaskell's North And South. Within hours, the BBC's message board collapsed under the crush of breathless admirers. Not since Colin Firth's Mr Darcy emerged from that lake in a drip-dry white shirt has British womanhood fallen into such a deep collective swoon." Read more: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blessed3x Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 (edited) Just added it to my Netflix instant play list to begin tonight. Thanks! :auto: Edited August 11, 2011 by blessed3x typo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty Mathy Mom Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 The book is really wonderful, and not a hard read. I thought the movie was well cast and on the whole, well done. However, I did have issues with the uglier scenes involving Mr. Thornton, particularly the one wherein he is beating the smoking factory worker. The book does NOT portray him in such a brutish fashion. On the contrary, the book portrays him as a man with innate nobility and wisdom, someone whose fine nature causes him to rise above his humble roots to make a success of himself. Thanks for the book recommendation. It's free at the Kindle Store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama2cntrykids Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 How young of a child would you let watch this movie? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happygrrl Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 How young of a child would you let watch this movie? There is a disturbing death scene in on part. You don't see the event actually happen, but you see the body and resulting intense grief. My 9 yo watched it, but I had him turn his head during that sequence. There are also scenes of dreadful poverty in a crowded city. That was difficult as well, but I thought it important for the children to see. It was done well, in my opinion; not too graphic or sentimental. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All4one Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I loved Wives and Daughters but was devastated when I got to the end. I didn't read the editorial commentary before I started. I wouldn't have let myself get so invested in the story if I knew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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