The Elizabeth Gaskell Collection 3 Box Set product reviews

I really enjoyed this collection of Elizabeth Gaskell DVD novels. Each of the mini series portrayed the era of the times well. In actual fact i think i would have quite suited living in this era, but i guess we'll never know now! The $99 cost is but a small price to pay for these classic films. A great addition to your collection!

All three series have a common theme - LOVE, small villages, and Doctors. Whether it is finding love for the first time, or marrying for the second, it is a reccurring theme. All three stories heavily involve the village Doctor, and it is he who finds love, with the exception being North and South, where the Doctor is only called to attend Margaret, whom was knocked out with a rock. Most of the actors are involved in all 3 mini-series which goes to show how adaptable they are. There are many well known faces, and a few you will know by name, like Dame Judi Dench, Michael Gambon and Imelda Staunton.

Beware - you need plenty of undisturbed time for these classics, as each mini series goes for at least 4 hours.

Wives and Daughters:
Dr Gibson, the local Doctor, decides he needs to remarry, after years of being a widower. His teenage daughter Molly is completely unprepared for this change of event.

Once he is remarried, Molly finds out she now has a step-sister (Cynthia). At first they do not wish to get along, however they both have a dislike for Cynthia's mother, so they form a close bond through the likeness.

This bond is soon strained by the fact that the girls both fall in love with the same man. Until a secret Cynthia has kept for numerous years comes to light. Will the secret destroy them or make them stronger?

9/10

North And South:
This story would have to be the darkest of the three. Dark as in there isn't much happiness involved in the movie at all. It's about the industrial revolution. Margaret's father uproots his family from Southern England, to a small village in Northen England called Milton. This is a huge shock to the system for Margaret as Northerners have completely different attitude and way of life from what she is used to. Margaret finds herself full of hatred towards the Mill owner John Thornton because of the way he treats his workers, but finds her attitude ever changing as he becomes a pupil of her fathers and she learns more and more about why he is who he is today.

Even admitting that, I just had to watch this movie from beginning to the end. With the only really gratifying part at the end. I will not give the game away!

Again 9/10

Cranford:
This had to be the most humourous mini series i have seen in a long time. The women of Cranford have such serious demeanours, and yet they convey themselves with humour excellently. Eileen Atkins whom played Miss Deborah Jenkyns was the most stern lady of all, and yet she had me in stitches alot!

This story line had the biggest name line up of all, Dame Judi Dench, Micheal Gambon, Imelda Staunton, as wel as many faces you would recognise but not know by name.

The town of Cranford is abuzz when a new doctor comes to the town. The one thing that has always amazed me in this era, is if you do something wrong, you can be made an outcast quicker than you can say boo. No one will stop and talk to you, or even walk on the same side of the road as you.

If you want a warm and fuzzy feeling with a few hiccups along the way then Cranford is the one to watch! I will definitely be watching this again!

10/10