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The Pallisers, Set 1
The Pallisers Set 1
Actors: Philip Latham, Barbara Murray, Moray Watson, Donald Pickering
Genres: Indie & Art House, Drama, Television
NR     2000     6hr 40min

This 26 episode bbc serialization of anthony trollopes political novels chronicles passions and politics in victorian england. A lavish period drama about love marriage and the inner workings of the parliament. Studio: Ac...  more »

     
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Movie Details

Actors: Philip Latham, Barbara Murray, Moray Watson, Donald Pickering
Creator: Mike Crisp
Genres: Indie & Art House, Drama, Television
Sub-Genres: Indie & Art House, Drama, Drama, Miniseries
Studio: Acorn Media
Format: DVD - Color,Full Screen
DVD Release Date: 09/26/2000
Original Release Date: 01/24/1977
Theatrical Release Date: 01/24/1977
Release Year: 2000
Run Time: 6hr 40min
Screens: Color,Full Screen
Number of Discs: 4
SwapaDVD Credits: 4
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 1
Edition: Box set
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Languages: English

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Movie Reviews

Trollope without pain
Lyn W. Edinger | Durham, North Carolina USA | 08/09/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you are a fan of English costume drama, interested in amiable depiction of High Victorian Society, if you liked the most recent BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, and, most particularly, if you ever were forced to slog through Anthony Trollope's endless series of lengthy novels recounting the peregrinations of the Duke of Omnium, Phineas Finn, et al, then this is the series for you. It may be most interesting to the long suffering Trollope-reader. I believe that his novels were a sort of 1840s counterpart to modern cable TV. They were made to be read in the evenings, often aloud to gatherings of family and friends. And, since there was little competition for polite entertainment, there was undoubtedly little incentive for the listeners to want the stories rushed to an end. Hence, the elegantly written descriptions of drawing room rivalries, scrapes most often between the honorable and landholding wealthy and the rather dishonorable new-rich tended to drag on and on...and on. This TV treatment, although not a great commercial success in Britain when it was made thirty years ago, is therefore surprisingly successful - the acting, though criticised as stilted, actually is stylised. The basic drama of the situations (will the grand Duke of Omnium crush his defeated rival when they at last meet at some European gambling Spa? Will whatsisname, the preppy son of the Duke make good on his promise to marry the American adventuress?) comes across much better - and MUCH faster - through the TV episodes, and frankly make Trollope quite entertaining in the process.Occasionally, TV takes narrative forms from the past and does make them paced and pallatable for new audiences. This series is still not for fans of fast editing, car crashes, and gore. It is, however, well-paced, mannered, elegant, wholesome and intelligent drama that should have been released to the public decades ago.I have looked for it from time to time for over twenty years - having viewed these episodes as a young school teacher in Singapore in the 70s, where anything from Britain or America was a lifeline to home. I will look forward to watching it again, in senile rapture, rooting for the Duke and wishing ill on the many rascals that surround him."
When Masterpiece Theater Truly Was!
Little Dorrit | WA state | 10/23/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Pallisers was one of the first series presented on PBS and helped to make us fans of Masterpiece Theater for many years, at least while the quality was even half as good as the Pallisers. We were really thrilled to see that the series is being released on video and DVD and are now most impatiently waiting for the next parts to be released!There is much much more to Trollope and his novels than some see, to call them "deadly dull" is to miss the rich complexities of personalities that he peoples them with. To anyone wishing to explore his world more thoroughly and I tell you it is a fascinating experience, I highly recommend the book, The Gentleman in Trollope, subtitled Individuality and Moral Conduct, by Shirley Robin Letwin. I know we're glad we discovered this book, it is helping us enjoy the video of the Pallisers even more than we did the first time we saw it.Beautiful production, sets, acting, but most of all writing, by Trollope and thankfully faithfully translated to screen by Simon Raven. Hope those who have seen this gem many years ago will get it and enjoy it again as we have, but also hope many who have not seen it nor ventured into the world of Trollope will be enticed to do so, it is a most rewarding and enriching experience."
Fine, fine adaptation of Trollope's Palliser novels
Gary M. Greenbaum | Fairfax, VA USA | 07/14/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This series adapts the six lengthy "Palliser" novels by Anthony Trollope into 26 episodes of delight and intrigue in Victorian England. Susan Hampshire's Lady Glencora is without doubt the center of this series. Forced into a marriage with the wealthy but distracted Plantagenet Palliser, who seems far more interested in becoming Chancellor of the Exchequer than in his marriage, Lady Glencora must balance her relationship with her husband against that with another man, whom she has truly loved. Watching as the two Pallisers adjust their relationship to find their love is an absolute delight. But this story is more than just the Pallisers. As the six lengthy novels are boiled down to 26 episodes (8 in the first set), we meet Phineas Finn, an Irish MP who is the title character of two of the books--one deemed a fine political novel, the other a suspenseful masterpiece. Both are well incorporated into the series. Barbara Murray amazes as Madame Max Goesler, a wealthy widow who interacts with the aristocratic Pallisers without ever letting her great good sense be overwhelmed by the privilege of associating with the creme de la creme. Six novels boiled into a series requires a great ensemble cast, and one is provided. Such noted British TV actors as Derek Jacobi (later of I, Claudius) and Penelope Keith (of To the Manor Born) play small but important parts as the foppish Lord Fawn and his sister. But in the final analysis, it all comes back to the relationship between Hampshire's Lady Glencora and Philip Latham's Plantagenet. Well worth watching."
How to keep political power and a stable marriage
F. Behrens | Keene, NH USA | 09/16/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Many of us of a certain age group have the fondest memories of being
entertained immensely for several consecutive weeks back in 1974 or
1975 by a PBS series called . The 26 episodes
were based on six of Anthony Trollope's political novels: Can You
Forgive Her?, Phineas Finn, The Eustace Diamonds, Phineas Redux, The
Prime Minister, and The Duke's Children, all written from 1865 to
1880. In very brief, they deal with the fortunes of the Palliser
family and the demands for political reform by the English lower
classes. I suppose the single sentence from the script that can sum
all this up is spoken by the Duke of St. Bungay to the effect that the
upper classes must grant reforms but slowly so as to retain always
their rule over the country. This, to people like him, is axiomatic;
and very little has changed since. Well, Acorn Media has at last
granted us a chance this year to see at least the first 8 episodes of
the series again, on four DVDs. And what a joy they are. In a
charming interview on the first of the four discs, star Susan
Hampshire, who plays Lady Glencora Palliser, says she managed to whip
through the six novels in preparation for this series by skipping
every other chapter--the ones about politics! So cleverly has Trollope
woven the domestic with the political threads, that we can be grateful
that dramatist Simon Raven seems to have skipped very little.
Whether or not you know a Whig from a Tory (and definitions for such
terms are considerately inserted into the dialogue), you cannot help
but enjoy the humor of Trollope's situations, his characters, and
their way of speaking. Consider only some of the names: Lady Monk,
Lady Fawn, Duke of Omnium, Sir Orlando Draught, Lady Dumbello,
Patience Crabstick, and above all Plantagenet Palliser. Of course
the acting is quite stylized and as such it is perfect for this
material. None of this whispering below the threshold of hearing that
seems to be demanded by directors today. And no need to show any
couple in bed, while that seems to be absolutely obligatory in recent
Masterpiece Theatre offerings. This is old style material and calls
for an acting style appropriate to it. The truths, however, never
change. Much of the budget went to costumes and décor and you do
get the feeling of it all being shot in a studio: the background of
the Alps is blatantly a painted one and the constant shadow of the
microphone does not help. But the story is enough to keep you coming
back for more and the engrossing characters (even the villains have
their good points) can keep you amused on their own. Philip Latham's
"Planty Pal" begins almost cartoonishly but soon develops
into a very human character. And Hampshire is marvelous in her
transformation from a reluctant bride forced into a loveless marriage
to a loving and devoted wife. Even the minor characters, such as the
corrupt Police Sergeant, are utterly convincing. (Many of these actors
will be familiar from the old "Avengers" and "Lord
Peter Wimsey series.) Acorn Media is to be even more highly
commended for including a 32-page booklet which gives us the
backgrounds of the novels and the televised series, a glossary of
names and terms, and a complete cast listing. Now the trick is to wait
until early 2001 for the second set to be available. ...
"