'VANITY FAIR' VICTORIAN SAGA
OPENS AUTUMN TV SEASON!
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| Vanity Fair starts tonight on British ITV! |
WHAT DID YOUR SPY THINK?
Largely disappointing, with uninspired direction and the use of natural light which steals any atmosphere from the show already bland due to the lack of music, dynamics and good script. Some of the performances are shockingly
bad (Surrane Jones for example), while most of the actors appear just lost without any direction. The series which lacks in heart and dazzle, something a Vanity Fair, should definitely have! Dull and pointless is our verdict.
bad (Surrane Jones for example), while most of the actors appear just lost without any direction. The series which lacks in heart and dazzle, something a Vanity Fair, should definitely have! Dull and pointless is our verdict.
WHAT'S THE STORY?
The seven part drama coming from Poldark's and Victoria's Mammoth Screen, is set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, and follows
modern heroine Becky Sharp as she attempts to claw her way out of
poverty and scale the heights of English Society. Her story of villainy,
crime,
merriment, lovemaking, jilting, laughing, cheating, fighting and
dancing, takes her all the way to the court of King George IV, via the
Battle of Waterloo, breaking hearts and losing fortunes as she goes.
The seven part drama coming from Poldark's and Victoria's Mammoth Screen, is set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, and follows
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| The series will also start this month on HBO world cable channels |
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| The series will air in seven hourlong episodes! |
BECKY SHARP
is played by Olivia Cooke. Born to a French opera dancer and a poor, drunken artist, she is orphaned as a teenager and accepted at Miss Pinkerton’s 
academy for young ladies to teach French in exchange for her schooling and upkeep. Once she goes out in the world, Becky is determined to rise in society – by any means necessary.
academy for young ladies to teach French in exchange for her schooling and upkeep. Once she goes out in the world, Becky is determined to rise in society – by any means necessary.
CAPTAIN ROWDON CRAWLEY
who will fall for Becky is played by Tom Bateman. He is a heavy dragoon 
with strong desires and small brains, who had never controlled a passion in his life. He is the younger son of Sir Pitt and stands to inherit money from his 
aunt, Miss Crawley, who has always loved him best despite his love of sports, gambling and women.
with strong desires and small brains, who had never controlled a passion in his life. He is the younger son of Sir Pitt and stands to inherit money from his aunt, Miss Crawley, who has always loved him best despite his love of sports, gambling and women.
SIR PITT CRAWLEY
to whose house Becky arrives as the governess is played by Martin Clunes. 
He’s a baronet and the owner of a huge estate at Queen’s Crawley, but despite his position in society he is a dirty, stingy and lecherous old man.
He’s a baronet and the owner of a huge estate at Queen’s Crawley, but despite his position in society he is a dirty, stingy and lecherous old man.
MISS MATILDA CRAWLEY
played by Frances de la Tour, is rich, single and elderly and her potential heirs are at pains to impress her, even if it looks likely she’ll leave most of her
fortune to favoured nephew Rawdon. Miss Crawley is dismissive and deeply unimpressed with pretty much anyone.
fortune to favoured nephew Rawdon. Miss Crawley is dismissive and deeply unimpressed with pretty much anyone.
AMELIA SEDLEY
Becky's friend from the academy is played by Claudia Jessie. Becky's total opposite, she is naturally sweet, obedient, kind-hearted and naive, with blind
loyalty that verges on stupidity. She is waiting to be married to her childhood sweetheart George Osborne.
loyalty that verges on stupidity. She is waiting to be married to her childhood sweetheart George Osborne.
SIR GEORGE OSBORNE AND WILLIAM DOBIN
George, played by Charlie Rowe, has been close to the Sedley family all his life as childhood friend and neighbour, with his and Amelia’s fathers being 
business partners. He does like Amelia, but he is more in love with himself and is preoccupied with drinking and gambling and his own pursuits! Johny 
Flynn plays his best friend Dobin, a gentleman who has risen honestly in society and exhibits qualities of kindness, loyalty and respect. He is secretly deeply in love with Amelia.
business partners. He does like Amelia, but he is more in love with himself and is preoccupied with drinking and gambling and his own pursuits! Johny Flynn plays his best friend Dobin, a gentleman who has risen honestly in society and exhibits qualities of kindness, loyalty and respect. He is secretly deeply in love with Amelia.
WHO ELSE IS THERE?
The cast also includes Surrane Jones as snobbish Miss Pinkerton who hates Becky, Michael Palin plays Thackeray himself, the mysterious
narrator, Claire Skinner is Amelia's mother Lady Sedley, Simon Russell
Beale is Mr Sedley, David Flynn is Amelia's vain brother Jos, a
figure of
ridicule whom Becky tries to seduce. Mathew Baynton is Sir
Pitt's uptight son Bute Crawley, Robert Pugh's is George's rich father
Mr Osborne.
The cast also includes Surrane Jones as snobbish Miss Pinkerton who hates Becky, Michael Palin plays Thackeray himself, the mysterious
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| Surrane Jones plays snobbish Miss Pinkerton |
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| David Flynn is Jos Seddley, vain and ridiculous and fat |
I tried to read Vanity Fair once, many years ago. Could NOT plow through it.
ReplyDeleteAs a professor of English literature poor me had to :) It was godawful, but I think the same for most of English novels LOL
DeleteThe costumes will obviously be lovely.
ReplyDeleteand obviously very red :)
DeleteSuperb photos with good, explanatory captions!
ReplyDeleteEvery decade or two there's a new TV adaptation of this period drama "Vanity Fair". The plot never loses its magic and it offers wonderful opportunities to new actors. This is especially true of the role of Becky. The latter is a likeable character despite her being a schemer and a naughty social climber. With her background of poverty, she probably had to act as if nothing would stop her, in order to go on with her life.
I think in today's time she'd be one of those starlets that appear in reality shows and walk over corpses just to end up in media.
DeleteI never read Vanity Fair but this adaptation looks like fun.
ReplyDeleteit does seem to have a funny element in it!
DeleteI will look for it on Amazon and add it to my queue when it’s available. I never read the novel, but I think this one might be entertaining enough to plow through.
ReplyDeleteI hear the viewers mostly liked it. But the ratings did not beat Bodyguard at BBC. They had two million viewers less at ITV.
Delete