Immense Rave: 'Daniel Deronda' (book AND film! a double threat!)
Sliding easily into my top 5--nay, perhaps even top 2 or 3--for books and films discovered this year, we have Daniel Deronda, book by George Eliot, film by BBC.
I'm a big Victorian-lit fan, and Eliot's Middlemarch is one of my all-time favorites, so I'm not sure why I hadn't read more of her stuff until now. But Deronda convinced me I will have to seek out and read the entire remainder of her back catalog of fiction. Her fiction is, to string together a bunch of adjectives and adverbs, sweepingly romantic, refreshingly practical, thoughtfully deep, and utterly compelling. Like Henry James, she dives deep into characters' psychology, and with fascinating results; but unlike James, she keeps a clear eye on the plot while she does so. Like Thomas Hardy, she introduces delicious scandal and forbidden romance; but unlike Hardy, she doesn't feel the need to destroy all innocent characters by the end of the book. Like Jane Austen, she plays on societal manners and customs, and the silly restrictions resulting therefrom; but unlike Austen, she lets things get mortally serious sometimes.
Still, for the BBC film version, the similarity may be closest to Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth, since it is very nearly that good. My husband, as a rule, good-naturedly heckles costume dramas, but gets a kick out of P&P; and got much more drawn into Daniel Deronda than I dared hope. ("Aww, we're stopping?" he said, in sincerity, when I judiciously tried to stop it midway last night and get ready for bed. Oh yeah, he also said, "When we're in public: I don't like things like this." I guess I forgot. ;) )
What's the story about? A confused and almost saintly young man, the title character, who has a weak spot for helping women in distress. This trait draws him into complications with both the naive and spoiled Gwendolyn, who gambles on a prestigious marriage and loses big time; and the Jewish waif Mirah, whom he meets by saving her from drowning herself in the Thames. But to say it's basically a love triangle would be a severe understatement, and anyway somewhat inaccurate. This is not your average predictable romance plot. Our Eliot is better than all that. Plus, the BBC did a remarkably good job condensing that big ol' book into 3.5 hours, and casting it to as near perfection as one might hope.
Also, I'd be remiss as a fangirl if I didn't add this: Sliding into my top 2 or 3 for fanciable actors is Hugh Dancy, who played Daniel, and who I had never seen before (though, yes, I know he's been in other movies--just not ones I've seen). He often looked strikingly like Orlando Bloom, but...how to say this without insult to Orli?...a lot brighter and more sophisticated and interesting. (Honest, Orli, you're still in the top 10 all the same. I think. I haven't actually done a roll call lately.) He's a wonderful and expressive actor, and just ever so pretty. Even in a goofy hat.
Those who prefer the ladies should be well pleased with Romola Garai as Gwendolyn, who is, in the words of my dear husband, "silly hot." (In this usage, "silly" acts as an intensifier.)
Could go on and on, but won't bore the uninitiated. Go see! Go read! Or both! Will happily discuss further with those who have seen or read DD already. Thank you. That is all.
I'm a big Victorian-lit fan, and Eliot's Middlemarch is one of my all-time favorites, so I'm not sure why I hadn't read more of her stuff until now. But Deronda convinced me I will have to seek out and read the entire remainder of her back catalog of fiction. Her fiction is, to string together a bunch of adjectives and adverbs, sweepingly romantic, refreshingly practical, thoughtfully deep, and utterly compelling. Like Henry James, she dives deep into characters' psychology, and with fascinating results; but unlike James, she keeps a clear eye on the plot while she does so. Like Thomas Hardy, she introduces delicious scandal and forbidden romance; but unlike Hardy, she doesn't feel the need to destroy all innocent characters by the end of the book. Like Jane Austen, she plays on societal manners and customs, and the silly restrictions resulting therefrom; but unlike Austen, she lets things get mortally serious sometimes.
Still, for the BBC film version, the similarity may be closest to Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth, since it is very nearly that good. My husband, as a rule, good-naturedly heckles costume dramas, but gets a kick out of P&P; and got much more drawn into Daniel Deronda than I dared hope. ("Aww, we're stopping?" he said, in sincerity, when I judiciously tried to stop it midway last night and get ready for bed. Oh yeah, he also said, "When we're in public: I don't like things like this." I guess I forgot. ;) )
What's the story about? A confused and almost saintly young man, the title character, who has a weak spot for helping women in distress. This trait draws him into complications with both the naive and spoiled Gwendolyn, who gambles on a prestigious marriage and loses big time; and the Jewish waif Mirah, whom he meets by saving her from drowning herself in the Thames. But to say it's basically a love triangle would be a severe understatement, and anyway somewhat inaccurate. This is not your average predictable romance plot. Our Eliot is better than all that. Plus, the BBC did a remarkably good job condensing that big ol' book into 3.5 hours, and casting it to as near perfection as one might hope.
Also, I'd be remiss as a fangirl if I didn't add this: Sliding into my top 2 or 3 for fanciable actors is Hugh Dancy, who played Daniel, and who I had never seen before (though, yes, I know he's been in other movies--just not ones I've seen). He often looked strikingly like Orlando Bloom, but...how to say this without insult to Orli?...a lot brighter and more sophisticated and interesting. (Honest, Orli, you're still in the top 10 all the same. I think. I haven't actually done a roll call lately.) He's a wonderful and expressive actor, and just ever so pretty. Even in a goofy hat.
Those who prefer the ladies should be well pleased with Romola Garai as Gwendolyn, who is, in the words of my dear husband, "silly hot." (In this usage, "silly" acts as an intensifier.)
Could go on and on, but won't bore the uninitiated. Go see! Go read! Or both! Will happily discuss further with those who have seen or read DD already. Thank you. That is all.