Winter. The first time (Part 4 of 4. It's over ...And the entry is updated)
I know I said I was going to watch an episode an evening but … I CANNOT AND WILL NOT BE LEFT LIKE THIS! *Stamps foot* Not when the DVD has a Play All function. So, onwards to Part 4. Plot summary from Wiki:
“Thornton gives employment to Higgins after Bessie's death and master and hand get along surprisingly well, despite their differences. They come up with a philanthropic plan to feed the workers cheaply, and Thornton comes to a greater understanding with his workers as they share ideas. However, because of the problems caused by the strike, Thornton's business is in trouble, and he is forced to close the mill.
Margaret's father dies and she leaves the north to stay with relatives in London, but her godfather, Mr Bell, makes over his fortune to her when he find out that he has a terminal illness and chooses to move to Argentina, for the better climate. Margaret therefore becomes the owner of Marlborough Mills and John Thornton's landlord. Thornton, having discovered the truth about Fred from Mr Higgins, goes south to see Margaret's home town, and on the way back meets her returning from a visit to the north. She proposes a business deal by which the factory can be reopened, and their final love scene takes place on the railway station platform with both going "home" to Milton”.
If Part 3 is the part where all things shatter (and lots of people die), Part 4 is where lessons are learnt, things said and done with the pieces being put back together and all things made new. Although the rules of 19th Century Fiction state that there must be a happy ending, there must, must, must, it’s the getting there … And what a journey! Hold onto your hats, it's going to be a bumpy night.
After Margaret’s father dies, her aunt arrives like a whirl-wind and Takes Her Away From All This Grimness. She visits her friends to say good-bye, including the Thorntons at the mill, but doesn’t look back … Cue DVD re-winding just to make sure that nothing vital had been missed due to severe snivelling. Like a shot of the carriage and Margaret's head moving backwards to look at Thornton slightly. (How could she not …?! I would have ended up with the worst whip-lash in the world due to the speed my head spun round to have one final gawp. On the other hand, a neck brace due to over enthusisatic neck turning doesn’t exactly say Classy Victorian Bird With Self Control and Moral Fibre now does it?!).
Mr Bell takes Margaret back to her old home. And Margaret learns a valuable lesson about change and evolution. Rants, was the bit you meant about it being a shame about the roses and the danger of over-romanticising where she’d came from? As well as the bit about not being able to go back however hard you try. I knew exactly what she meant and had a good laugh at myself.
Now moving into live commentary to get this entry up before bed-time and the moment is lost:
There’s about 10 minutes to go and Mr T’s mill is about to close and Margaret has just found out. Pauses DVD to go find chocolate!!!!!!!!!!! The scenes where the mill has closed and Thornton is talking to Higgins and the small boy … * Wah! More tissues please! * And Higgins’ offer to help … He’s just found out he was her brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [ETA: I just love the expression on Higgin's face when he tells Thornton this. The sheer mischief - he knows darned well they're besotted with each other and both too proud / stubbon to admit to the other how they feel - as well as unsure about how to go about it without looking stupid and losing face. He's just giving Thornton a helpful shove in the right direction - southwards] *Hides* Margaret and Mrs Thornton are squaring up … Oh, for a deleted scene where they slug it out … [ETA: And then making some kind of peace] Flowers … The bit where he's picking flowers. Who'd have thought gardening could be so interesting!
Station … They Are At The Station … They Are At the Station! Must remember to breathe … And keep breathing! Poor Henry … Welcome to Dumpsville. Population, you. And I really need to be making the bed right now but there's ... The Happy Ending! We have the Happy Ending! [ETA: The lead up to this is so well done. The expression on Thornton's face makes you want to ... er ... marry him right away. The way Margaret stubbles through her business proposition without looking at him because she's so scared he'll turn her down flat. And then the bit where he takes her hand and she takes his and you know It's All Going To Be Alright].
Okay, it's not very historically accurate but what an ending! What a top quality snog! So tastefully done. And I realise that when it comes to Victorian Heroine Act-a-likey, I am so not made of the Right Stuff. “Coming home with me?” “Well if you insist …” There would have been scorch marks on the platform caused by my eagerness to get myself into that carriage with Thornton so I could ... er ... marry him right away. This bit needed to be watched several times as it was fan-blooming-tastic! (Didn't count).
I now understand why this is the Motherlode / Master Work. But it's only the Master Work because each and every aspect of it is done to such a high standard / stunning / tasteful / gritty. [ETA: This is one of those things that really is only as good as the sum of it's parts. If RA had put in that performance but other aspects of it had been less good, it wouldn't have worked nearly so well. Or had such a dramatic effect on the female populace at large. Think about it, there have been plenty of costume dramas since P&P but this is the first since then to cause hormonal melt down on such a scale.
And DDA was also so good as Margaret - just right. In lesser hands she would have a snotty cow. But DDA managed to make her three dimensional and her reactions to Thornton where she starts by despising him and learns to love him completely believable and understandable].
I can't believe that the Powers That Be at the Beeb didn't expect much from it when they first saw it. WTF had they been watching to compare it too?! If you work in TV and can't appreciate that, you seriously need to be thinking about a new career!
And I really need a lie down / stiff drink / more tissues / another 4 hours so I can watch it all over again. Best thing I’ve seen on TV for ages - but I feel kind of bereft because that’s it … First time over and done.
[ETA: So I'm sitting there with the DVD still in the player all pink and giggly, gagging for a post DVD-watching ciggie due to the intensity of it all - I don't smoke by the way - when Mr T bursts in the room. "So", he says, "Was that as shite as it looked?" Nothing like a husband to burst your bubble. But today, the grin's default setting is on Loon and the mind is fully occupied].
Having not watched this before, I also now understand where they got the idea for the frankly puke-making ending for the US version of P&P film. (The one with the Bloke from Spooks as Mr Darcy. This is the one time I have ever found him thud-able. I do have a bit of a thing for Mr D). It ended with Mr D slobbering all over Elizabeth Bennett telling her over and over again how much he loves her. It’s an extra on the UK version and I could only bring myself to watch it once. I’ve got some Austin loving friends in the US who waited until they could get the UK version on DVD because it was So Bad / Offensive to Austin lovers with taste and discernment. [ETA: I guess I didn't like it because there is no way that either Darcy or Elizabeth would have done that. Ever. I can accept a degree of mucking about to make a book cinematic, but I have my limits! And that crossed them. But if you liked it, that's fine with me].
Saving the interview and deleted scenes until tomorrow after I have cleaned the bathroom. (My life rocks! Admit it, you’re jealous aren’t you?!) [ETA: Mr T has a meeting so I won't have to put up with his "supportive comments". According to Mr T, historical drama is useless as it has no battles / lightsabres and goes on for weeks rather than 24 hours. And RA being in a Star Wars film didn't count as it was the Rubbish One. Husbands! You'd think he'd be grateful for something that was honest, decent, legal and free that kept me quiet for that long whilst making me happy - and without any involvement from him! Giving him lots of free time to play Star Wars Lego on the Wii]