Saturday, February 26, 2011

Fortunes of War

So I did order the DVD of Fortunes of War. And the BBC sent it to me super-quickly. And it was just as good as I remembered.

Fortunes of War

I'm hopeless at practicing delayed gratification, and so I watched my way through the whole series as soon as I possibly could. The performances are excellent - you can already see in Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh the skilled performers they would become. The series has been filmed on location and while all the settings are riveting, the winter scenes in Romania are exquisite. The beginning of the series, when newly wed Guy and Harriet Pringle are getting to know one another, and coming to terms with the strangeness of finding themselves elsewhere, are the best. Though the Egyptian settings of the latter part of the series are extraordinary, the divided focus of the story between the Pringles and young soldier Simon Boulderstone (a very beautiful and very young Rupert Graves) rather fragmented the narrative.

The series if full of knitting. Harriet is a knitter and she and Guy often wear knits - cardigans, vests, scarves. The knitwear is not particularly beautiful - it's just there because that's what people wore in 1940.

There's so much for me to like in this series. Most immediately, it's made me want to visit Romania. In winter. But I guess that's not going to happen for a while.

7 comments:

pendie said...

Isn't that great when a good movie can inspire you with new ideas?

Rose Red said...

Hopefully Blackmores will make your travelling dreams come true! (since you are so clearly the STAR of the ad campaign, they should give you some more work I think!)

Anonymous said...

oh sigh. eastern europe in winter. yes please. i am hopeless with DVD series' as well. i am working my way through a couple at the moment,none as high brow as this, but im adding it to my list!

1funkyknitwit said...

giggling over Jane's comment and Blackmores..lol

I would be like you Lyn if it is there to watch then watch away, why wait I say ;D

I have not seen these movies and they sound wonderful with all the scenery and story line, plus Emma is fabulous :)

Caffeine Girl said...

I had not heard of this series, but it sounds delightful. I'll have to see if I can find it around here!

Sel and Poivre said...

I love watching "All Creatures Great and Small" for the knitwear alone!

Bells said...

thanks for highlighting this Lyn. I'm going to track down a copy for myself. I adore Emma Thompson.