| Damian Lewis | Soames Forsyte |
| Gina McKee | Irene Forsyte |
| Rupert Graves | Young Jolyon Forsyte |
| Gillian Kearney | June Forsyte |
| Amanda Root | Winifred Forsyte Dartie |
| Ioan Gruffudd | Philip Bosinney |
| Amanda Ooms | Helene Hilmer Forsyte |
| Thomas Reiner | Old Jolyon Forsyte |
| John Carlisle | James Forsyte |
| Ben Miles | Montague Dartie |
| Christian Coulson | Jolly Forsyte |
| Ann Bell | Aunt Hester |
| Judy Campbell | Aunt Ann |
| Wendy Craig | Aunt Juley |
| Emily Canfor-Dumas | Holly (age 11) |
| Jack Langham | Jolly (age 7) |
| Christopher Menaul | Director |
| David P. Moore | Director |
| Dave Moore | Director |
| Alan Almond | Cinematographer |
| Peter Bull | Art Director |
| Geoffrey Burgon | Score Composer |
| Tony Cranstoun | Editor |
| Phoebe Degaye | Costumes/Costume Designer |
| Rebecca Eaton | Executive Producer |
| Stephen Fineren | Production Designer |
| Sue Gibson | Cinematographer |
| Anthony Ham | Editor |
| Andy Harries | Executive Producer |
| Thea Harvey | Producer |
| Judi Hayfield | Casting |
| Stephan Mallatratt | Teleplay |
| Jan McVerry | Teleplay |
| Nick Wilkinson | Art Director |
| Sita Williams | Producer |
Anonymous
Posted October 1, 2010
If you saw the earlier b/w landmark series, and loved it, you will have a lot of problems with this version. Central to my dislike of this work is the appearance and performances of the central characters: Soames and Irene. Their conflict is simply not believable: she is ugly and ungainly, he is scarcely human. A lavish version, lots of fine acting, but no heart.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 1, 2010
I could not stop watching. I quickly found that any interruptions in my watching frustrated me. As soon as one episode ended, I had to watch the next. I think Damian Lewis was a brilliant Soames and Rupert Graves a delightful Jolyon. I do agree with the majority, Gina McKee was a bore and many of the camera angles did not do her justice. It was a true delight to watch this program.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 1, 2010
After watching the first installment of the saga, I fell in love. This story has everything that the great novels have. I think that Irene is played triumph. She does not love Soames and detests his every touch and advancment. Only until she finds love does her shell break down and we see the true Irene. And Soames is wonderful. I have never seen an actor who can so perform these moods. I am so frightened when he pounds on the door to Irene's room and disgusted when he walks up behind her,staring, leering.This movie is everything, romance, mystery, intrique, suspense, and even comedy(the aunts).
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 1, 2010
This is a splendid adaptation of the beginning of Galsworthy's novel. It is perfectly cast in just about every respect - even Gina McKee as Irene (contrary to other reviewers' opinions). Although McKee doesn't fit the physical description of Irene in the book (but, then, neither does Damian Lewis fit Soames's physical description), her aloofness, coldness, and lack of emotion is dead-on! In fact, after seeing the miniseries and reading the novel, I find her the least likeable character. Well portrayed. My wife and I saw a few episodes of the miniseries while in the UK, and were thrilled when PBS aired it last fall. A must-see for anyone who loves period drama and superb film versions of great English literature.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 1, 2010
What a fantastic, pulsating drama piece!!It is one which, if you start watching it, you cannot stop! Rupert Graves and Damien Lewis are very well cast however Gina McKee is a great disappointment!!!Shes is dull, lifeless, irriating, annoying...i will not go on. Feuding families, forbidden love!!!what more does one need!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 1, 2010
excellent acting from damian lewis. he was perfectly cast as soames (for someone who is very attractive in his other movies-he did a great job of being unattractive in this series) bosinney is also perfectly cast-very yummy!!! irene is not that pretty in the tv show but gina mckee does a great job and i ended up liking her anyway. Still i feel bad for soames-irene gave him a REALLY bad deal. well irene makes me mad in the book and in the movie. i only wish this production did not end with the birth of fleur-i wish it had finished the book
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 1, 2010
This movie was exciting and daring. I loved how the characters were so realistic and moving. I am looking to buy the movie and book now.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 1, 2010
I thought this movie was about FLW - It turns out I loved the film.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 1, 2010
This is a luscious-looking, masterfully produced, absorbing drama. The acting is simply splendid, especially Corin Redgrave as old Jolyon (magnificent!) and Rupert Graves as young Jolyon (a surprisingly warm and multifaceted performance). The only exception is Gina McKee as Irene whose emotions (except for her strong distaste for Soames)are mostly lukewarm. This is too bad, since Irene is such a major figure in the story. I now have a keen interest in reading Galsworthy's book and viewing the original production. All in all, a real gem!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 1, 2010
I am enjoying it but not quite as much as I loved the original. (Shows my age) The problem is Gina McKee does not have the physical attributes to play Irene. You have to read the book,(the original series inspired me to do so) to see that the effect of a Irene's magic was a major factor in the book. Ms. McKee does not inspire anything.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 1, 2010
I think that this movie is very good as far as trying to stick to the times in which the movie is set. I think that each actor did very well with their parts and I would love to read the book someday.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 1, 2010
Some of my readers might have very warm recollections of the 1967 black and white BBC mini-series (from before, I believe, the term was coined) that brought to life in 26 episodes and 21 hours all six of the nine novels written by John Galsworthy under the supertitle ''The Forsyte Saga.'' Few video adaptations quite as good were to come again until ''The Pallisers'' attracted millions, and both would be very difficult to improve upon. Well, Granada has tried with what might be an 18 part remake of the Galsworthy saga; and the first series of 6 is now available on three DVDs from Acorn Media. Taken on its own terms, it is extremely good--but not perfect--and had me and wife pretty well riveted to the screen on three successive evenings. It did not, however, erase fond memories of the earlier version. Now the 1967 version was ''studio-bound, with static camera work, long scenes and long speeches'' (as the press release puts it). What the release leaves out was superb acting by established stars and by newcomer Susan Hampshire whose Fleur made her a star. For example, Eric Porter made Soames a sympathetic human who hurt himself more than he hurt others, especially his miserable first wife Irene. In the 2002 version, Damian Lewis, looking like a demonic Steve McQueen, is 99% pure villain; and his mother's recollection of how he loved a pet cat to death does little to soften his character. It is only in the very last minute of the last episode that he softens--but I will not tell you why. Another problem is the actress playing Irene, Gina McKee. The original Irene was portrayed by the extremely beautiful Nyree Dawn Porter; and all of the comments in the script about her looks were not contradicted by what we saw of her. Here (at the risk of being attacked for being another John Simon), McKee is simply attractive but by no means beautiful. In fact, some of the profile shots make her quite unattractive; and somehow all the praises the other characters sing about her are not justified visually. Then too, Soames' sister, played in 1967 by Margaret Tyzack, was always referred to as unattractive and lucky to catch a husband at all, even if he is a ''bounder.'' Here Amanda Root, being very pretty indeed, draws no such disparaging comments in this new script. The rest of the cast-- Ioan Gruffudd, Rupert Graves, Gillian Kearney, Corin Redgrave, and so many more that I could only wish Acorn Media had provided a booklet with the cast as it did for ''The Pallisers''--can stand comparison with the 1967 actors. The production values are just fine, but all too often the camera work becomes annoyingly ''innovative'' when one character close to the camera is speaking to one further away, and they are brought alternatively in and out of focus as they speak or listen. But, as a comic Shakespearean character says, comparisons are odious. Again, on its own terms, this is a very enjoyable if somewhat flawed remake of (so far) the first two Forsyte novels; and I can honestly recommend them for once and future viewing as I look forward to the next releases when they are filmed. But let us yet hope for some Kind Soul to restore the 1967 version not too long in the future.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 16, 2009
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Anonymous
Posted November 10, 2009
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Anonymous
Posted October 25, 2008
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Overview