Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe (1997)

This grand six-part adaptation of Sir Walter Scott's rousing adventure of the Middle Ages makes the most of its generous running time. In the course of five hours, director Stuart Orme tells the epic tale of the idealistic young knight Ivanhoe (Steven Waddington) and his battle against the evil Templar Bois-Guilbert (Ciarán Hinds, whose thoughtful performance gives his dark character a compelling dimension). Caught between the rivalries and religious struggles are Ivanhoe's betrothed Rowena (Victoria Smurfit) and the brave, beautiful Jewess healer Rebecca (Susan Lynch), who wins Ivanhoe's heart with her courage. Set against the historical backdrop of a Britain straining under the corrupt rule of Prince John while Richard the Lionhearted fights in the Crusades, director Stuart Orme makes up for a small budget (the crowd scenes are somewhat skimpy) with sweep, scale, and the lush green British countryside of verdant forests and rolling hills, where ancient castles still stand. While this production can't compete with the majesty of the gorgeous 1952 Hollywood production, Orme creates his own vision in which Merrye Olde England is grounded in earthy colors, creating a country of both sunny fields and dark, dangerous timberlands, open sunlit courts, and cramped candlelit inns. The uniformly superb cast etches vivid characters and the length allows the novel's rich array of subplots to play out (including appearances by Robin Hood and his men and the Black Knight) and slowly wind together for the exciting conclusion. --Sean Axmaker Amazon.com

Ivanhoe on DVD

Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe
This BBC production of Ivanhoe was made in 1997 but I had not come across it before. It is billed as a faithful adaptation of Sir Walter Scott's novel and, on the whole this is true of the main events in the book, but a number of details have been changed presumably because of the different requirements for television productions. As far as I can tell this version is overly fond of tidying up loose ends by killing off a number of characters who actually survive in the book. However, the most surprising interpolation is the appearance of Eleanor of Acquitaine("by the wrath of God, queen of England") in the closing scenes, determined to knock some sense into her erring sons, Richard and John. The scene actually works well and, like the novel, this version is full of pageantry and non stop action but differs from it in an almost complete lack of chivalry, instead, portraying the clash between Norman and Saxon as a fight to the death with no quarter given. Depth of characterization is not to be expected in a medieval romance and, with the possible exception of Rebecca, Scott's characters are one dimensional. The great merit of this production is the way in which the actors are able to clothe these stereotypes in flesh and blood. Susan Lynch is a wonderful Rebecca, taking full advantage of the way in which the story revolves around her rather than Ivanhoe or Rowena to provide a convincing portrayal of a medieval damsel persecuted for her religion. Prince John is an out and out villain but Ralph Brown manages to invest him with a rather sinister charm , and I was intrigued to find Isaac of York (David Horovitch) portrayed as a shrewd businessman rather than just a moneylender. This is a very colourful production with striking camera shots such as the first view of Front de Boeuf's castle or the hanged man on a background of desolate countryside, both symbolic of Norman cruelty. There have been other sceen adaptations od Ivanhoe but this is the best that I have watched and does justice to the spirit if not always to the letter of the original. September 2, 2008

Best script, best casting I have ever seen of Ivanhoe

This is my all time favorite production of Ivanhoe. In this version, you do not encounter stick figures masquerading as characters. Ivanhoe is carefully delineated as is Cedric, the swineherd and for once the fool was not Ivanhoe's Squire! the usual collective "bad guys" of Hollywood productions gives way to three distinct personalities, and one of them has it in for Ivanhoe. Hollywood deserves to have their nose rubbed in their productions of previous Ivanhoes, like a naughty puppy. You can even understand the whys and wherefores of their motivation. It looks remarkably like a cast that is performing "De Bracy of the Knights Templar", or "Fool from Ivanhoe", or "Rebbecca and Ivanhoe", so clearly are they not just spear carriers in yet another tedious version of Ivanhoe. Glorious! The star of this production is the script, which is the most faithful to Sir Walter Scott's novel I have yet seen. You can see it all on screen.

If you have to do a report on Ivanhoe, as yet another novel for English Lit, you could do far worse than watch this film. Read the book after the film, and write a great report. April 27, 2008

Great adaption

This is a wonderful adaption of Ivanhoe. One feels a part of the drama. After watching the Hollywood version with Robert Taylor and Liz Taylor, I was a bit skeptical of purchasing this one. Once again A&E produced a wonderful movie based on great literature and stays fairly true to the story. Definitely worth your time and money. January 4, 2008

disappointing

I had high hopes that this version would be true to the book, but I guess that is too much to ask in a movie. I have read and reread the novel, and this version strays in certain aspects. I was glad they included Gurth and Athelstane, but I did not appreciate their subplot of Ivanhoe trying to clear his name of treason, which is completely invention. The word that comes to mind for this version is "crude." I know that medieval life was probably very crude, but I do not appreciate seeing it on screen. Give me the idealized MGM version any day. October 11, 2007

Classic adventure

I have always loved Ivanhoe from the time I first saw Robert Taylor's Hollywood extravaganza. However, after reading the book as a youth, I was glad to see this mini-series expound the story with greater detail and accuracy. I would highly recommend this adaptation to all lovers and students of the classics September 13, 2007

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