The Buccaneers (1995)

 Beautifully Done
I was amazed at how much I actually liked this movie. The costumes were spectacular, as were the scenes and acting. Very fun and hooks you in from the beginning. For the price, definately. May 1, 2008

 An absorbing melodrama
My review of 'The Buccaneers" is confined to the screen production as I've not read Edith Wharton's unfinished novel of the the same name. Some of Wharton's works have been successfully adapted for the big screen such as The Age of Innocence [with Daniel Day Lewis and Michelle Pfeiffer] and The House of Mirth [with Gillian Anderson]. In The Buccaneers, we follow the adventures of a group of nouveau riche aka "New Rich" American girls - sisters Annabelle/Nan[ Carla Gugino] and Virginia St James [Alison Elliott], Lizzy Elmsworth[Rya Kihlstedt], and Conchita Closson [Mira Sorvino]. Since their New Rich status bars them entry into the Old Rich high society of new York, they go off to England in search of well-connected husbands.

The girls attract the attention of men of the English nobility who in some instances, have only prestigious titles to their names and not much else. All the girls get married but with the exception of Lizzy who makes a stable and happy marriage, the others end up being miserable with their choice of husbands. Conchita [Mira Sorvino] marries Lord Richard, a weak-willed alcoholic, Virginia marries Richard's brother Lord Seadown [Mark Tandy] who marries her only for her money, for he has a long-standing affair with an older woman [Jenny Agutter], and free-spirited Nan [Carla Gugino] settles for the Duke of Trevenick, though her heart belongs to Guy Thwaite [Greg Wise aka Mr Willoughby of Sense & Sensibility].

"The Buccaneers" is at heart the story of Nan, and her fight for the right to be her own person despite a calamitous marriage, and the restrictions that her position as Duchess of Trevenick imposes upon her. Carla Gugino shines in her role, and her transformation from an idealistic teenager into a mature, young woman who learns to deal with the harsh realities of life is very credibly done. The other noteworthy performance is of Nan's governess, Ms Test Valley[Cheri Lunghi], who portrays a woman who has had to fend for herself by working as a governess since she was 17, and at the age of 40, finds herself bemoaning the fate of women during her time, the inability to live their own lives the way they deem fit, and to not have the choice of loving whom they please.


A brief note on the DVD - it seems that BBC Video has put The Buccaneers onto a single DVD with Side A containing 3 episodes, and Side B the remaining 2 episodes with an added feauturette about the production of the series. In all, the series itself runs to about 5 hrs.

In conclusion, this is a well-made period drama that will appeal to fans of the genre, and has lush landscapes, not to mention sumptuous costumes and of course, fine acting by an ensemble cast.
March 8, 2008

 Great fun!!!
Wow, was I pleasantly surprised at how this movie turned-out! Decent performers, but the great story completely won me in the end. Well worth the price. Buy it now! January 3, 2008

 Disappointing
Although it held my interest long enough to finish watching, I didn't care a whole lot for this movie. The characters make choices based on shallow reasons and then wonder why they are so unhappy. The characters frustrated me. I really wanted Julius and Nan to become a happy couple. How much more interesting the movie would have been if she had truly loved him and he had changed in response to that love. But no, Nan, in the writer's mind, had to be portrayed as a victim who was in love with someone else and Julius, therefore, had to be turned into a monster. In the end, the only couple who perhaps had some hope were the least appealing couple of all of them. My hopes for a rich and satisfying British drama were dashed! A final note--this is not a family movie. December 6, 2007

 The Bucaneers
I love "chick flicks", and I had heard from a friend that "The Bucaneers" is excellent, so I purchased it. This series is filmed with the high quality and attention to detail that is so typical of BBC productions. It is well casted, and the characters are interesting. The film gives a good understanding of the societal hierarchy of that era, and of the desparate social climbing that took place among newly rich Americans. After land laws were passed in Britian in the 18th century, a good portion of the aristocracy, whose fortunes were land based, became impoverished, although they still retained their titles along with their social status. During this period, there were more than a few American heiresses who married impoverished British aristocrats. These women traded their father's money, for the social status that had been denied them in the United States among "old money" society. Some of these marriages were good, happy unions, and others were not. A friend of mine borrowed "The Bucaneers", and she loved it also. This is a series that one can watch several times. November 4, 2007

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