Cranford (2007)

 Come to Cranford....
2008's "Cranford" is another outstanding Masterpiece Theater production, featuring a superb cast of actors in a small village in the Midlands of 1840 England. At the center of the story is a group of single females led by the aging spinster sisters Miss Deborah and Miss Mattie, their younger niece Mary Smith, and Miss Pole, who collectively are the source of much wisdom and much amusement.

Cranford manages to contain considerable human interest despite its small size, or perhaps because of it. Rumors run wild, normally well ahead of the well-intentions efforts of villagers to get things done. Several themes thread through the series. One theme is the controlling influence over village affairs exercised by the spinsters. A second is the assimilation of the young Doctor Harrison, who causes quite a stir by his unorthodox medical methods and by his good looks. A third is the disheartening news that the wealthy Lady Ludlow may allow the railroad to reach Cranford, bringing in the outside world and disrupting its insular ways.

A number of charming subplots enliven each episode, which pull no punches when it comes to matters of love and death. Prominent characters are not immune from disappointment, although there is hope from episode to episode that fate will be kind to most. Period costumes, customs and furnishings are spot-on. The direction keeps the story moving from family to family as the various themes are advanced.

"Cranford" is very highly recommended as excellent entertainment for fans of Elizabeth Gaskell's novels and of Masterpiece Theater. May 12, 2008

 Perfectly captures the eccentricities of a little hamlet in England
Cranford aka the Cranford Chronicles, based on Elizabeth Gaskell's story is a stellar production. It is a lush period drama and is very authentic in its portrayal of people living in a little hamlet called Cranford. The sets are beautiful as are the costumes, and of course the production is elevated to a level of excellence by its impeccable casting.

Writer Heidi Thomas does a wonderful job of adapting Elizabeth Gaskell's story [purportedly based on Gaskell's own hometown] and though liberties are taken, the stellar cast more than makes up for whatever deficiencies there may be in the faithfulness of the adaptation. Dame Eileen Atkins [Miss Deborah Jenkins] and Dame Judi Dench [Miss Matty Jenkins] portray two spinster sisters in 1842 who live in the little town of Cranford. Far from being a quiet little hamlet, this little town hums with activity and village gossips, especially a Miss Pole [Imelda Staunton]who flits around from one hearsay to another, avidly passing on any little nuggets of gossip to the other inhabitants.

Cranford is set aflutter by the arrival of a new doctor, Dr Harrison [Simon Woods] who is young, handsome, single and very much into trying new methods of treatment, to the initial consternation of the townspeople. Dr Harrison finds himself attracted to a beautiful local lass, Sophy [Kimberly Nixon] though he inadvertently attracts the romantic affections of other single women in Cranford.

But the story does not merely focus on romance, as there are other more serious themes underlying the series. For one, there is talk of a railroad being built that would go through Cranford, and disrupt the idyllic life in the village, giving rise to the inevitable battle between modernization and the desire for things to remain unchanged. The local rich lady, Lady Ludlow portrayed by Francesca Annis is very much opposed to change, and not only opposes the railroad but also any form of societal change, such as literacy amongst the lower classes [she refuses to hire a maid who is literate, saying the girl's parents did her a disservice by teaching her to read].

There is also the theme of lost love, death and grief. Miss Matty Jenkins[ Judi Dench] finds herself recounting the tale of her lost love [played by Michael Gambon]. This is what makes Cranford such an engaging viewing experience - the absurd [the story of the cat swallowing an anitque lace and how the lace is retrieved] is interlaced with tales of poignancy and everything unfolds leisurely. It is a tale that we wish will never end, and hope to revisit again and again. May 7, 2008

 Finally, a Series Worthy of the Term 'Masterpiece'!
I really was beginning to despair, watching the new seemingly paired-down-for-Yankee-taste version of the old Masterpiece Theatre. "Cranford," however, adapted from Elizabeth Gaskill's novel, has restored my faith.

By turns comic, poignant, tragic, and romantic, this series has everything that not only makes one feel awfully good but also keeps one wanting more. With its host of Dames and Baronets--e.g., Judy Dench, Eileen Atkins, Michael Gambon--the cast can hardly be termed 'peerless', but it is, nevertheless, faultless. Ensemble acting at its best!

"Cranford" is a scrumptious feast for the eyes, the mind, and the spirit. May 5, 2008

 Entertaining!
Finally, a period drama that's neither the same old story nor lost in translation.

I thought Cranford would be a subdued drawn out dramatization but I was pleasantly surprised to find it so engaging at every moment. The adaptation had managed to make every character useful and meaningful in a drama where everyone's a hero at the end of the day. And the actors - please don't make me choose between them. They were all plucked out of Cranford itself, I'm sure.

One theme stood out for me. The danger of conjecturing, the gossip it perpetuates and the lives they can destory. Even so, it was impossible to truly fault the culprits as Gaskell shows that a person should be judged as a whole and not by a single deed alone.

I won't dwell into the details as it is too colorful and summarizing would do it injustice but suffice it to say Cranford was very well written with much thought placed into the evolution of characters and the seamless integration of plots. It has everything a little old town can manage.

Do not hesitate. Watch it! April 9, 2008

 Delightful Cranford
"Cranford" is at once a delightful and winning BBC adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's literary works. While lacking the narrative focus of "Wives and Daughters" and "North and South," "Cranford" still comes out to top crest owing largely to a collection of likeable characters played by veteran and other well-known British actors, and also owing to a masterful interweaving of several storylines taken from Mrs. Gaskell's novel "Cranford," and her other smaller works (novellas,) such as "My Lady Ludlow" and "Mr. Harrison's Confessions." What could have been a trite exercise comes out fresh because of these qualities.

At the onset, the bucolic and fictional town of Cranford seems quiet and trapped in a former century. But nothing is ever quiet especially where gossiping ladies are concerned; and no "backward" town can forever stay asleep, not when a proposed railway which will connect it with other busier counties (such as Manchester) is about to disturb the peace and change town life forever. This is the foundation with which the storylines of "Cranford" are set, told in an era where change has been steadily making headways, and the social strata seem to be balancing out.

It should be noted, however, that while "Cranford" imparts to its viewers a sense of things on the verge of change, romance and social satire are still the order of the day. Making up the romantic aspect of "Cranford" are pairs of lovers who are kept apart either by mischief of fate, familial obligations, or class difference. Complementing these are subplots about a sister's longing for a long-lost brother, a mother's longing for an absent son, and silly feminine passions that explode to embarrassing proportions on two occasions. "Cranford" is also replete with satire, as evidenced by its comedy of manners. It spends an amount of its time poking fun at cackling and gossiping ladies. Ultimately, these gossips harm not only their victims, but also the perpetrators themselves, in more ways than one. Other themes of the period are the upper-class bigotry against the education of the lower-class, and also the clinging on to traditions that do no good in the end (as evidenced by Lady Ludlow's decision with regards to a part of her land.) Comparison is also made between the professional attitudes (and aptitudes) of the elder Dr. Morgan and the younger Dr. Harrison.

The descriptions I gave above may mislead you readers to think of "Cranford" as dismal and small. On the contrary, "Cranford" has a big heart, in the way its inhabitants show charity, neighborliness and compassion when called for. "Nothing like this is ever done in London," comments our young Dr. Harrison on the ladies' generosity. Even the prejudiced Lady Ludlow (played by Francesca Annis) takes a good turn when she spoke to the magistrate on behalf of a poacher who was also wrongly accused of assaulting someone in the night. Amidst all these, Dame Judi Dench plays the younger Jenkyn sister and she somewhat embodies Cranford, which is now on the brink of breaking out to the wave of social changes happening in other places. She had lived under the shadow of her loving but stern sister for most of her life, and we always sense in her some wild undercurrent ready to break out of the mold.

Dames Eileen and Judi, playing the two Jenkyn sisters who never married, are truly a joy to watch. It's so nice to see them in bonnets and in more congenial surroundings. See veteran performances in action (I wished that Dame Maggie Smith were also here, I so much adore her as I do Dames Eileen and Judi.) These two formidable actresses aside, who can beat this roster of veteran actors and other well-knowns who took part in the production: Sir Michael Gambon, Francesca Annis, Imelda Staunton, Lesley Manville, Julia McKenzie, Barbara Flynn, Deborah Findlay, Julia Sawalha, and others. The cast is top rate and so are the production values, which have always been the hallmark of the BBC television series enterprise. Fans of BBC's "Wives and Daughters" will not be disappointed with this one.

A point of interest: Hardcore literature buffs may not take kindly to the creative liberties that the filmmakers took with Mrs. Gaskell's works. In the Bonus Features Interview, they admit to changing the fates of certain characters: some died who were supposed to live, and some lived who were supposed to die. And yes, as with "Wives and Daughters" and "North and South," "Cranford" has its own lot of untimely and diseased deaths, in an era where modern medicine was just making early breakthroughs. One particular death scene near the end (where a leg needed to be amputated) might disturb younger viewers.

Speaking during the interview, producer Sue Birtwistle mentioned the possibility of a sequel should "Cranford" do very well. I'd be bold enough to speak in behalf of fans: We certainly hope that a follow-up comes soon. At five episodes, "Cranford" feels like a joyous ride that ended too soon. Fans certainly like to be "BBC-spoiled" now and then. If this were to come true, I hope to see more British veteran actors (particularly Dame Maggie) taking part in Mrs. Gaskell's insightful stories.

*Comes with English subtitles
March 20, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...