Parade's End [DVD]

Tom Stoppard`s adaptation of three of the four Ford Madox Ford novels – omissions and additions considered – is one of the finest TV historical dramas in recent years.The five-part series follows the relationship triangle involving central character Christopher Tietjens (Cumberbatch), his flighty socialite wife Sylvia (Hall) and the suffragette Valentine (Clemens) from just before and to the end of the Great War.Beautifully filmed and with good attention to period detail, this is an engaging, moving, at times darkly funny tale that is very satisfying and memorable.The set consists of 2 discs with a 47-minute behind the scenes documentary; English subtitles are available.Excellent series.

First off, the 2 DVD set is excellent and affords viewers the chance to revisit this beautifully made drama with the benefit of subtitles. The main attraction, at least for me, was the cast featuring the ever enjoyable Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead, ably supported by Rebecca Hall and, in rather smaller supporting roles, such greats as Rupert Everett , Miranda Richardson and Janet McTeer.The story is set against the backdrop of WWI and there is the usual plotline of trauma and shell shock, here impressively acted by Cumberbatch. What I particularly liked is the idea of a profligate wife with her various affairs and her decent husband desperately trying to do right by her. With the introduction of "the other woman" he becomes ever more conflicted and we suffer with him.Quality made for TV drama, highly recommended for anybody who enjoys slow romantic drama. Also a must for fans of Mr. Cumberbatch. He is truly excellent in this and fans will be happy to know that he has plenty of screen time.

This is sublime TV created from a set of sublime books. Ford Maddox Ford's set of books - there are four, but the author was dissatisfied with the final one, which although it draws all the characters together, is very different in tone and feel to the first three, so it is understandable Tom Stoppard only dramatised these - are considered the best ever books about Word War 1 in their study of the mental pressures and psychological damage of such a war.With their timeshifts and multiple points of view, these were never going to be the easiest books to dramatise, but Stoppard has done a remarkable job. You really care about the characters and their story over ten years; a story of both war and it's prelude and a love triangle between three fascinating characters - the painfully upright and honourable Christopher, his manipulative and vindictive wife Sylvia and the luminous young suffragette who falls in love with him. Christopher is a great and enigmatic yet fallible character (I've loved him for years) Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays him with depth and brilliant straight from the heart and core of his being, reckons this is the most interesting character he has ever played, and has even called his son Christopher.In truth this is a breathtakingly good adaptation with some remarkable performances. Rebecca Hall - beautiful, haughty, selfish and hyper intelligent - is Sylvia, Adelaide Cummins, an Australian actor, suffragette schoolmistress Miss Wannop. In support there are actors of the calibre of Roger Allam - as the stuffy colonel who is Chrissie's godfather with some wonderfully Blimpish lines - Janet McTeer, Stephen Graham, Anne Marie Duff, Rufus Sewell, Robert Stevenson, Rupert Everett, Alan Howard and more. Great cinematography and editing, excellent direction, a touching sense of place and dignity, this is a TV series that will linger long in the mind from books that can tear the heart. Yet at the heart of it all is the most touching and eloquent internal performance from Cumberbatch. Whether soothing his sleepless child, fighting in the trenches, dealing with tragedy, coping with malignity or stupidity and always turning the other cheek and doing the honourable thing, this is quite simply acting of the highest calibre. And when he simply turns his face into the neck of his horse it would be a heartless viewer who does not want to cry with him.Television heaven to enhance your life.

I’ve never read the books by Ford Madox Ford on which ‘Parade’s End’ is based but the series itself I’ve watched several times since it’s first broadcast and I always enjoy it.In the years before the First World War, three people (upper class statistician Christopher Teitjens, his socialite wife Sylvia and young suffragette Valentine) are drawn into a (kind of) love triangle, whose tumult’s play out across the years alongside a society and world being profoundly turned inside out and upside down by the conflict.Finely acted, shot and designed, its one of those layered period dramas where you can look into it and draw as much or as little out of it as you want, by focusing on the character relationships, or paying attention to the political and social shifts taking place alongside it. It’s really up to the viewer.On the extras front there’s a 50 (or so) minute behind the scenes/making of style documentary, which is interesting enough in a one time watch way.

This is a story of a man (Christopher Tietjens) with such a strong sense of his values that he follows them even to the detriment of his own happiness. In his relationships; his conduct in war; and the way he deals with friends and money, he does not compromise on his sense of doing the right thing. The novel shows how doing the right thing takes great commitment. In a fairly unique and subtle way, through observations of and interactions with other characters, he becomes someone worthy of admiration and someone to be respected.Christopher Tietjens' portrayal by Benedict Cumberbatch is excellent and he manages to give a real sense of the strength of character, making him stoical and controlled while at the same time a likeable figure of strength and dignity.I was also impressed by Rebecca Hall's portrayal of Sylivia. Her performance gives a good balance of someone who who is cruel without making her a figure of complete hate. Her cruelty is portrayed almost like she is a victim of her own playfulness that has crossed the line too many times.The performances of the actors are all of a high standard and Ford Maddox Ford has made the characters interesting and compelling.An excellent series.