User reviews

This miniseries came hot on the heels of 'The Jewel in the Crown', 'A Passage to India' and a fascination with all things Indian.

Ash (played by Ben Cross, best known for 'Chariots of Fire') and Wally (played by Benedict Taylor, who had featured in children's TV series 'Barriers') were the main players in this drama. Ash had been brought up to think of himself as Indian rather than officer class, and so falls in love with the sultry Anjuli (played by Amy Irving, at that time I think Mrs Steven Spielberg).

The other characters are stock faces from the glory days of the British Raj - while big name actors appear in the more adventurous parts (Christopher Lee, Omar Sharif, Rossano Brazzi). Look out for a young Rupert Everett (post-Another Country) in the cast as well.

Bits of the The Far Pavillions will stay in your mind. The futility of war. The ceremony of suttee (the burning of a living widow on her husband's funeral pyre). The forbidden love across castes and classes.

Recently revitalised as a big budget West End musical, The Far Pavillions is well worth your time. Brilliantly cast, scripted, and directed, it was a definite plus point of 1980s British TV.

I agree with the previous comment. When the miniseries aired, I was dating an Indian girl, and with her whole family we would watch every episode. I read the book years later, and was impressed at how accurately the miniseries followed the book. When it came out on video, it had been years since I saw the original, but I knew something was missing. I hope it is re-released in its entire length.

While it is hard to believe Amy Irving as an Indian princess, the acting is superb, the sets are magnificent and the camera work captures it all. This set a standard for TV-miniseries that has never been equaled.

Someday, a distributor will make the complete miniseries available for the consumer. Any release of about 300 minutes has about 2 or 3 episodes cut from the original. The opening scenes of the current releases showing flashes of Ash's youth are pieces of these episodes which have been dropped since they would be considered nothing more than superfluous exposition to most Western viewers. But in order to fully appreciate M.M Kaye's story, they are vital and should be restored. These lost episodes impress the viewer with the customs of India, the background of Ash and Anjuli, the treachery of Biju Ram, the love of Sita and the wisdom of Koda Dad. Without them you don't really fully appreciate why Ash and Juli are so close, why Ash is torn between two cultures, and his relationship with Gulkote. The exposure to life in an Indian royal court contained in the lost episodes adds so much to the experience. So until you see a release that has a running time of about 400-500 minutes, let the buyer beware -- you are not getting the complete original of the mini-series.

The Far Pavilions is a very long movie made for a mini series (I expect) and its length is the one major drawback to the film. The acting, especially of the principals and more particularly of Ben Cross, is quite fine all around. The cinematography is beautiful of the Indian countryside. This is one of the better mini series made.

I recommend it to you.

Set against the revolution for India's freedom from England , it deal with marvelous adventures , tragic love stories and British/Indian battles during the second Afghan war . An India adventure with all the usual ingredients , including glowing colour , wonderful settings , spectacular scenarios and distinctive photography . After his true identity is discovered at the age of 11, Ashton Pelham-Martyn is sent to England to complete is education. At the age of 5, his daddy was killed in the Mutiny and Ash was rescued and raised by his Indian nanny and an adoptive father (Omar Shariff) . He returns to India as a young man (Ben Cross) , he becomes an appropriately noble British officer in a Regiment stationed on the Northwest Frontier . He is assigned by his stiff-upper-lipped Commandant (Robert Hardy ) to a risked mission with his infantry : to custody two princesses (Amy Irving , Sneh Gupta) who have been promised in an arranged marriage to a tyrannical governor . As he is reunited with a infancy friend, Anjuli (Amy Irving) , nowadays a gorgeous young woman and he falls in love with her , then things go wrong . He is forced to accompany her and her sister to their wedding and although they are very much in love, they are forced to part company. When Anjuli's husband, the Rana of Bhitor (Rossano Brazzi) dies , there takes place a horrible fate . Along the way the brave protagonist faces off the violent attack on the British delegation in Kabul and other warring events .

HBO's first mini-series formed by three parts , set in 19th century British colonial India about a story of forbidden love in 1800s involving an ethnic romance between a British cavalry officer and an Indian princess, along with war battles , betrayal and emotion as well as intense drama and honor . Enjoyable adventure movie that brings me back to my childhood, when I loved to see the Oriental movies because of the magical happenings and wonders around abound . This adventure movie contains thrills , frantic action , exuberant outdoors , luxurious interiors and a complicated love story. The film is essentially a romance story and in the midst of fighting , treachery , impressive action and surprising outdoors . A delightful Naive Adventure , as the film is fairly entertaining and, as can be expected from a grade-A European production of the eighties , handsomely mounted but it mainly survives today on its high quotient of nostalgia . The Far Pavilions is a rousing , moving , stirring tale , above average , and adding action as well as thrills with a great sense of wonder , including attractive scenarios . It is an entertaining and brilliant mini-series, plenty of noisy action , thrills , glamorous cinematography with wonderful camera work , luxurious costumes , catching score ; all meld together under Peter Duffell's nice direction . Although the story has been told before , tight filmmaking and nice acting win out . This lavish production was budgeted at thirteen million dollars and it was considered to be one of the most expensive at the time . Belonging to a cycle of British productions set in India , shot early 1980s , many of them based on E.M. Forster novels , though this one is based on the romantic bestseller written by M.M. Kaye . Being a perfect combination of overwhelming landscapes and palace battles , fights and full of villainy , romance , and heroism . The picture is enjoyable , exciting and thrilling right up with climatic final when our hero has to rescue his lover when she is expected to join her deceased husband on his funeral pyre so it is left to Ash to save her . Lavish spectacle and good casting overcomes the somewhat sluggish storytelling that combines a number of familiar Oriental fares . In any case, this satisfactory viewing has brought back fond childhood memories of similar costume pictures and has certainly whetted my appetite for more . Main cast is franky excellent , such as : Ben Cross , Benedict Taylor and the beautiful Amy Irving who at the time married Steven Spielberg . They are well accompanied by a pretty good support cast , such as : the always great Christopher Lee , the Italian Rossano Brazzi who is miscast as despotic ruler Rana of Bhithor , Saeed Jaffrey , Sneh Gupta , Omar Sharif , John Gielgud , Robert Hardy , Mary Peach , Anthony Sharp , Felicity Dean , Peter Arne , John Forbes-Robertson , Art Malik and a young Rupert Everett .

This Technicolor adventure fantasy is well adorned by stunning cinematography by the prestigious Jack Cardiff . Shot on location in Samode Palace, Samode, Rajasthan, India and North Wales, Wales, UK . Striking and evocative musical score by Carl Davis . This British/India spectacle was glamorously directed by Peter Duffell . Although there are two versions : the complete version aired on television whose runtime is 315 min and another rendition about one hour and fifty minute cut of this mini-series was theatrically released as a movie . The good craftsman Peter Duffell directed various mini-series and several TV episodes from notorious series , such as : The Bill , Space precinct , Tales of the Unexpected , Inspector Morse , The Waterfall , The famous five , Journey to the Unknown , Man in a Suitcase , The adventures of Black Beauty , Strange report and The Avengers , among others . Rating : 7/10 . Better than average . Essential and fundamental watching . Well worth seeing .

This miniseries came hot on the heels of 'The Jewel in the Crown', 'A Passage to India' and a fascination with all things Indian.

Ash (played by Ben Cross, best known for 'Chariots of Fire') and Wally (played by Benedict Taylor, who had featured in children's TV series 'Barriers') were the main players in this drama. Ash had been brought up to think of himself as Indian rather than officer class, and so falls in love with the sultry Anjuli (played by Amy Irving, at that time I think Mrs Steven Spielberg).

it was not a bad plot and had some brilliant dialogs i would say good acting overall

This mini series was an unexpected eye candy one summer, for the lazy Sunday afternoons when we didn't expect something special to be broadcasted.

I was fascinated with the fairytale-like story and the wind of adventure blown into it. Amy Irving was (as always) likable but I found Ben Cross too stoic and a bit cold. Omar Sharif brought an air of nobleness to an otherwise cruel environment.

The most breathtaking scene was the suttee ceremony that haunted me for weeks after. Even though I know now that some women did it voluntary, it is the cruelest custom I ever heard...

I really love this movie. I, at variously times, read books which I think would make a great movie or mini-series. I was most pleased at the time to see they did make it into a mini series. The Actors (Ben Cross & Amy Irving) did a great job of portraying the main characters and even the lessor characters were portrayed well. The movie left out none of the appeal of the book. I strongly encourage anyone to read this book or see the mini series version of it. Please Read. Please See. *smiles* If you are a history buff, this will interest you as well; as it is set in the 1900's during the later day occupation of the English crown of India. A most romantic period in my eyes of that country.

I recall this star-studded epic being broadcast on TV during my childhood; in fact, it was one of a number of such efforts intended for the small screen that emanated at the time (others like it were THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN {1984}, THE SECRET OF THE SAHARA {1988} and THE MYSTERIES OF THE DARK JUNGLE {1991} - the last two were actually Italian productions and I was enough of age to catch them when new). Such exotic and intrinsically old-fashioned fare may have been borne from the Oscar triumph that was GANDHI (1982) but, needless to say, the various TV mini-series took a more romantic and action-oriented approach (especially since they were often derived from best-selling novels to begin with)!

Still, THE FAR PAVILIONS' five hour-plus running-time sensibly also encompasses numerous intrigues, plenty of local colour and even a smidgen of philosophy (particularly with respect to the conflicted protagonist, raised as an Indian only to discover that he is really English and, later, serving as a soldier - his knowledge of the country and its customs coming in handy for undercover missions - is entrusted with the protection of the woman of royal lineage he loves on her journey to be wed to a much older man from a neighbouring state). Being one of the most expensive made-for-TV projects up to that time, the production values were unsurprisingly top-notch: it was lensed (in evocative auburn hues) by the great Jack Cardiff and scored by the renowned Carl Davis, no less; among the more striking set-pieces, then, are the massacre at the Afghan fortress and the climactic funeral rite.

Casting is generally effective, with both veterans (notably Rossano Brazzi, John Gielgud, Christopher Lee and Omar Sharif) and newcomers (Ben Cross, Rupert Everett, Amy Irving, Benedict Taylor {lead of the recently-viewed 1982 TV adaptation of BEAU GESTE} and Art Malik) ably filling their roles and given their due amid the expansive, episodic proceedings. Finally, it is worth noting that this was eventually condensed (to a mere 110 minutes!) and renamed BLADE OF STEEL for theatrical consumption.

I watched this film as a kid and thought it was excellent. I was living in the Sub-Continent at the time, and thought it portrayed life there very well.

I'm still trying to get ahold of a copy of it to relive the experience once more.

I saw this one on television shortly after it was made, in the 80s, and I was happily surprised when it appeared on DVD. Like the book, the series doesn't have any deeply intellectual hidden layers (as far as I know), but it's a quality product in its kind and a great romantic story with some action too. The English are played by top English actors and the Subcontintent people by Indians or people who could more or less pass of for them, which is a nice change if you're used to seeing ancient Greeks or early Christians played by surf dudes. The odd one out seems to be blue-eyed Amy Irving as the Indian Princess Anjuli, but if you pay attention, you'll know she's supposed to be half-Russian in the series and she looks splendid in a saree anyway. Looking at British costume-dramas I often get the feeling that they enjoy making them even if it's only for the fun of walking up and down a muddy street in a silly 19th-century costume, and this movie has some of the same gusto. Throw in the breathtaking Rajastan scenery and you have a feast for the eyes.

The Far Pavillions is not a series cut down in size to get a movie, but a miniseries, period. Like India itself, it takes its time. Don't expect to sit through it in one evening but relax, settle down with a chai or a whisky and who knows, you might find yourself watching the end credits at 3 AM anyway.

This miniseries is set in the 19th century British colonial India.It tells about the battles of a young man named Ashton Pelham-Martyn and his forbidden love with the princess Anjuli.The Far Pavilions (1984) is directed by Peter Duffell.It's based on M.M. Kaye's novel from 1978.The actors are all good.Ben Cross does very good job as Ash.Amy Irving is terrific as Anjuli.Christopher Lee, who turns 90 this year, is great as Kaka-ji Rao.Omar Sharif is brilliant as Koda Dad.Benedict Taylor is excellent as Wally.Great job by John Gielgud, who plays Cavagnari.I just saw this miniseries on a DVD.It looks very good.The battle scenes are very well made.I liked the love story.And you learn a little bit of India's history while you're watching it.

I cannot tell you how many times I have watched this movie. I saw it when they first aired it on HBO and have also seen it on regular tv and on dvd. Its a very lovely story and the acting is great. Although the younger girl was spoiled rotten, just like in the book. I've read all about the making of this movie and I know for a fact that they had to get permission from the Indian government to actually film the Sutte scene as it is now forbidden in that country and has been for years now

M.M.Kaye's final novel is one of the greatest ever written about India, actually vying with masterpieces on the same scale like Tolstoy, Pasternak, Dickens and others, and the screening of it for television renders it full justice, although of course some adjustments had to be made together with some additions. Some who know India well would at first sight discard it as a postcard version of the novel, but it is not. All the characters are brought forth perhaps even more alive than in the novel, and the players have been chosen with perfect accuracy and sensitivity, especially of course Ben Cross and Amy Irving, but you find among the characters several old favourites, like Omar Sharif, Christopher Lee, Robert Hardy and other outstanding actors, making this TV series as prominent as Kipling's "Kim" of actually the same year, with Peter O'Toole as the lama. Also the music by Carl Davis is perfectly suited to this great romantic story, which actually is based on a true event: the great wedding march with hundreds of people through half of India did occur in reality, and that became the basis of M.M.Kaye's last and greatest novel and the central piece of the story. I was lucky enough to see it when it was new on television, but seeing it again after 35 years makes it even better, especially since I have been to India so many times since then, and if anything could make me long for a return, this film would be principal in inspiring and promoting the intention.

A few curious details: the mountains symbolizing "the far pavilions" that Ashok and Anjuli watch from their palace and constantly dream about are actually the Annapurna range (6 peaks) above Pokhara in Nepal. Ben Cross, who plays Ashton Pelhan-Martyn, passed away this year in August, only two months ago, at 72. He also made a fabulous lead as Barnabas in the TV series "Dark Shadows" 1991 among many other performances.

after years, basic virtue is flavor of this series. a mixture between love story and fascinated India, force of feelings and strong rules of a society, magnificent images and precise acting. it is an exercise to explore the nuances of impressions about India and it remains an inspired exercise. in same measure, it is a definition of East with the instruments of European vision. slices of magic, drama isles, a beautiful princess and a hansom knight, air of music and sacrifices. window to an universe, it is delicate and tender. romanticism is its key. and the heart of its shadow - flavor. a good option for a Sunday afternoon.

romanticism. and the change of history. exotic landscapes, traditions and rules. and beautiful cinematography. a love story touching not only for its ingredients but for status of reflection of clash between two different cultures and for the last period of British India. the right word for define this series could be delight. not exactly as entertainment but as support for reflection and inspired definition of a period of fundamental transformation. not only social.