User reviews

I do not understand the poor reviews. This is a good effort at interpreting a great novel. It has at least some elements in common with Brideshead. It is a satire - which some reviewers may have missed - and very 'en point'. Piltdown Man anyone? There are some first rate character actors at work and the locations are excellent. Richard Johnson is especially good. A lot of the acting involves close up of his melancholy face which he does very well indeed. Yes it is sad but then often so is life and that is what makes it so relevant. Well worth catching up with for those that may have missed it first time round.

Though I missed this when it was first shown (back in 1992) this was a fine production of a fine novel. Elizabeth Spriggs's performance was excellent as the sad, well-meaning Inge. The other characters were also portrayed with sharp insight. The wide ranging settings of this gripping story were projected in photography of distinction. It was a great pleasure to be reminded of Wilson's witty and engaging novel in this faithful representation after twenty years or so since I read it avidly. One of our greatest 20th century novelists, Willson's works deserve to be household names. Are there similar DVDs of Hemlock and After, The Old Men of the Zoo and others? Is this DVD available for purchase? I can't seem to find where.

I'm amazed to see people talking of this as if it's some great work of fiction. Nearly every single character is just a shallow stereotype; and usually the worst kind. Hysterical women, thieving Irish lout, and on and on.

The whole thing hangs on an historical fraud suspected by a man whose conscience pricks him in later life, but is mainly a multitude of people with hardly any redeeming qualities.

The only positive I can say is that it manages to be extremely funny it's so bad. Foreign accents included.

I didn't care about the story, such as there was one. It was like what you'd get if you trapped someone from childhood in a windowless room, with only Barbara Cartland novels and the Daily Mail from the early 20th century to read, and then they too started writing novels.