Vanity Fair

I loved the book and the last version on TV, so having disliked Victoria and given it up! far too much glamour, and not very historically accurate, I'm not that keen to risk Vanity Fair, unless I am assured that it's 'good'!!!

I hated Versailles and again, gave up after the second episode!!

Gave up on Versailles, watch Victoria for entertainment not factual history, not that sure about vanity fair, will try again this evening.

Trouble with inaccurate history is that people think that this is how it was, when it wasn't. Why on a earth not just stick to the truth?!!

Episode 2 was better I thought. I'm enjoying Martin Clunes' performance! What a change from Doc Martin.

Jane - yes, Clunes and de la Tour, both really lifted the whole production for me. I'll forget the book and just enjoy it!

having watched the first episode, hmmm, well quite a different take on the book, but still enjoyable.Becky is more
a spoilt teenager than anything else so far but I think the amusing side of things may have been shown early on, to contrast with the seriousness of what occurs later [maybe.]

I must admit, I'm enjoying the surreal take on it, with Michael Palin as Thackeray, the fairground and Material Girl playing. Martin Clunes's Pitt Crawley manages to be amusing and mildly likeable whereas he wasn't in the book. Dobbin is a sweetie of course and George a complete cad. All good so far. I'm looking forward to the third episode.

I'm loving it as well. Frances de la Tour is magnificent.

I’ve never got to grips with Vanity Fair, before and found Becky Sharpe very unlikeable previously, but I can understand her a bit more in this production.
It was a hard world for girls like Becky Sharpe in those days so now I can see her more as an ambitious woman - if a bit ruthless!
It’s quite a comedy so far.
I’m enjoying the modern pop music.

I think if you are brought up on Jane Austen, Vanity Fair is a bit hard to grasp. Thackeray wrote it almost as a satire on modern life (19thC life that is) hence the moment at the beginning of this with Michael Palin as Thackeray. Its not a romance - its about the futility of certain ambitions and what drove life back then. I loved the line in the first episode when Becky asks what does Josh 'collect'.....he is a tax collector sucking the financial life out of India at the cost of the local peoples!
In many ways its themes are easily transferred to our times, social climbing, blind ambition and greed. It makes Becky even more remarkable but contemporary audiences would have really frowned on her!

I'm enjoying it. I thibk it's refreshing to hae a feisty girl like Becky as heroine -such a change from Dickens' weedy goody goody girls. She is obviously the boss and tge brains in her marriage to Rorden (sp?) Crawley. I agree that Frances de la Tour and Martin Clunes lift it and so far ithas been a rather light and frothy comedy. I read it (and enjoyed it) years ago but can't remember the ending so no spoilers please.
What I do object to is the anachronisms as when Rorden (how is that spelt?) Tells his aunt tgat Becky 'is a great girl' and the inappropriate modern pop music at the end. I quite like the beginning with Michael Palin as Thackeray showing the point of the whole thing as a satire.

I think Thackeray would enjoy this version of his book.

It's spelt Rawdon not Rorden! Just checked. Sorry about all the typos in my last post. It comes of writing it on my phone and not proof reading properly.

Even though it is nothing,like the book, fat roo clean and too light, I am enjoying it. I think that they have ramped up the comedy to attract a bigger audience. There is a lot of sadness in the book that the produces will, most likely avoid.

I think the start and end music is a nice touch pollyperkins.
The lyrics are pertinent to the story and show that some things never change.

Frances de la Tour steals the show really and Martin Clunes is far to clean, in the earlier BBC version Sir Pitt was revolting. I am enjoying it but like others recording to cut out the adverts.The manservant has appeared in other productions but usually as a first class snob.I don't think it should be viewed as a kind of Jane Austen it isn't .

I would have married Martin Clunes [Sir Pitt] and in reality, so would Becky given her circumstances.
Still, it's fiction after all.

I am enjoying it but a little confused. Who is the women with the long face and sour expression who is banished by Frances de la Tour from her house for something she said? I know we have seen her before but can't recall who she is. Oh how I wish I was watching it with my daughter because she would know!

She's Martin Clunes' daughter in law. Married to his heir. Hence generally suckling up to Frances de la Tour the wealthy aunt.

Sucking! Dratted predictive text!

lemongrove....you would not have been so keen to marry Martin Clune's character if you had seen the portrayal of him in the Reece Witherspoon (Bob Hoskins being quite revolting) film or the BBC production with Natasha Little. In that series the character was so revolting, played by the wonderful character actor who plays the caretaker in the Harry Potter films.

Thank you Jane!!............

I’m enjoying it so far and it’s well cast. But I agree Sir Pitt is far too clean.

I also enjoyed Versailles too - despite all the nudity and sex, which was rather overdone and verging on soft porn at times. Whatever happened to fading out to crashing waves.

I loved the book and have now ordered it on Audible. It is narrated by John Castle who a very melodious voice. He really manages to capture the humour and the cynicism.