2013 Period Drama Challenge

I decided to join the Period Drama Challenge.  Since I do love period drama productions this will be a lot of fun for me.  If you love period drama's too then think about joining the fun over at Old-Fashioned Charm's blog.

The Wingless Bird

On Saturday I streamed for the second time The Wingless Bird.  The first time I watched it it seemed longer.  This time around the storyline seemed rushed.  The Wingless Bird is a good movie.  It is based on the book of the same name by Catherine Cookson.  The storyline begins in 1913 just before the outbreak of world war two.   The location is England.

The heroine is Agnes Conway who is the daughter of a man who owns a guest house, confectioners shop and smoke shop.  Agnes, like all of Catherine Cookson's heroines is a very strong woman.  Agnes (Aggie) is twenty two and a little bored with life.  Until she can figure out what to do with her life she helps her father run the confectioners shop.    

 

On Christmas eve 1913, Charles Farrier walks into the confectioner's shop for the first time with his sister Elaine.  While waiting to be served Charles observes Aggie and is attracted to her.  Charles returns to the shop at a later date to see Aggie but pretends that he came to purchase cigars from the smoke shop.

Aggie's parents are in a loveless marriage.  They sleep in separate bedrooms because Aggie's mother will not allow her husband to touch her.  There is a secret within the marriage that comes out as the storyline progress.  

One night Aggie overhears what the secret is about her father and the next morning the atmosphere is strained during breakfast.  

Aggie's sister Jessie gets romantically involved with a young man named Robbie Felton who is from the "other side of the tracks" and not considered worthy by their father.

Jessie is not careful and she becomes pregnant by Robbie.  Robbie is a good decent man though and so is his family.  Robert loves Jessie and wants to marry her as soon as possible.  

Jessie confides in Aggie about her pregnancy.  Their parents find out and all heck breaks loose.  Their father will not allow Jessie to marry Robbie.

Charles Farrier is madly in love with Aggie.  Aggie admits that she loves Charles but her mind is preoccupied with Jessie's predicament.  Charles explains to Aggie how she can help her sister get away and marry Robbie.

Charles wants Aggie to meet his brother Reginald (Reggie) and here is where the storyline gets even more interesting.  

The threesome have tea together and Reggie is delighted by Aggie.  He recognizes that Aggie is very intelligent and that there is no pretense about her.  Aggie is down to earth and also well mannered.
 

Reggie and Charles are sons of wealthy landowners.  Their parents are still mentally living in the 19th century and class difference is very important to them.  Both men know that their parents will see Aggie as merely a shop girl and beneath them for a daughter-in-law.  Reggie is supportive of Charles wanting to marry Aggie.  Reggie even understands why Charles is so smitten with Aggie and doesn't blame him one bit.  Charles asks Reggie to help him convince Aggie to go ahead with their plans to marry, which he does.

World war two breaks out and Reginald is on the warfront which changes him.  Charles does not enlist, but instead is a writer and insists on living his life the way he chooses. 
 

Reggie returns from the war a wingless bird and even more passionate.   

  Reggie near the end with Aggie.  The ending was so sweet and touching.  I cried and kept replaying the ending over and over.  The end really pulls at your heartstrings.

He Knew He Was Right

 Louis and Emily Trevelyan played expertly by Oliver Dimsdale and Laura Fraser

 One of the most interesting movies that I have seen this year so far is a period English drama titled He Knew He Was Right.  The movie is based on the novel of the same name written by Anthony Trollope in 1869.  

He Knew He Was Right is a BBC production that was done in four episodes for television in 2004.  I have unlimited streaming on Netflix so one Saturday afternoon I decided to watch it.  This movie drew me completely in right from the start.  I would even say that it fascinated me as the main story and sub plots unfolded. 

Louis Trevelyan is a young and wealthy Englishman.  Louis travels to the fictional Mandarin island near Britain where he meets and falls deeply in love with Emily Rowley, the eldest daughter of the governor, Sir Marmaduke Rowley.  Louis marries Emily and brings her to London to live.  The marriage starts out as an extremely happy one.  Emily is as much in love with her husband as Louis is with her.  They eventually have a son together and all remains well in the Trevelyan household.

    Emily Trevelyan with her godfather Colonel Osborne

 The problem starts when Emily's godfather Colonel Osborne starts visiting her.  The fact that he is coming to see his goddaughter is not so much the problem.  The problem is that he is visiting Emily way too much.  He is always at the Trevelyan house and in Victorian England, that is not appropriate.  Colonel Osborne does not ask to see Emily and her husbands; he only wants to visit Emily.  People start to talk.  Louis requests that Colonel Osborne not visit her so often, but Emily being strong willed stubbornly refuses to stop Colonel Osborne from visiting her on principle.  Emily really does love her husband and would never cheat on him, so she believes that her husband should not care what others think or feel threatened by Colonel Osborne.  This, to me, is Emily's first and biggest mistake.  Her total disregard fr how her husband felt and allowing Colonel Osborne to visit her so often makes her complicit in Louis's deterioration.  

     Colonel Osborne played by Bill Nighy.

Louis Trevelyan becomes jealous of Colonel Osborne and he starts getting into arguments with Emily over Colonel Osborne's too frequent visits.  Colonel Osborne having found out that Louis is now very jealous is extremely flattered by it.  To know that young Louis Trevelyan sees him, Colonel Osbornes as a threat and rival for the affections of Emily puts his ego into huge overdrive.  Colonel Osborne does nothing to ease Louis's mind and even deliberately antagonizes the situation.  A huge rip is torn into the fabric of Louis and Emily's marriage and they eventually separate.  Louis is still madly in love with his wife though and his mental unraveling is quite sad and even scary.  

            Emily's sister Nora Rowley.  Nora attracts two suitors.

 Clergyman Gibson with sisters Arabella and Camilla French.  Arabella is very mild mannered and Camilla is domineering.  The sister are competing to become the clergyman's wife.

 Jemima Stanbury is a very manipulative spinster.

Jemima Stanbury with her niece Dorothy

Besides the ,main plot of this movie, there are several other sub plots that will keep you glued to this 4 part miniseries.  The period costumes are fabulous and the actors give superb performances.

  Emily Trevelyan

I enjoyed the style of filming.  At certain parts one of the main actors would turn and look straight into the camera speaking their lines as if he or she was speaking directly to you about their situation.

  

If you ever get a chance to watch this miniseries l would love to know your thoughts about it.