Cranford Reviews

• Cranford

  
  By A1QFM9CFEUXZK5 on 2008-03-14
  I ordered this from Amazon UK to be able to view this prior to its release date. I was not disappointed! Sadly, I had to watch it by myself because my husband didn't think he'd like it. He would have been wrong, by the way. It was exquisite in every way.
  
  I watched it over 2 nights. It's a 5 hour miniseries and it is broken up into five 1 hour-long episodes.
  
  The first 3 hours were very very good. Excellent, even. But the last 2 hours were absolutely perfect.
  
  In Cranford, we meet many of its residents with most of the focus on 2 spinster sisters and their surrounding friends and relatives. Everyone is kind here and look out for their neighbors and generally want to live correctly and do the right thing. Their village has been like this for ages and the citizens have all known eachother since birth. It is an idyllic place and a happy place. They welcome new residents, too, with every bit of friendliness.
  
  Cranford has existed in the same way for years, even though times are changing. A railroad may come through the town and most residents are against this type of change. For with the positive changes-- such as information, goods, and knowledge, there would also be negative changes-- more transients, less safety, etc.
  
  The intertwined story lines here involve the two sisters, class distinctions, entitlements and expectations, a very funny love triangle, and accepting change and modernity.
  
  One of the best stories involves the young son of a poacher (one who kills animals on others' land). The manager of the aristocrat's large estate takes the young boy under his wing and wants to teach him to read and write. The aristocratic Lady finds out and believes that those of this underclass should not attempt to learn skills outside their "class". Maybe worse, the boy's father finds out of the boy's desire to read and also disapproves. We find out later that the Lady isn't cold-hearted. On the contrary. She's kind-hearted and full of pain, yet it's difficult for her to recognize the times are changing and that some of her ways must change, too.
  
  When a new handsome doctor moves to town, he immediately falls for Sophy. Sophy returns his admiration, yet so do 2 others who misunderstand his general kindness for more romantic intentions. This culminates in expected confusion, but the outcome is happy at the end.
  
  Those watching Cranford from the beginning may take it to be an old-fashioned chick-flick. It's really not, though. It does focus on the women of Cranford more than the men, but the stories depicted cross gender lines. Change-- industrialization-- is the antagonist here, along with fear of change. However, as new medical practices save several lives, and a member of the trade class saves a member of the Upper class, it's also obvious that change, by itself, isn't bad. It can be positive for everyone involved.
  
  This is a fantastic series. The only disappointment was that it was only five hours! I definitely could have watched another few episodes with the same interest these five held. Beautifully acted, filmed, and scored. The entire film was thoroughly enjoyable.
  
  
  

• What The Cat Does with the Antique Lace!!!

  
  By A2NT2U1TUGLH51 on 2008-02-25
  What a wonderful, rich and cozy experience, but you'll have to wait and see what the cat does with the lace. It's the funniest bit I have seen in a BBC film yet! While this film has not been shown on American TV as yet I was lucky enough to stumble across the entire film on youtube where it was shown in 9 minute segments. Its a quiet film with rich and wonderful characters long remembered. I was afraid that Judi Dench would overpower her role but nothing like it. She was perfect in her poignantly sad but joyfully rising role. It's about the town Cranford, that is fearful of changes being brought by the arrival of the railway. No one of course wants the charm of Old English ways to change and one gets very attached to the warm and sad and silly and funny characters in Cranford. Cranford really is a place one wishes to live and to never leave nor have change. I loved it, anglophile that I am, so this is a creation made just for me and I can't wait to own it when it is released. Another beautiful English costume romance by the people who really know how to do it well!! BRAVO!!!
  
  

• Best Miniseries Since Upstairs Downstairs

  
  By A214CH9J48HOSY on 2008-02-28
  With Judi Dench and Eileen Atkins leading a superlative cast and a wonderfully witty script this show cannot miss. I nearly cried when the
  five hours were over. But it is not just Dench and Atkins that make this
  so wonderful. They are ably abetted by Francesca Annis, Julia MacKenzie
  and Imelda Staunton. In fact every actor in the piece contributes to make
  this the most watchable show in years. I hope at next year's Emmy Awards
  this wins several.
  
  

• Delightful Cranford

  
  By AI0KXH1O95X0H on 2008-03-20
  "Cranford" is at once a delightful and winning BBC adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's literary works. While lacking the narrative focus of "Wives and Daughters" and "North and South," "Cranford" still comes out to top crest owing largely to a collection of likeable characters played by veteran and other well-known British actors, and also owing to a masterful interweaving of several storylines taken from Mrs. Gaskell's novel "Cranford," and her other smaller works (novellas,) such as "My Lady Ludlow" and "Mr. Harrison's Confessions." What could have been a trite exercise comes out fresh because of these qualities.
  
  At the onset, the bucolic and fictional town of Cranford seems quiet and trapped in a former century. But nothing is ever quiet especially where gossiping ladies are concerned; and no "backward" town can forever stay asleep, not when a proposed railway which will connect it with other busier counties (such as Manchester) is about to disturb the peace and change town life forever. This is the foundation with which the storylines of "Cranford" are set, told in an era where change has been steadily making headways, and the social strata seem to be balancing out.
  
  It should be noted, however, that while "Cranford" imparts to its viewers a sense of things on the verge of change, romance and social satire are still the order of the day. Making up the romantic aspect of "Cranford" are pairs of lovers who are kept apart either by mischief of fate, familial obligations, or class difference. Complementing these are subplots about a sister's longing for a long-lost brother, a mother's longing for an absent son, and silly feminine passions that explode to embarrassing proportions on two occasions. "Cranford" is also replete with satire, as evidenced by its comedy of manners. It spends an amount of its time poking fun at cackling and gossiping ladies. Ultimately, these gossips harm not only their victims, but also the perpetrators themselves, in more ways than one. Other themes of the period are the upper-class bigotry against the education of the lower-class, and also the clinging on to traditions that do no good in the end (as evidenced by Lady Ludlow's decision with regards to a part of her land.) Comparison is also made between the professional attitudes (and aptitudes) of the elder Dr. Morgan and the younger Dr. Harrison.
  
  The descriptions I gave above may mislead you readers to think of "Cranford" as dismal and small. On the contrary, "Cranford" has a big heart, in the way its inhabitants show charity, neighborliness and compassion when called for. "Nothing like this is ever done in London," comments our young Dr. Harrison on the ladies' generosity. Even the prejudiced Lady Ludlow (played by Francesca Annis) takes a good turn when she spoke to the magistrate on behalf of a poacher who was also wrongly accused of assaulting someone in the night. Amidst all these, Dame Judi Dench plays the younger Jenkyn sister and she somewhat embodies Cranford, which is now on the brink of breaking out to the wave of social changes happening in other places. She had lived under the shadow of her loving but stern sister for most of her life, and we always sense in her some wild undercurrent ready to break out of the mold.
  
  Dames Eileen and Judi, playing the two Jenkyn sisters who never married, are truly a joy to watch. It's so nice to see them in bonnets and in more congenial surroundings. See veteran performances in action (I wished that Dame Maggie Smith were also here, I so much adore her as I do Dames Eileen and Judi.) These two formidable actresses aside, who can beat this roster of veteran actors and other well-knowns who took part in the production: Sir Michael Gambon, Francesca Annis, Imelda Staunton, Lesley Manville, Julia McKenzie, Barbara Flynn, Deborah Findlay, Julia Sawalha, and others. The cast is top rate and so are the production values, which have always been the hallmark of the BBC television series enterprise. Fans of BBC's "Wives and Daughters" will not be disappointed with this one.
  
  A point of interest: Hardcore literature buffs may not take kindly to the creative liberties that the filmmakers took with Mrs. Gaskell's works. In the Bonus Features Interview, they admit to changing the fates of certain characters: some died who were supposed to live, and some lived who were supposed to die. And yes, as with "Wives and Daughters" and "North and South," "Cranford" has its own lot of untimely and diseased deaths, in an era where modern medicine was just making early breakthroughs. One particular death scene near the end (where a leg needed to be amputated) might disturb younger viewers.
  
  Speaking during the interview, producer Sue Birtwistle mentioned the possibility of a sequel should "Cranford" do very well. I'd be bold enough to speak in behalf of fans: We certainly hope that a follow-up comes soon. At five episodes, "Cranford" feels like a joyous ride that ended too soon. Fans certainly like to be "BBC-spoiled" now and then. If this were to come true, I hope to see more British veteran actors (particularly Dame Maggie) taking part in Mrs. Gaskell's insightful stories.
  
  *Comes with English subtitles
  
  
  

• Finally, a Series Worthy of the Term 'Masterpiece'!

  
  By A2BDZAU0Y4J6NB on 2008-05-05
  I really was beginning to despair, watching the new seemingly paired-down-for-Yankee-taste version of the old Masterpiece Theatre. "Cranford," however, adapted from Elizabeth Gaskill's novel, has restored my faith.
  
  By turns comic, poignant, tragic, and romantic, this series has everything that not only makes one feel awfully good but also keeps one wanting more. With its host of Dames and Baronets--e.g., Judy Dench, Eileen Atkins, Michael Gambon--the cast can hardly be termed 'peerless', but it is, nevertheless, faultless. Ensemble acting at its best!
  
  "Cranford" is a scrumptious feast for the eyes, the mind, and the spirit.
  
  
• Perfectly captures the eccentricities of a little hamlet in England
  By A1POFVVXUZR3IQ on 2008-05-07
  Cranford aka the Cranford Chronicles, based on Elizabeth Gaskell's story is a stellar production. It is a lush period drama and is very authentic in its portrayal of people living in a little hamlet called Cranford. The sets are beautiful as are the costumes, and of course the production is elevated to a level of excellence by its impeccable casting.
  
  Writer Heidi Thomas does a wonderful job of adapting Elizabeth Gaskell's story [purportedly based on Gaskell's own hometown] and though liberties are taken, the stellar cast more than makes up for whatever deficiencies there may be in the faithfulness of the adaptation. Dame Eileen Atkins [Miss Deborah Jenkins] and Dame Judi Dench [Miss Matty Jenkins] portray two spinster sisters in 1842 who live in the little town of Cranford. Far from being a quiet little hamlet, this little town hums with activity and village gossips, especially a Miss Pole [Imelda Staunton]who flits around from one hearsay to another, avidly passing on any little nuggets of gossip to the other inhabitants.
  
  Cranford is set aflutter by the arrival of a new doctor, Dr Harrison [Simon Woods] who is young, handsome, single and very much into trying new methods of treatment, to the initial consternation of the townspeople. Dr Harrison finds himself attracted to a beautiful local lass, Sophy [Kimberly Nixon] though he inadvertently attracts the romantic affections of other single women in Cranford.
  
  But the story does not merely focus on romance, as there are other more serious themes underlying the series. For one, there is talk of a railroad being built that would go through Cranford, and disrupt the idyllic life in the village, giving rise to the inevitable battle between modernization and the desire for things to remain unchanged. The local rich lady, Lady Ludlow portrayed by Francesca Annis is very much opposed to change, and not only opposes the railroad but also any form of societal change, such as literacy amongst the lower classes [she refuses to hire a maid who is literate, saying the girl's parents did her a disservice by teaching her to read].
  
  There is also the theme of lost love, death and grief. Miss Matty Jenkins[ Judi Dench] finds herself recounting the tale of her lost love [played by Michael Gambon]. This is what makes Cranford such an engaging viewing experience - the absurd [the story of the cat swallowing an anitque lace and how the lace is retrieved] is interlaced with tales of poignancy and everything unfolds leisurely. It is a tale that we wish will never end, and hope to revisit again and again.
  
  
• Not like the novel
  By A18MW6RMU33B5N on 2008-05-19
  The novel "Cranford"by Mrs. Gaskell is my favorite novel of all time. I was so excited to learn they were filming a mini-series. However, I was so disappointed because it is nothing like the book. It certainly is "based"on the novel, in that some of the same characters in the book appear in the movie, but most of the plot was made up, including most of the main characters. The book was so funny. If you liked the movie, you should try the book, but be warned, it is completely different!
  
  
• Moving to Cranford!
  By A2UOAZVG9UA0EL on 2008-05-19
  U.S. television programming is at an all time low of mindless, degrading
  stupidity, violence and sexuality. Most times it is hardly worth turning
  on. Thank God for BBC. Cranford is a little masterpiece of charm, wit
  and warmth. The soap opera of the 1800's. Two secrets to British movies
  and television---characters always look like real people. They are engaging to watch because they look so interesting and different. The
  U.S. market continually hires the same look of a thirty year old, beautiful mannequin or an elderly woman who has had plastic surgery to
  look like a thirty year old. Everyone is so homogenized in the L.A. look
  that it is akin to watching science fiction. Add gratuitous sex and a
  poorly written plot and you have our "made for TV" movies and most sitcoms. Brit actors are a rich tapestry of the human face and it pays off. Secondly, Cranford is filmed and costumed in a sort of "sepia" tone
  which fits the time and place. The gray, green, brown of most--the interior dingy atmosphere is true to homes of the period. Contrast is
  scarce (the wealthy, the color of imported silks, a May Day celebration) but
  very effective. I will watch this series over and over and visit my new
  friends in Cranford. I have read in British newspapers online that the
  actors have all signed on to do a Christmas (in Cranford) special to
  reprise the characters so we have something to look forward to.
  
  
• Come to Cranford....
  By A2TXR85WQLE32N on 2008-05-12
  2008's "Cranford" is an outstanding Masterpiece Theater presentation, featuring a superb cast of actors set in a small village in the Midlands of 1840 England. At the center of the story is a group of single females led by the aging spinster sisters Miss Deborah and Miss Mattie, their younger niece Mary Smith, and Miss Pole, who collectively contribute both wisdom and humor to the story.
  
  Cranford manages to contain considerable human interest despite its small size, or perhaps because of it. Rumors run wild, normally well ahead of the well-intentions efforts of villagers to get things done. Several themes thread through the series. One theme is the influence over village affairs exercised by the spinsters. A second is the assimilation of the young Doctor Harrison, who causes quite a stir by his unorthodox medical methods and by his good looks. A third is the pending disruption to the insular ways of Cranford by the advent of a railroad across the lands of the wealthy Lady Ludlow.
  
  A number of charming subplots enliven each episode, which pull no punches when it comes to matters of love and death. Small romances thrive or fail. A estate steward teaches a gypsy boy how to read. The village enjoys an annual party on the estate of Lady Ludlow. A bank failure threatens a woman with sudden destitution. A couple in love are kept apart by her family obligations. Valentine's Day becomes a source of confusion as mysterious cards arrive at varous homes in the village. Even prominent characters are not immune from disappointment, although there is hope from episode to episode that fate will be kind to most. Period costumes, customs and furnishings are spot-on. The direction keeps the story moving from family to family as the various themes are advanced. The final episode is absolutely thrilling, as a variety of plot threads are finally tied up and surprising heroes save the day.
  
  "Cranford" is very highly recommended as excellent entertainment to fans of Elizabeth Gaskell's novels and of Masterpiece Theater.
  
  
• Entertaining!
  By A37OD8MU1GNG5D on 2008-04-09
  Finally, a period drama that's neither the same old story nor lost in translation.
  
  I thought Cranford would be a subdued drawn out dramatization but I was pleasantly surprised to find it so engaging at every moment. The adaptation had managed to make every character useful and meaningful in a drama where everyone's a hero at the end of the day. And the actors - please don't make me choose between them. They were all plucked out of Cranford itself, I'm sure.
  
  One theme stood out for me. The danger of conjecturing, the gossip it perpetuates and the lives they can destory. Even so, it was impossible to truly fault the culprits as Gaskell shows that a person should be judged as a whole and not by a single deed alone.
  
  I won't dwell into the details as it is too colorful and summarizing would do it injustice but suffice it to say Cranford was very well written with much thought placed into the evolution of characters and the seamless integration of plots. It has everything a little old town can manage.
  
  Do not hesitate. Watch it!
  
  
• Heartwarming? Yes. But clever, too, with outstanding performances and a fine screenplay
  By A2GCHG6U8HTVIT on 2008-05-27
  The opportunity to watch so many of Britain's great female actors working together in parts that allow them to demonstrate just how good they are is one of the two immensely satisfying aspects of Cranford, the five-part, 291-minute drama imported from Britain by way of Masterpiece Theater. The other is the story itself -- a kind of Austen-like tale of good manners, gossip, punctilious courtesies and extraordinarily detailed production values. Cranford may be a genteel and gentle soap opera, but it glows with warmth, humor and the occasional dramatic crisis.
  
  Cranford is a small English village, tidy and well kept. The time is the early 1840's. The village hasn't changed much over the years. The established ladies of the village plan to keep it that way. For the next 12 months of Cranford we'll see a new, young doctor come to town, the affects of a train line being built closer and closer to the village, romance and marriages, typhoid, death and poverty. We'll see why some think the lower classes should not be taught to read or write, how it really hurts to have your leg amputated, how a woman of a certain age who is not married may well expect to live a lonely life. We'll also see friendships, misunderstandings, the love for a cow and the deep comfort of accepted ways. Keep in mind that the story isn't simply a bucolic tale of a world long gone. We're going to deal with class distinctions, poverty, condescension to women, and customs that can strangle affection. There are several story lines that develop and weave around each other.
  
  At the heart of the story are the women of Cranford, for whom gossip is a way of life. Eileen Atkins plays the elderly Miss Deborah Jenkyns, a severe woman who is not without feelings and who is the acknowledged arbiter of what is proper. Her sister, Miss Mattie Jenkyns, played by Judi Dench, is a bit scatterbrained but a warm and empathetic person. And we have Miss Pole (Imelda Staunton), a lightening transmitter of juicy information; Mrs. Forrester (Julia MacKenzie), a widow who is a bit of a ditherer but good-hearted; and Miss Jamieson (Barbara Flynn), better off than the others which she is careful to display, and more conventional, but prepared to be brought around. There is Mary Smith (Lisa Dillon), who comes to live with the Jenkyns sisters to escape a busybody stepmother and who finds more than she thought she would. Thankfully, she has a good mind and a sense of humor. And there is Lady Ludlow (Francesca Annis), the grand, aging lady in the grand estate nearby who learns to acknowledge that others may be correct, while not seeming to apologize for her class standards. What of the men? They're around, but for the most part they exist simply to provide the framework for the women's stories. Such superior actors as Michael Gambon, Jim Carter and Martin Shaw play them.
  
  When we leave Cranford five hours after we arrived, we've smiled a lot, teared up a few times, and have come to admire these women, their capacity for friendship and their desire to keep the future from arriving too soon. If you hear the term "heartwarming," don't be put off. This program is intelligently written and is acted with extraordinary and underplayed skill.
  
  The DVD presentation is on two discs. The video and audio transfer is excellent. There is a "making of" feature, which is interesting.
  
  
• One of the best literary adaptations ever!
  By A4MX5J20DCKDB on 2008-05-20
  This marvelous film is based on "Cranford" AND two novellas by Gaskell - "My Lady Ludlow" and "Mr Harrison's Confession". Depending upon which edition of Cranford you purchase, these stories may or may not be included. So much for comparing below the plot of the film to the books.
  
  This adaptation is one of the best ever done and ever shown on the BBC or on PBS here in the States. The acting is beyond first-rate; these actors are so believable, their acting so subtle and yet strong, that one forgets completely that each of the older ladies is an actor of quite a bit of renown. The Victorian essentials of thwarted romance, disappointed hopes, bonnets and shawls, legacies and runaway brothers, country towns and grand estates, are enriched with priceless moments of poignancy and laugh-out-loud humor. If I were to say which actresses run away with the show, they are Judi Dench (quite different here from the feisty woman she often plays) and Imelda Staunton, who apparently can take absolutely any role and make it her own. Lavish scenes shot on location, plenty of outdoors to breathe in, wonderful costumes and details. This is well-worth the buying--I was moved to tears, and can't wait to watch it again.
  
  
• Excellent, character-driven series
  By A2RIAXGSBP65BJ on 2008-05-19
  The town of Cranford is so full of life in this miniseries. It is filled with wonderful characters played by amazing actors. Even the minor characters have fully developed personalities and I was completing drawn into their world. I laughed over and over and cried more than once.
  
  In the beginning, it feels as though Cranford is full of busy-bodies as they all strive to know each others' business. But by the end it seemed that nearly every single character had been given a chance to do something special for a neighbor, and relished the opportunity. This is a beautiful, heart-warming series you'll want to see again and again.
  
  Amanda Hamm, author of Dear Jane Letters
  
  
• Strikes just the right balance
  By A29TDHNT47LR05 on 2008-05-19
  Cranford strikes just the right balance between absurdity and heart. The cast is first class. The combined talent of this ensemble will astonish you, and they all act with incredible restraint.
  The screenplay is very well crafted--seeming to draw equally the fleshing out of the strange characters, and the fleshing out of the various plots. Anyone who has lived in a small town will certainly appreciate the idiosyncrasies of such a community, and see parallels to their own life in the lives of the Cranford residents.
  I highly highly recommend this series. I could watch it over and over.
  
  
• Great series, but...
  By AMDH9WZHBLCDB on 2008-05-24
  Admittedly, a great series. On the other hand, I resent having to sit through fifteen minutes of BBC commercials to get to the program. I do not mind this being on the disc, as a matter of fact, I like it there but I would like to access it at my and not the BBC's leisure. If I wanted to watch commercial TV I would do so.
  
  
• Wonderful...
  By A321WWN9PDQMRM on 2008-05-13
  Watched three episodes of the Miniseries last year while visiting Ireland. Wonderful movie; cannot wait to see the last two episodes.
  
  
• Captured and held prisoner in Cranford
  By A1NIGUK4M2ST8 on 2008-05-29
  Help, I'm stuck in a small, Victorian town being pleasantly spied on by a bunch of sweet, proper, opinionated, gossipy, nosey, and at times, crazy Cranford women! I'm due for a timely visit from two elderly sisters who know everything about everyone.
  
  This is not Jane Austen, although there are similarities. There are groups of women, lots of relationships, humor and romance; however, death, disease and disaster also rear up and are more prevalent, and exposed here.
  
  The author, Elizabeth Gaskell (1810-1865) lived after Austen, and wrote the great novels to PBS movies of 'North and South', Wives and Daughters' and was friends with Charlotte 'don't call me Jane Ayre' Bronte. Gaskell penned Bronte's Biography after her demise, and it was in Charles Dicken's mag, 'Household Words' that Cranford appeared in 1853.
  
  Bringing this enchanting place to a 5-hour period piece is an immense undertaking, and BBC does a great job at it. After the recent downpour of Jane Austen/Jane Ayre re-do's, one wonders if there are any towns left to film in England not seen, any English actors not used, any costumes, music, directors, etc., etc., not indulged. Well, it's a different time period than Austen's, and one can't ever get enough English countryside or actors, such as Judi Dench and Eileen Atkins, who portray the sisters and are simply marvelous. Their characters compliment and confront each other perfectly. Atkins plays the crusty one but with a good heart. Dench is sweet and knowing, and through their eyes, Cranford unfolds. On the higher, social spectrum, Lady Ludlow(Francesca Annis) reigns solo, gripping tightly onto her fading world and aplomb.
  
  It's not just a world of older matriarchs, but of young love and misunderstandings, professional clashes between generations, and the ever dominating class struggles. The movie hops and interacts between all the storylines in potpourri fashion, sometimes outrageously funny, other times sad but not morose. Amazing that the editing flows so well.
  
  Although it's not as light and frisky as the BBC/A&E 'Pride and Prejudice' (a tough comparison!), it merits it own applause as a very fine, very 'proper' comedy/drama. And apparently a sequel is planned. I guess I'll never get out of this town. Enjoy.
  
  
  
  
• Another 'classic' to add to my shelf!
  By A14EXWG27AVV on 2008-05-22
  I enjoyed watching this series so much that I had to buy it to add to my collection! This is definitely going to be the next 'girl's night' movie that we watch!
  
  
• Another winner..
  By A1NTBAEOX1W13M on 2008-05-24
  Absolutely wonderful and perfect. I laughed until the tears came. Judi Dench should have an Emmy for this. It is even better than Gaskell's "North & South." It has been a good season for Masterpiece this year. The classics are definitely the best entertainment. Add this one to your dvd library.
  
  
• CRANFORD IS A PLACE TO VISIT OFTEN.
  By AO1Z0TQWCRGL4 on 2008-06-05
  For those who have not tried watching British miniseries, books turned to movies or BBC television; this is the place to start. Cranford is not to long (not long enough, also) being just 5 hour-long episodes. It is a comedy/drama that will delight any new fan. It is an ice cream sundae for those already loving the British Victorian stories. Beautiful costumes and sets. Plus an insane Victorian milk cow (I'll not "spoil" this portion with an explanation).
  
  Cranford has it all. The cast is headed by Judi Dench, being a guarantee of enjoyment for any movie. She is the star in every episode with her superb acting of the character Miss Matty. Like the other ladies of this small British Village, she specializes in knowing the right thing to do and say in every social engagement. It is a laugh-out-loud experience to watch the town's old spinsters interact--especially when the new young doctor arrives in town. It seems young and old alike decide he is their chance for love and living. What a hilarious set of events caused by a prank by the young doctor's friend. If it's not marrying hopefuls wagging their tongues then it's the anti-railroad ladies trying to preserve the perfectness of the small community. You will side with those against the new railroad intrusion.
  
  The ladies will have you laughing one moment and then genuinely moved by their situation the next. What an amazing story, the book written by Elizabeth Gaskill. The British accents are delightful but for those unaccustomed to the dialects, the DVD offers subtitles in English, often a help, yet not distracting when not needed as they are place outside the widescreen box.
  
  The young boy Harry Gregson is played by Alex Etel and is a young, poor chap you will fall in love with. You will want to contribute yourself to his livelihood, this thirst for education, and his dedication to assist his family in survival. The list of fine acting is endless, as the entire cast seems destined for an award for their work.
  
  Yes, Cranford is the DVD to buy to get a taste of British drama/comedy. Be prepared: it is addictive and this particular DVD set is right up at the top. The story is so small-village comfortable and ends so feel-good delightfully that we should all be so lucky as to live in Cranford. Next best idea: replay the story beginning with disc one.
  
  
• Another BBC Masterpiece !
  By A2ALM1AOOJYPDD on 2008-05-19
  A series worth watching. Great period drama with great performances and all without steaming sex scenes.
  
  Finally a great play where we finally can enjoy a story about a "little village" with all their problems, difficulties, death - but also triumph and change.
  
  At last there is a movie where mature actresses/actors, like Judi Dench,Eileen Atkins and Michael Gambon can shine !!!
  
  Wonderful job, BBC ! My copy of the DVD is on it's way...
  
  
• Bazz hx
  By A2J5VOHUP0XWUI on 2008-05-30
  This is one of the lastest and greatest from the BBC. Long overdue.
  Each character has their own story line which is interwoven with the others in a compelling saga.
  If you like this, also check out Larkrise to Candleford, another excellent period drama from the BBC.
  
  
• I LOVE Cranford!
  By ATN1DU2409GD6 on 2008-06-13
  I loved Cranford! I bought it on faith because I so thoroughly enjoyed the BBC adaptations of "Wives & Daughters" and "North & South". (By the way, there is an Elizabeth Gaskell Collection boxset with all three of these). I was not disappointed at all! It is truly a "Masterpiece". I laughed and cried my way through each episode. My only complaint is that it was much too short! I was thrilled to see the producers were contemplating additional episodes. Enough gushing, go watch it for yourselves!
  
  
• Doesn't Live up to the Hype
  By A1329PT75RKNVB on 2008-06-19
  To sum it up, I had trouble with the story itself, not really with the video. This item was in the well-acted BBC fashion. The scenes took you away, back to that simple time. The costumes were good and the charm was definitely there. The story, however, was flawed. Not to give too much away, but the angst became predictable and troubling. Opportunities for happiness were snuffed out almost methodically. The upturn during the last hour of the series doesn't quite make up for number of disappointments. It left me feeling completely unfulfilled.
  
  
• Another classic for Dame Judi
  By A1NV630KN825ST on 2008-07-03
  Judi Dench is my alltime favorite actress. Every time I see her in a movie I say this is the best one yet. Now I say it again. The cast consists of 25 major british actors. The script is first class and the sets are as authentic as you can get. Whoever said that Judi can do more with facial expressions than anyother actor can do with a page of dialog should view this series and see how right he was. This is classic BBC television at its very best. If you buy this set, make sure that you watch the extras at the end.
  
  
• Cranford Captivates
  By AOFSC1XKYCBCZ on 2008-07-14
  We had planned to watch the Cranford episodes as they unfolded on PBS, but because we had a houseguest, I taped them. When we finished viewing the series, my husband had found them so interesting and engaging that he asked to view them a second time. Consequently, I ordered the DVD and we thoroughly enjoyed watching the "Making of Cranford".
  
  I first learned of Elizabeth Gaskell while reading Phyllis McGinley's Sixpence in Her Shoe, when I was newly married. Years later while visiting a London bookstore, I found several of the Gaskell novels and added them to my library. I couldn't resist rereading Cranford the week after seeing the final episode.
  
  I liked the blending of three of Gaskell's novels into this telling of the story. My Lady Ludlow and Mr. Harrison's Confessions give the village a larger context and paint a more complete picture of England at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. However, nothing of the charm of the perfect English village is lost in this delightful retelling of the story. Each actor seems to catch his character's virtues and foibles perfectly.
  
  
• Hey: Cranford Doesn't Suck!
  By A1FY6ETS4ZPCUE on 2008-08-18
  Let me make something perfectly clear, OK? I'm a guy. Like most guys, my favorite kind of movie has plenty of action, with fights, car chases, explosions, hot babes, and violence, with a little blood or gore sprinkled in. So why did I give this one five stars? Let me try to explain.
  
  Going in, your typical red-blooded American male might be put off a bit; judging by it's cover, Cranford appears to be just another in a long line of boring English bonnet romances, full of people in wigs and weird clothes sitting around in parlours talking to each other. If you're looking for a testosterone-fueled trip through hell, a la Tarantino, Peckinpah or Woo, you might be disappointed. I waited and waited, but I could find not one fist fight, stabbing, shooting, rape, steamy sex scene, unexposed nipple or horrible murder in the whole dang thing!
  
  But gents, don't automatically dismiss this one: if you look, you will find a surprising amount of death, gore and violence: in one scene, a kid smashes in the skull of a defenseless rabbit. In another, a cat pukes up some hand-knit lace. And then a cow falls into a lime pit and gets all it's hide burned off. So I guess you could say that animals have a tough time in this miniseries.
  
  But the people have some rough patches as well. In the first twenty minutes the young carpenter Jem falls from a ladder and suffers a compound fracture of his right forearm, which is pretty gruesome. You wouldn't think that there would be many deaths in this one either, but it seems like people are keeling over every other minute. A very young kid dies of croup, a crippled young woman dies of who knows what, one of the main characters, Deborah Jenkyns (Eileen Atkins), strokes out, and the great Michael Gambon's character, the lovelorn Mr. Holbrook, contracts pneumonia and bites it before he has a chance to marry his long lost love, Mattie Jenkyns ((there is nothin' like a DAME) Judy Dench). The local shopkeeper Mr. Johnson is clubbed on the back of his head and robbed. A family of squatters is forced to live in abject squalor while the father must poach game to keep his family from starvation.
  
  There is a top-notch "babe" in the series too. Kimberly Nixon plays the young daughter of the local parson. She is a "pretty as a picture" actress, first-rate eye candy, a perfect rosy-cheeked beauty seemingly born for this type of film, who will have a long and very bright future in the many inevitable English period romances to be produced over the next ten years. I hoped and prayed for a scene of her swimming naked in a sylvan lake or even a brief glimpse of her in the boudoir, but alas it never happened. I guess you will have to use your imagination.
  
  Another huge negative: it appeared there were no "pavement princesses" or brothels in the town of Cranford. Or they chose not to show us. Damn!
  
  Nor were there coach chases, bloody shootouts, pub brawls, adulterers, adulteresses or dispicable villains in Cranford.
  
  However, you do get a lot of humor, color, poignancy, romance, emotion, beauty, magnificent costumes, fabulous photography, and wonderful character development and acting. With all that, I guess I can overlook the absence of fist fights and sex. I hate to admit that; it's not very manly of me, but it's true. Cranford did not suck.
  
  
• WOW, another perfect BBC production
  By A1RKD1I8MW1LG6 on 2008-08-18
  This show was just plain perfection. The acting was wonderful (as was the casting) and the seamless story (a compilation of 3 of Gaskell's stories) was just impecably done.
  
  This was such a pleasure to watch. I cannot rave enough about how well done this production was. There is just not a lot more to say about this fabulous show....
  
  
• Good, but.......
  By A3TPSEI5YZO777 on 2008-05-23
  This movie is beautifully filmed, extremely well acted (it's fun to see some favorite English actors in very minor roles) and nicely entertaining. But it's lacking in something--conflict, tension, pathos?
  Enjoyable to watch, but not one of those that stays with you for days/weeks/months.
  
  
• Cranford
  By AKAH67MW4HZAG on 2008-06-07
  Since I am a Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskill fan..I enjoyed this very much. Both of the DVD's.
  
  

• The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
• Sense & Sensibility (with Miss Austen Regrets) (BBC TV 2008)
• Masterpiece Theatre: Northanger Abbey
• Masterpiece Theatre: Mansfield Park
• North & South