not as good as all the hype

Awesome Movie

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

For the last couple of weeks I've been watching an episode or two a night, thanks to Amazon, of Lark Rise to Candleford. What an excellent, intriguing, and entertaining TV experience it is. What stands out about it: the acting. I've come to the conclusion that the actors were directed to "play it Big!" as often their acting borders on the caricature. At the same time, it works: the breathless whispers of Dorcas and Margaret; the clownish twittering of Ruby; the innocent ignorance of Minnie. I actually had to remind myself that the actor playing Twister was acting and was not really a self-centered old drunk. Which brings up another thing of interest: most of the main characters are archetypes: Dorcas - the moral, righteous pillar of the community; Robert - the philosopher/artist; Thomas - the religious zealot; Laura - the budding writer with her own opinions on everything; Queenie - the mystic mother figure to all, to name a few. And then, as other reviews have indicated, the sets and photography are gorgeous, often calling to my mind paintings of Breughel. And finally, the story lines including interactions between the characters are always interesting, and often frustrating and annoying. How many TV series can inspire so much thought and emotion? Not many that I know of... I'm still trying to figure out if Laura saying "Mar and Par" instead of "Ma and Pa" is intentional...

I love period drama series, I love "Cranford" as it is just divine, and I have loved BBC dramas such as "Pride and Prejudice"(1995), "Bleak House"(2005) and "Little Dorritt"(2008). I even love "The Darling Buds of May" for its sheer sense of escapism and entertainment value. You have probably already guessed I love "Lark Rise to Candleford", I just feel it is really entertaining, charming, beautifully made and just relaxing to watch. Like "Cranford", "Lark Rise To Candleford" whenever it is on really makes my night. The production values are exquisite; the costumes are ravishing and colourful, the sets are lavish and the scenery is gorgeous. The music is also gorgeous, I always like good music when it comes to film and television. The scripts are of exceptional quality, funny, poignant and endearing, and the direction and story lines are fine. The acting is also truly excellent, Julia Sawalha is a sheer delight especially. And she is well supported by Dawn French, Linda Bassett, Sarah Lancashire and Mark Heap. Overall, I love it, it really is the epitome of charm and heart. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Am a U.S.viewer, watching Series 1 on an all-region DVD player. I ordered this series as something my elderly mother might enjoy and have become engrossed myself. Sounding initially like a British variant on LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, CANDLEFORD turns out to be a rich spectacle which discovers complexities in itself after pleasant but lightweight opening installments and by episode 4 becomes something altogether finer (I've seen only 1-7 so far). I think it not entirely accidental that this same fourth episode engineers a lengthy hiatus for LARK SPUR's most egregious blemish, the already oft-slammed Dawn French as the hamlet's debtor-reprobate. French isn't distractingly familiar in the U.S. but her lazy anachronistic performance, straight out of the classic "Coarse Acting" handbook, is an irritant just the same. Might as well note the other flaws that persist, noted in the more critical IMDb critiques: the usual over-explicit music; some wobbly continuity from one episode to the next (particularly notable in the lack of carryover after the milliner-sisters' traumatic reunion with their father); the disregard for the 18 mile separation of communities so forcefully laid-out in episode 1 and subsequently ignored; and, yes, the absence of squalor. Can't comment on the adaptation's disregard for the source-book since I haven't read it. But lordy, how much else excels! The writing, encompassing parlor-protocol and pub-chatter, has Dickensian swagger. If LARK SPUR's creators disembarked from the original text, they found their independent stride within a few traversals of their 20-or-so characters. Note how the Welsh postman, an evangelical stereotype and already tiresome within the first hour, in Episode 5 has a spiritual crisis, conveyed in a layman-sermon whose earnestness emits a skittering undertone of near-madness (wonderfully performed by Mark Heap). The porcelain lady-of-the-manor of Eps. 1-2 by 6-7 emerges as a tragic heroine. Twister, Lark Spur's aged comic layabout and scrounger, in Episode 6 has recall of a long-dead sister he imagines come back to haunt him in scenes as rapturously sad and true to senescent remorse as any great tragic work (Karl Johnson, an actor I've never noted before, is extraordinary). More than simply showcasing the series' mostly wonderful cast, the collective of directors grows increasingly muscular in their framing of scenes as LARK SPUR progresses: a complex moment in Ep. 7, in which the squire's wife watches her husband across the street and submits to the goading of shopwomen she dislikes, imagining the worst, is shot with an economic forcefulness that moots distinctions between TV and cinematic filming. Nothing "twee" about craft of that order-- nor about the series itself, once past its establishing episodes. Yet subtleties noted here are secondary to something LARK SPUR has in fixed place from the start: Julia Sawalha's post-mistress, and her rapport with lifetime friend and village squire Ben Miles, an attenuated near-romance that in abstract sounds an embarrassment-- two terrific actors who appear to realize they have found gorgeous grown-up roles in the unlikeliest of projects, and like the rest of the production's cast/crew, perform as if BBC's calculations about "Sunday night programing" wholly underestimated their work. I cannot push these Reg. 2 programs at friends, who haven't the equipment to play them, and so I can only enthuse here. This is beautiful serial television.

I know that this is a very lengthy review but I hope you will read and enjoy it.The BBC has long been known as the undisputed world leaders when producing period drama for the TV.When you consider the absolutely wonderful period dramas Auntie Beeb has produced over many, many years, it is an accolade indeed to be able to say that Lark Rise To Candleford is by far the very best they have ever produced.Although so far I have only watched series one and have reviewed that, I cannot wait for the second series to come out on DVD.I am shocked and dismayed that this drama appears to have been only nominated for a single award, which it duly won.Every part of this production was immaculate from the script, the actors, the production, the direction and finally but definitely not least, the set and costumes.SPOILER BEGINS: Lark Rise To Candleford is the story of life in Lark Rise, a small village about 8 miles from Candleford, a small town.It tells of the hardship of Lark Rise and about life in the somewhat more affluent Candleford.The two story-lines are wonderfully intertwined.SPOILER ENDS When you consider the choice of actors selected for the various parts it is amazing that each and every one of them were given the most perfect part.Although it is virtually impossible to single any individual out as the best I would like to mention a few of them.SPOILER BEGINS: Dawn French was cast as Caroline Arless, a mother of several children, with one on the way, whose husband was away at sea. She was more than a little partial to a good flagon of ale and this was eventually her downfall when she was carted off to debtors prison. Don't fret though, she came back. I cannot see anyone else being able to fill this part.Liz Smith was her usual and impeccable self playing the part of Zillah, the housekeeper to the Postmistress in Candleford. Liz was 86 when she appeared in this series and has lost none of her extraordinary acting abilities. I can only describe her as perfection personified.Julia Sawalha played Dorcas Lane, the Candleford Postmistress. She was oh so prim and proper and cared for everyone and helped anyone who was in trouble. She grew up with Timothy Midwinter, now Sir Timothy and the Squire of Candleford. She loved him and he her. Sir Timothy asked her to marry him but she refused as she felt it wrong that she should marry someone who she considered her 'better', but they still loved each other even though he has now married someone else.Linda Bassett and Karl Johnson who played wife and husband Queenie and Twister Turrill were perfectly cast in their respective roles. It was a joy to see how well they interacted with each other.Matilda Ziegler and Victoria Hamilton played the sisters Pearl and Ruby Pratt. It was as though these two sisters were literally joined at the hip and they did everything together, they even dressed in the same clothes for the most part, even though they were the proprietors of the Candleford milliners shop.. They played their parts as the Candleford busy bodies wonderfully and were convinced that they were better than anyone in Candleford and thought the residents of Lark Rise were the lowest of the low, even though they started from extremely humble beginnings themselves.Last but not least there is Laura Timmins played by Olivia Hallinan. Laura was sent from Lark Rise to Candleford in order to work in the the post office and to better herself. The story is narrated from the writings in her journal. I have a feeling we will be seeing a lot more of Olivia.SPOILER ENDS I could have something to say about each actor who appeared in this drama as they all played their parts superlatively.Finally the direction by Alan Grint, John Greening, Charles Palmer and Marc Jobst was again absolutely marvellous and you would never realise that there had been so many directors.It is plain to me that everyone of the cast and crew got on extremely well together, which can be seen by the way this series was so wonderfully produced and acted.The final thing I would like to say is that it is a great pity that 10 is the highest mark I can give Lark Rise To Candleford.