North & South

Locations
Call Number: DVD TV North
On Shelf At: Downtown Library, Pittsfield Branch, Traverwood Branch, Westgate Branch

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown 1st Floor 1-week checkout	DVD TV North	1-week checkout	On Shelf
Pittsfield Adult A/V 1-week checkout	DVD TV North	1-week checkout	On Shelf
Traverwood Adult A/V 1-week checkout	DVD TV North	1-week checkout	On Shelf
Westgate Adult A/V 1-week checkout	DVD TV North	1-week checkout	On Shelf

Originally broadcast on BBC television in 2004.
Special features: Commentary on episodes 1 & 4 by Kate Bartlett, Brian Percival and Sandy Welch; specially recorded interview with Richard Armitage; deleted scenes; production notes.
Daniela Denby-Ashe, Richard Armitage, Sinead Cusack, Leslie Manville, Tim Pigot-Smith, Pauline Quirke, Brendan Coyle, Anna Maxwell Martin.
When the privileged Margaret Hale's father uproots the family to take work in the northern mill town of Milton, she is shocked by the dirt and gruffness of the people. But she reserves her highest contempt for the charismatic mill-owner John Thornton.
DVD, region 1; widescreen (16:9) presentation; Dolby Digital stereo., MCPS.

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

BBC at its best submitted by Tanja on July 11, 2007, 2:48pm One of the best BBC miniseries that I've ever seen so far. What I love the most about this series is that it shows the "class struggle" at all levels whether it is social status, geographical status (from what area a person is from or what local they might inhabit), employment level status (worker, employer) etc. Anyway, this presentation does a wonderful job of showing the class differences in England mid-1800. The acting is simply superb by a huge cast and the recreation of the era is marvelous. I love the cotton mill scenes with the machines roaring and cotton dust flying all over the place-fabulous.
The adaptation is generally faithful to the Glaskell's book.

Romance amid the Industrial Revolution submitted by laurie92 on March 7, 2009, 7:27pm A friend recommended this to me as she knew I was a fan of Pride and Prejudice and the other Gaskell novel - Cranford. This is a great romance with many parallels to Mr. Darby and Elizabeth Bennet. While Austen's masterpiece surrounds her story with social mores and wit - this romance is played out against the Industrial Revolution and the the class warfare of mid 19th century Great Britain. It is wonderfully acted and filmed. I plan on it becoming a permanent edition to my home library.

A great movie for all Pride and Prejudice Fans submitted by ssmyth on August 10, 2011, 9:52pm As the other reviewers noted, this is a top notch BBC mini-series and is a must for all Pride and Prejudice fans - lots of romance, great acting, awesome production. I bought the DVD and have loaned it to many other P&P fans that have also fallen in love with it. Richard Armitage's Mr. Thorton is in close competition with Colin Firth's Mr. Darcy for the most romantic male novel character.

An Excellent Mini-Series submitted by shanaynay on June 14, 2013, 2:41pm This mini-series is great. I can watch it again and again and enjoy it more every time. It has emotional highs and lows and is informative about the struggles that came along with the Industrial Revolution. It is a must-see for those who enjoy romance or period pieces.

Pride & Prejudice With More Substance submitted by crazypockets on June 18, 2013, 6:33pm If it's possible, I think I love this story even more than "Pride & Prejudice." It has all the classic elements of a rocky, but great, romance, but it also adds in the context of a class struggle at a particular historical time. It does an excellent job of showing both sides of the issue and shows that no matter what, a common ground and compromise can be found once people start to try to understand each other. Richard Armitage is the perfect John Thornton, and you can't help but fall in love with him. If you like BBC romance, or are interested in the history of labor in the world, definitely check this out.

A Classic submitted by smgop on July 17, 2013, 8:14pm This BBC mini-series will go down as a great - alongside Pride and Prejudice.
The characters are rich, complex.
The storyline is gripping and wonderful. I usually do not like adaptations of novels but this one captures Gaskell's work very well.

Well done, BBC! submitted by lpressprich on August 20, 2013, 6:52pm I started reading Elizabeth Gaskell's writings after watching this mini series! I found it to be a refreshing period piece, because it worked to paint an interesting and realist picture of the impacts of the industrial revolution on the British people, both poor and rich. The romance was tastefully done and more substantial in character development than many similar story lines! I recommend this mini series!

Absolutely fantastic! submitted by Kikumatsu97 on June 24, 2015, 6:34pm So romantic and well done. I can't imagine struggling like these people do. it's so descriptive and the camera work is just stupendous. I recently realized i was a bit spoiled on the BBC's cinematic capabilities when I tried to watch Pompeii and saw the direct lighting and bad makeup. The film was shot in Toronto, Ontario, primarily at Cinespace Film Studios' Kipling Avenue facility, whereas in North and South, the producers decided to shoot many of the town scenes in Edinburgh, which maintains more of its visual and architectural heritage from the industrial Victorian era. Theres just no comparing the quality of filming when we're talking history. The more organic, the better, I feel. Did you know Charles Dickens was Gaskell's editor?

Just the best. submitted by JAGinA2 on January 23, 2016, 11:49am I stumbled upon this after reading that this surpasses Pride & Prejudice. I had to see for myself. No doubt it is true and I never thought I would say that. I watched it a full three times before turning it back in. I may just have to purchase it for myself. Superb acting and historical filming and purest of love in all forms.

It starts HORRIBLY, like one of the WORST so-called "movies" from BBC's mill. COMEDIES are BBC's best, NOT THIS CRAP. submitted by Tassos on April 17, 2022, 4:58pm I just started watching and HAD to move to the SECOND scene right away. WHY don't they have a DAMNED WARNING that this is NOT appropriate for everybody, but instead it is a STUPID CHICK MOVIE? They should also have warning about so-called "Action" BS Movies, Comic Book heroes Movies, and all that other Hollywood DRIVEL that is the result of NO talented writers any more...

TO all of you above that wrote all these glowing reviews, did you owe money to the BBC, or do you also like the damned daytime shows and soap operas? THis is NO BETTER.

PS how do you detect "romance BS"? When two idiots gaze adoringly at each other, despite the fact that they utter the most insignificant, trivial pablum. Which happens all the time here, but fortunately, if you view the stupid DVD at DOUBLE Speed and no sound, (just subtitles) it is more tolerable.

The brits are FAR better at COMEDIES, BBC included, than drama. But most reviewers here could not care less (never mind they would not appreciate 1% of their content) about great comedy.

Try "Keeping up Appearances", if you want to see BBC 'at its best".

If you like some 'romance' with your comedy, try Dame Judith Dench in "As time goes By", on your PBS Stations usually, even tho it is now close to 30 years old. Brilliantly funny, far superior to any US-made sitcom, with the only exception of the Divine "Seinfeld" and "Curb your Enthusiasm"!

Not the crap they so brazenly, and totally un-British-ly, call "Masterpiece" (My foot) Theater!!

I DID try to see this one, and so far it is AWFUL. THis is NOT how the British people are. This is how the BBC believes "stupid americans" think about how the British lived in the 19th century, having got a good dose of 'made for TV" adaptations of the exaggerated tales of Mr. Dickens... the scene in the Mill where the proprietor beats up a worker HIMSELF because the worker violated the "no smoking" policy, is the PEAK of RIDICULOUSNESS and un-realism. If the rest of this piece of crap is like that, You all have NO CLUE when you praise it to high heaven. Really.

Good adaptation submitted by suprana on July 20, 2023, 10:34am Well done adaptation and nice representation of the industrial revolution and its impact on mills.