The Woman in White

I saw this 1978 BBC production when it was rebroadcast in the early 1980s on US television. (PBS, I think, or possibly A&E.) It has remained 'stuck' in my mind ever since.

From the understated elegance of the acting and production design to the fabulous adaptation of the original novel, this miniseries is and ought to be a classic. Walter Gerroll and Jenny Seagrove are incredible, and the gentleman who plays Count Fosco is as gently creepy as you could want-- but the one who really steals the show is Diana Quick. Strong and determined, she becomes more beautiful the better you get to know her. Seagrove has the 'looks,' but Quick has the character.

A wonderful series.

This version of The Woman In White is so good. I wish it was available on DVD. The casting is great, the pacing exciting, the mystery will truly hold your interest. If you get a chance to see this one take it. The part of Count Fosco is so well cast. He is truly sinister. The two women that are supposed to look alike really do, and the part of the sister is played to perfection. The invalid uncle is played exactly like he is written so obviously a hypochondriac who only cares about himself. The other characters are equally well acted.

There is no comparison between this version and the later 1997 version. I watched the 1997 version when it was first broadcast on Master Piece Theater, thinking that it was a repeated showing of this one, but was greatly disappointed when I found that not only was it not the version I loved, but that it was a very poor retelling of the story.

Because I agree with most of the reviewers' comments already submitted, I have very little to say except that Wilkie Collins' book is beautifully constructed, well written and very re- readable. It is a tremendous challenge to adapt to a 3-4 hour format, but Ray Jenkins has met the task with minimal damage to the characterizations and intricate plot lines. Kudos to him, and to the producer & director, as well as actors. And appropriately moody music.

I did find Daniel Gerroll insipid at first as Walter, but he grows on you, and by about the third time I viewed this 1978/82 version (first broadcast in '78, rebroadcast in '82), I began to appreciate his performance very much. Seagrove, the marvelous Anna Wing (Mrs. Clements (and Pauline Jameson (Mrs. Catherick) are also excellent.

Yes, it's available as a Region 2 DVD, and because I bought a Region 2 player for $30, well worth it, to play "The Green Man," which is also on Region 2 only, I can play this one, too, but not all my classic-loving American/Canadian neighbors can, without making the player purchase or complicated adjustments to their Region 1 player.

The UK continues to create superior adaptations of classics, keeping its rich literary traditions alive in so doing, although later remakes of most classics are generally inferior to the ones created in the '70s and '80s, if you're interested in seeing a film remotely in line with what the authors intended..

As an adaptation The Woman in White(1982) is very faithful to the book(which is a masterpiece)- not that that is essential when it comes to adapting source material- without too faithful or bogged down, it is also the only adaptation of the book that does that. As a dramatisation it is outstanding and one of the better period dramatisations of the 80s, with the slightly rushed final episode being its own detriment and even that is not enough to mar everything else that is so brilliant here. The script is thoughtful and tightly compressed, often sounding like the writing being lifted out straight from the pages of the book, it develops the characters very well too, Count Fosco is every bit the immoral man as he should be(while appearing to others as the opposite). The story takes its time to develop, but considering as it's a lengthy book and how far from easy to adapt it is that is beneficial. It is a good length, with all the themes and most situations intact and with all the emotional resonance, and is not too tedious at all despite the deliberate pacing. Visually it is an evocative adaptation with everything looking beautiful and in a way that you feel that you have been transported back in time to the time and place, a great atmosphere and fluid photography. It has been criticised on Amazon for being dated and poorly lit, that was not the case with me who thinks that it has held up well. The music is appropriate and lovely to hear, though sometimes the sound is on the hollow side. The direction makes the drama compelling and is sympathetic to the emotions that fill each scene. The acting is superb, especially from a strong-willed Diana Quick, Alan Badel's creepy and sinister(without forgetting the subtlety) Count Fosco and Ian Richardson's memorably languid and authoritative Mr Fairlie, every bit a nervous wreck. Jenny Seagrove is simply enchanting, Georgine Anderson has the right degree of iciness as Madame Fosco and Daniel Geroll is good too. Overall, outstanding and the best version of the book by some considerable margin. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Its 28 years since I watched this excellent BBC serialisation, and its memory is still fresh in my mind, from Alan Badel's wonderfully sinister Count Fosco, Georgine Anderson's icy Madame Fosco to Ian Richardson as the languid valetudinarian Mr Fairlie.. and all the other excellent characterisations from the rest of the cast. My first reaction on viewing it was to regret not possessing a video recorder, my second was to purchase the book, which I still re-read with pleasure. Please, please BBC release this on DVD or, failing that, has anyone a VHS copy made at the time of screening? This otherwise rather stingy Scotsman (!) would happily part with his money to obtain a copy...that's how good I think it is.

PS Today, July 5, I have just discovered that a DVD of this series is now available on Amazon..I've already ordered my copy!!