Reckless: The Sequel

I love Robson Green and Michael Kitchen. I've never been very fond of Francesca Annis' work, though. She was very good in "Parnell and the Englishwoman". At the end of "Reckless", we have the lovers together and love conquers all even if Richard doesn't like it.

Michael Kitchen is so at ease as Richard and Robson Green is so strong and confident as Owen. The only performance I had trouble with was Annis'. Maybe the character was meant to be an adult scatter brain going through the change of life, but all I saw was a pathetic woman who wanted to live her life over with her doctor husband. She was just replacing Richard with Owen. The character or actress was grating on my nerves. Personally, if I were a man and Anna had done those things to me, I would have chucked her out the door ages ago. The most moving scene is at the end. And yes, I cried. There is just something about a man like Michael Kitchen crying that grabs me in the throat.

I guess if you are a completely maniacal romantic you might enjoy Reckless and then the Sequel right after the other. I usually just watch the first one. All wonderful drama and romance is in the first movie. The sequel was just, in my opinion, completely unnecessary.

Like all Masterpiece Theater shows, it is very well done in every way except Episode Three, which I felt became boringly tedious and which could really have been omitted and the lovers getting together should have ended Episode Two. As for production, it was excellent except for the annoying intrusive solo guitar plonking away in scenes that should really have had a full orchestra with a lush score to accentuate the emotional mood. At the risk of sounding cute, I might add that it could easily have been titled "Heterosexual Hell" which is all it was, really... on and on and on....

"Reckless: The Sequel" takes place one year after "Reckless." Anna and Owen are living together, and before the film starts, Owen has proposed. When the movie begins, Anna is getting ready for work. As she's leaving, she says, "Yes." Owen is thrilled.

Richard isn't supposed to know but he finds out and tries to stop them. One way he does that is to hire Owen's ex-fiancée to work in the hospital. She and Owen had broken up some months before he even met Anna.

The movie manages to still be a cliffhanger. From one minute to the next, you don't know whether or not Anna and Owen are going to get married, what with parental and sibling interference, not to mention Richard squeezing himself into the situation.

The beautiful Francesca Annis is excellent as Anna, and one can really understand why both Richard and Owen are so desperate to be with her. You can easily see a younger man finding her irresistible.

Sometimes I find older woman-younger man casting not very good (for instance, Linda Grey and Christopher Atkins in Dallas). Whomever does the casting chooses someone too boyish for an older woman. Well, Robson Green is perfect -- what woman of any age wouldn't want him? He's delightful in this -- passionate, intense, sexy, and sincere. The two make a great couple. You have to love Michael Kitchen as the manipulative ex. He's hateful, which means he's doing his job well.

The rest of the cast shines: Geoffrey Palmer, Pauline Yates playing Richard's parents, David Bradley, Owen's father, Conor Mullen as John McGinley, and the versatile Julian Rhind-Tutt, who is hilarious as the womanizing (or wishes he could be) Danny.

Very sweet film and a nice wrap-up to the whole Reckless miniseries.

I absolutely loved the shows and I was thrilled when the movie came too. The movie was great, except for the part when Richard was in Iceland. I realize that the dogsleigh and that whole thing was done to amuse people and to make Richard look foolish in his ridiculous situation, but it was not very amusing if you can understand the icelandic language (the sleighman spoke danish) and know that there has never been such thing as dogsleigh in order to travel around Iceland(not even in ancient history) Besides from that, I loved the shows and I hope there will be more sequels.

I just saw the Sequel for the second time because I thought it was just terrific. The complete cast is so right for this movie and I was highly entertained and amused by the constant funny scenes developed through the clever plot.

Michael Kitchen as Dr. Richard Crane is at his best, reflecting perfectly his emotions when plotting devious plans to thwart his ex-wife's plans to marry young Dr. Springer, a colleague. Francesca Annis as Anna his ex-wife gives a brilliant performance, ably deflecting all the roadblocks Richard keeps putting in her way to thwart the marriage.

And Robson Green as Dr. Owen Springer gives a superb performance as the love-sick young doctor madly in love with Anna who's 15 years his senior. Robson's charm, engaging youthfulness, and charisma make this a memorable Masterpiece Theatre production for all those lovers out there who have gone through all the agony and bliss of a passionate love affair!