Armadillo

Beautifully acted, written, and filmed Thanks to a friend in Ireland, who converted the video for me (I'm in the US, and can't use PAL format) I was able to see this magnificient BBC/A&E production. It is reportedly to show on A&E in the spring of 2002...but, I just couldn't wait that long.

I'm a *major* Frain fan, so I was looking forward to this with great anticipation. And, thankfully, my anticipations were not disturbed ;) Mr Frain fits the part of Lorimer Black perfectly. No one else could have played the part, imo. I read a description of Lorimer in the novel...and it is an exact physical image of Frain. It's as if it were written with him in mind.

Lorimer/Milo, Mr. Hogg, Flavia, the Blocj clan, Rintoul, Sir Simon, Torquil, and a load of other colorful characters are brought to vivid life in this very enjoyable production. Not only is James Frain superb...but Ms. McCormack, Mr. Rea, and Mr. Bonneville are perfection in their roles.

All the cast was great...the writing excellent, and the filming made me want to move to London. It looks beautiful! Very stylishly shot.

My fave scenes are when Lorimer goes to visit his family and gives some new shoes to his little niece, and the scene where he's telling her about their family history...and when he becomes mesmerized by Flavia's image in a TV ad, all the scenes of him visiting his Dad (so sad and tender) , all scenes with Frain and Rea (they're great together), the first kiss between Flavia and Lorimer (very sexy in it's eagerness at the excitement and promise of new love. You don't need hot and steamy sex scenes to have a sexy film. Flavia and Lorimer share just two kisses, but they're so sensual that it's all you need. More would have ruined the effect.) The sleep clinic scenes are funny, and heart breaking. I love the bull dog bit--too funny...very cute. And, the helmut incident is hilarious! Oh, heck, I just adore the whole enchilada.

"Armadillo" is very unique, intriguing, funny, and a bit heart wrenching at moments. It's a joy to watch...but, you'll have to pay attention, as the insurance fraud part of the plot is quite complex.

Oh, I should add that the sound track is simply beautiful.

"Armadillo" is one of those rarities in which the screen version of an excellent novel actually lives up to the original text. This is no doubt due to the fact that William Boyd adapted the script from his own novel of the same name and that Boyd is also no stranger to script writing, having penned "Chaplin", "A Good Man in Africa" and "The Trench".

The cast is first class, a who's who of film and television, with standout performances from James Frain, Stephen Rea and Trevor Peacock (also excellent in another great TV show "The Underworld"). The plot, far from being cliched or contrived, is actually quite complex, with a mix of dodgy geezers including shady loss adjusters, even shadier insurance companies, cowboy builders, Romanian gipsies and a half-mad juggler who's convinced his wife is cheating on him.

The photography is impressive with some good shots of London which appears dark and intimidating but also sparkling with affluence.

"Armadillo" shows just how good British television can be with the right material and a good cast - in other words someone showing a bit of imagination and ambition rather than pitching yet another boring hospital or detective series.

I have already posted my glowing comments on this unique and very special tele-film...but, I have to add a few more. I was blessed by having the opportunity to see "Armadillo" as it premiered on BBC1. Oh...what a treat it was! If you liked A&E's *very* edited version of this entralling drama, try and get the *uncut* BBC1 version...then, you'll absolutely love it. It is 10 times better, with lots of fabulous, funny, and emotionally touching moments...plus extremely important character development and plot enlightening scenes. A&E cut over 20 minutes from how it was meant to be presented...all in favor of those big-bucks commercials. I know they have to have their commercials, and sell their soap and bug spray, and make that moola. But, it **really** hurt to see how they butchered this wonderful piece of drama. I just don't understand why they would do that. I mean, they were one of the producers. It seems to me they would have wanted this gem to be seen in all of it's amazing glory. It was still very good...*but* it could have been sooo much better. Damn! Still, I'm proud that America got to see the ever lovely and talented Mr James Frain in a role tailor made for him...and Rea, Bonneville, and McCormack were wonderous as well.

Having seen this very entertaining program -- even the shortened A&E version -- I'm going to have to now go out and find William Boyd's book to see how closely it follows. James Frain was a superb choice to play the conflicted Lorimer Black/Milo Bloch, star insurance adjuster who finds himself in the middle of a convoluted insurance fraud scheme that lays bare the corruption behind everything he has held dear and aspired to. Catherine McCormack is delectable as the love interest he impulsively pursues; she is formidably chic with a "watch your step" edge. Hugh Bonneville's Torquil Helvoir-Jayne (!) is the epitome of a stupid jerk, but with the oddly likable quality of a guy who's just too much of a doof to be completely blamed for his shortcomings. James Fox does another of his capably elegant upper-class turns, this time playing a character much like his role in "Sexy Beast." But I have to say that, for me at least, Stephen Rea virtually stole the show -- his George Hogg, with all of his eccentric metaphors and his paranoiac rages, is so over the top at times it's hilarious. Throw in a cool, stylish music score and some excellent supporting players (including veterans such as Ian McNiece, Trevor Peacock, Stephen Moore and Ron Cook) and you have a sophisticated tale of corporate misbehavior that you'll want to watch more than once.

I first have to thank a previous poster, teri_2, who recommended those interested in seeing Armadillo to first try and track down the version that appeared on BBC1 as opposed to the heavily edited, hacked up version that appeared on A&E.

Thank you so very, very much, teri_2.

I saw Armadillo on A&E and absolutely loved it. I contemplated buying it -- on A&E -- and then I saw teri_2's post.

I was able to track down a VHS copy of Armadillo as it was originally shown on BBC1 on ebay and I have to say, it is a far, far superior version.

The editing was seamless, not as choppy as the one shown on A&E, and actually flushed out the story and characters much, much more.

James Frain absolutely took my breath away. What a performance.

And the music -- if anyone can get a listing of the songs that were featured in the film please email me! Beautiful, absolutely stunningly beautiful.