"EL DORADO WEST" [PG] - Chapter One

"EL DORADO WEST"

RATING: [PG]
SUMMARY: Benjamin and Alice Fleming, siblings of a free black Ohio family, head west to California during the Gold Rush.
FEEDBACK: Be my guest. But please, be kind.

From the Journal of Benjamin Fleming


Chapter One - The Proclamation


December 16, 1848
It has been confirmed! Gold discovered in California. I can hardly contain my excitement. My staid family, on the other hand, seemed quite capable of doing just that.


"Foolish nonsense!" my father declared during supper, later that evening. According to him, folks have been claiming gold in California for ages. Including Spanish explorers who went there to search for the gold weapons of the Black Amazons. When I told him that an Army officer had brought a sample of the gold to Congress, he remained unconvinced.

I suspect that Papa's antipathy toward this gold discovery came from his activities as an abolitionist. As the son of a former slave, he naturally became an enemy of slavery. The entire family felt the same, of course. And like many abolitionists, my father had been against the recent war against Mexico. This same war had enabled the United States to grab Texas, New Mexico and California. As far as Papa was concerned, the war had been nothing but an excuse for the slave power to spread slavery into the West. He wanted nothing to do with any of the territory we had acquired from Mexico. Including California.


January 21, 1849
Thomas Russell left for New York City this morning. He was the first from Cleveland's colored community to depart for the California gold fields. From New York, he plans to board one of the clipper ships that will take him around the tip of South American and north to San Francisco. The journey should take him six months.

"An utter fool," my older brother Randolph declared after I had informed him. He was another like Papa who saw the acquisition of California and other former Mexican territories as some slaveocracy plot. Perhaps they were both right. Perhaps the South did plan to make California a slave state like Texas. Yet, both Papa and Randolph have forgotten that part of California lay north of the Missouri Compromise line - the same region where gold had been discovered.

Whatever Papa or Randolph may have felt about Mr. Russell's decision, mattered not to me. I admired him for taking the initiative to pull up stakes to seek a new life. I wished I could do the same. Unfortunately, there was no real need for me to seek gold. The Flemings were financially secured. Papa owned two livery stables and a hotel in the city. I managed one of the stables. On one hand, I enjoyed the work for I love horses. But I have become weary of Cleveland. The frontier spirit that had first permeated the city before my birth had waned after four decades. Papa had enough money to outfit a journey to California. But he would have never given me the money, considering his feelings on the subject.


End of Chapter One

"THE MASTER" (2012) Photo Gallery

Below are images from "THE MASTER", Paul Thomas Anderson's new movie, which stars Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams:

"THE MASTER" (2012) Photo Gallery

Top Ten Favorite Movies of SUMMER 2012

Below is a list of my top ten (10) favorite movies from the Summer of 2012. Any movies missing from this list either have not been seen by me or simply failed to impress me.


TOP TEN FAVORITE MOVIES OF SUMMER 2012



1. "The Avengers" - In what probably is my favorite comic book hero movie of all time, various Marvel heroes band together to battle an alien invasion led by Thor's stepbrother, Loki. The movie featured superb writing and direction by Joss Whedon.





2. "Men in Black 3" - In this well written and entertaining addition to the MEN IN BLACK franchise, Agent J travels back to 1969 to prevent his partner Agent K from being erased from existence and prevent an alien invasion. Directed by Barry Sonnefeld, the movie starred Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin.





3. "The Bourne Legacy" - In this latest action-filled addition to the BOURNE franchise, government assassin Aaron Cross and a medical researcher evade Federal assassins after their black ops program is ended, following a political scandal. Written and directed by Tony Gilroy, the movie stars Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz.





4. "The Dark Knight Rises" - Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale collaborate for their exciting, yet flawed last entry in the DARK KNIGHT trilogy, in which Batman resurfaces to deal with a brutal terrorist named Bane. Tom Hardy and Anne Hathaway co-star.





5. "Snow White and the Huntsman" - In this surprisingly entertaining spin on the Snow White tale, the princess manages to convince Erik the Huntsman, who had been recruited to find her, to help her evade the evil Queen Ravenna. Directed by Rupert Friend, the movie starred Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron.





6. "Lawless" - Shia La Beouf, Guy Pearce and Tom Hardy starred in this fascinating Depression era tale about three Appalachian brothers, whose bootlegging operation attract the unwanted attention of a malevolent Federal officer. Based on Matt Bondurant's 2008 novel, "The Wettest County in the World", the movie was directed by John Hilcoat.





7. "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" - Benjamin Walker portrays the 16th U.S. president in this adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's novel about the political's second career as a vampire slayer. Timur Bekmambetov directed.





8. "Dark Shadows" - Johnny Depp starred as Barnabas Collins in Tim Burton's hilarious adaptation of the ABC television series about the vampire and his 20th century descendants. Michelle Pfieffer and Eva Green co-starred.





9. "The Amazing Spider-Man" - Andrew Garfield starred as the web slinger in this entertaining reboot of the Marvel Comics comic book hero. Directed by Marc Webb, Emma Stone and Rhys Ifans co-starred.





10. "Total Recall" - Colin Farrell starred in this second adaptation of Philip K. Dick's 1966 novella about a post-apocalypse worker, who discovers that he is actually a spy. Unlike many others, I enjoyed this version, which was directed by Len Wiseman and co-starred Jessica Biel and Kate Beckinsale.

"TOTAL RECALL" (2012) Review

"TOTAL RECALL" (2012) Review

Twenty-two years ago, moviegoers rushed to see a movie called "TOTAL RECALL", an adaptation of Philip K. Dick's 1966 novella called "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale". Directed by Paul Verhoeven, the 1990 movie starred Arnold Schwartzenegger and was a big hit.

Two decades passed before Hollywood tackled the 1964 novella for the second time. Still called "TOTAL RECALL", this new adaptation was directed by Len Wiseman. It starred Golden Globe winner Colin Farrell in the role of amnesiac Doug Quaid. The movie has been as well received as the 1990 movie. And it barely went into the black. But surprisingly, at least for me, I discovered that I prefer it over Verhoeven's version.

"TOTAL RECALL" begins at the end of the 21st century. Earth has been devastated by chemical warfare and only two habitable territories exist - the United Federation of Britain (formerly Great Britain) and the Colony (formerly Australia). The UFB is a haven for humanity's elite and white-collar employees. The less affluent population reside in the Colony, yet have low paying jobs in the UFB. They have to travel there to work in the elite's factories via "the Fall", a gravity elevator, which travels through the Earth. Habitable space is at a minimum in both the UFB and the Colony.

A disenchanted factory worker named Doug Quaid is convinced by a co-worker to visit Rekall, a company that implants artificial memories. Rekall's manager, McClane, convinces Quaid to be implanted with memories of a secret agent. But when the latter is tested to avoid having implanted memories conflicting with real memories, McClane discovers that Quaid has real memories of being a spy. McClane and his co-workers are killed by a SWAT team and Quaid instinctively reacts by killing the officers before his escape. When Quaid returns home to his wife Lori, she tries to kill him before revealing that she is not his wife of seven years, but an undercover UFB agent who has been monitoring him for the past six weeks. Quaid manages to escape and with some help and funds, make his way to the UFB to learn about his true identity. Quaid meets old girlfriend Melina upon his arrival and eventually discovers that his name is Carl Hauser, an agent who works for UFB Chancellor Vilos Cohaagen. Quaid had defected to the Resistance movement against Cohaagen's rule, became Melina's lover and was later was captured by the UFB and implanted with false memories. Quaid also learns from a recording left by him at his apartment that Cohaagen plans to use the synthetic police force to invade the Colony and kill its inhabitants in order to provide more living space for UFB.

I am sure that many are either surprised, appalled or both by my earlier declaration that I preferred this version of Dick's novella over Paul Verhoeven. I stand by my word. But that does not mean that I believe Wiseman's version was perfect. One, the movie lacked Verhoeven's style and humor. Two, despite some changes in setting, characterization and plot; the movie's story is a little too close to the 1990 movie for my tastes. I do wish that the screenplay written by Kurt Wimmer and Mark Bomback had been a little more original. And unlike the memorable fight scene between Sharon Stone and Rachel Ticotin, I was not that impressed by the one between Jessica Biel and Kate Beckinsale. It seemed a bit . . . confusing. I love Bryan Cranston as an actor. I have been a fan of his since I first saw him in "MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE". But I was not impressed by his portrayal of main villain Vilos Cohaagen. I found it a little hammy. Now Cranston can be hammy and funny at the same time. But hammy and serious? Uh . . . sorry. It just did not work for me. And I found it disappointing that an actor who won three consecutive Emmys for portraying a school teacher-turned-drug lord resorted to such theatrics in this particular movie.

Despite its flaws, I still managed to enjoy "TOTAL RECALL". And I will tell you why I enjoyed it more than the 1990 movie. Wiseman's direction may have lacked Verhoeven's style and humor. Fortunately, he also lacked Verhoeven's penchant over-the-top violence . . . the kind that makes me want to close my eyes. And I . . . am a fan of action films. Unlike the 1990 film, I was not distracted from the story by extreme violence, a trip to a very unimpressive Mars and mutants. Also, I found Farrell's first fight scene with Kate Beckinsale - who portrayed his fake wife Lori - very impressive. The idea of Sharon Stone fighting muscle man Schwartzenegger was hard to swallow when I first saw Verhoeven's film. And I still find it difficult.

The political and economical overtones of "TOTAL RECALL" strongly resonated within me. It made sense to me that the great distance between the rich and poor existed with such extremity by the end of the 21st century, considering our current economic state. In a way, the setting of "TOTAL RECALL" reminded me of last year's "IN TIME". But this movie benefited from a more solid script than the 2011 movie.

"TOTAL RECALL" also benefited from first-rate performances by the cast. Yes, I had a problem with Bryan Cranston as the main villain, Cohaagen. But I certainly cannot say the same about the rest of the cast. Colin Farrell, in his own way, can be just as effective as Schwartzenegger, as an action hero. But, he can also act rings around the latter. He certainly proved this in his portrayal of Doug Quaid/Carl Hauser. Jessica Biel not only projected a shining idealism in her portrayal of Resistance fighter, Melina; she also proved to be just as effective in action as Farrell. Kate Beckinsale nearly blew my mind as the ruthless UFB agent Lori. She re-created two roles from the 1990 movies - those portrayed by Sharon Stone as the fake wife and Michael Ironside, who portrayed Cohaagen's chief lieutenant, Ritcher - and put her own delicious and twisted spin on them. Bokeem Woodbine, whom I have not seen in years - portrayed Doug's "best friend" Harry. I have to say that he gave probably the most subtle performance in the movie. And it is a pity that he was not on the screen longer. The movie also featured brief, yet solid appearances from the likes of John Cho, Bill Nighy and Will Yun Lee.

It is a pity that "TOTAL RECALL" did not fare that well at the box. I guess it was unable to overcome the shadow of Paul Verhoeven's 1990 movie. Which is too bad, because I believe that in its own way, it was just as entertaining . . . and flawed as the earlier version. Well . . . at least I have a future DVD copy of it to look forward and enjoy.

"The Uninvited" [PG-13] - Epilogue

"THE UNINVITED"

EPILOGUE

The occupants inside Mister Dairon's office looked upon the dead warlock with shock and horror. Nearly a minute had passed before Olivia broke the silence. "Well," she commented, "that was disappointing. Now, we'll never know who had hired him."

"We know that the Magan Corporation had hired him," Cole grimly stated. "I should have known."

Gweneth shook her head, "Yes, but who's behind the Magan Corporation? We still don't know. Unless it's this daemon named Prax." She turned to Nimue. "Is this Logan fellow associated with any particular demonic group? Like the Khorne Order? Or how about a warlock coven?"

"I really don't know," Nimue replied. "I've never heard of him, until today. As for Prax being the head of the Magan Corporation . . ." She shook her head. "He does not have the ambition or imagination to attempt something like the destruction of the Whitelighter Realm."

Cole spoke up. "I recognized Eric Logan. And no, he didn't have any close association with a demonic order or a coven. In fact, the only person he was associated with was another warlock named Doris Meade. Only some witch had killed her fifteen or twenty years ago."

An angry roar erupted from Lohdon's mouth. Before anyone could do or say anything, the daemon released a stream of fire and incinerated the warlock's corpse. "I want revenge!" he cried out loud. "I swear in Caim's name that I'll find the bastard who hired this Logan and kill him! Slowly!"

"Patience Lohdon," Nimue coolly replied. "You'll have your chance for revenge."

Jack added, "She's right. It's clear that the Magan Corporation's CEO is after the Source's throne. And since you're after it as well . . . sooner or later, the two of you will meet."

Both Olivia and Cole stared at her father. "Say that again, Dad?" the young witch demanded.

The McNeill patriarch opened his mouth . . . and closed it. He had obviously revealed some kind of secret.

Cole frowned at Lohdon. "You plan to become the new Source?" When the other daemon failed to answer, Cole turned to his mother. "So, that's why you had this party. You wanted an opportunity to introduce Lohdon to Olivia's parents. The question is - why?"

"This party was for you and Olivia," Nimue replied tartly. "When Lohdon had found out about it, he asked me to invite him. He wanted to meet Jack and Gweneth, in order to obtain information on the Magan Corporation."

Gweneth added, "She's telling the truth, Cole. And you know that Jack, Elise and I never really had a problem with the idea of a new Source. One is needed to bring some kind of balance in the magical world."

"And someone like Lohdon would fit the bill. Someone who won't be inclined to do something extreme like . . . destroy the Whitelighter realm." Cole nodded. "I understand. But what I don't understand is why Edward Winslow - or whatever his name is - would want Olivia dead? And who told him and Logan about this party? And who killed Logan?"

Nimue demanded, "What are you saying?"

"Isn't it obvious, Mother?" Cole replied. "Either you or Lohdon . . . have a spy in your midst."

------------

The two Charmed Ones and their whitelighter found Leo and Wyatt inside the Solarium, upon their return to the manor. The young Elder sat in a wicker chair, rocking his sleeping son, in his arms. Leo glanced up at the trio and frowned. "Back so soon?"

"Soon?" Piper shot back. "We've been gone for at least eight hours or so. It must be . . ." she glanced at her watch and gasped. "It's only six thirty-three!"

Paige added, "Hey, that's only two-and-a-half hours, since we left."

"Time must move pretty fast in the Melora Dimension," Chris commented. "Which is odd, considering that it moves a lot slower in the Whitelighter Realm."

Leo stood up. "You know, I had forgotten about the Melora Dimension. I've visited the place, a few times, myself. It was great." He handed Wyatt over to Piper. Who sat down on the sofa. "So, how was the party?"

Paige quickly replied, "Great! The food was great. So was the food. Unfortunately . . ."

Chris added, "Unfortunately, the party became ruined when some unknown person or being killed a wizard with poison."

"What?" Leo stared at his young colleague. "There was a murder in the Melora Dimension? That hasn't happened in nearly two hundred years. What happened?"

A sigh left Piper's mouth. "It's like what Chris had said. Some female wizard had been poisoned." She paused dramatically. "After she had drank from Olivia's glass of champagne. It seemed some warlock in disguise tried to kill Olivia."

"An assassin," Paige added. "Harry caught him. But . . ."

Chris finished, ". . . someone had poisoned the warlock. And he died before he could reveal anything - other than the Magan Corporation was behind the whole thing."

Leo frowned. "The Magan Corporation? Them again. I don't understand. Why would they be after Olivia?" He stared at Chris. "You're from the future. You must know something."

"Sorry, but I don't!" Chris retorted. "In fact, I've never even heard of the Magan Corporation, until I came here to the past." Then he murmured under his breath, "I wonder if they're the ones . . ."

Paige demanded sharply, "The ones who what?"

Chris glanced up, as if he realized that he had not spoken softly enough. "Uh, nothing."

"Oh c'mon!" Paige exclaimed with a long-suffering sigh. "Not again!"

Piper stared pointedly at the whitelighter. "Chris? The ones who what?"

Chris' face turned red. He quickly mumbled, "The ones who . . . uh . . . will try to re-organize the Underworld."

"Try? You mean we had stopped them?"

Instead of answering Piper's question, Chris glanced at his watch. "Oh, I better get going. See you guys."

Piper cried out, "Chris!" But the young whitelighter had made his escape before anyone could stop him.

------------

Several hours later found Cole and Olivia inside the penthouse's master bedroom. While Cole changed into his sleeping clothes, Olivia laid on the bed, scribbling in her notebook. "What are you doing?" Cole asked, as he donned a light-blue T-shirt.

Olivia continued to write in the notebook. "Writing down a few notes for my Book of Shadows."

"Book of . . .?" Cole shook his head and smiled wryly. "I should have known. No wonder you were being so friendly to many of the daemons at the party. Trying to worm a few secrets on the demonic world? You could have just asked me." He slid into the bed.

Olivia pecked her fiancé's cheek. "No offense honey, but I'm afraid that you don't know everything."

"Oh really?"

Green eyes settled upon Cole's face. "Well, did you know about Guldur grabbing a special chalice from the Delphi Temple for some wizard?"

Cole sighed. "Okay, you got me there. It's too bad that we still don't know who's the CEO of the Magan Corporation." He paused. "Or why he wants you dead."

"I wish I knew. I mean . . . why me?"

After Olivia had tossed her notebook on the nightstand, Cole drew her into his arms. "Well, you are the Aingeal Staff Bearer. Which makes you very dangerous to him. Even if he does become the Source."

"You're just as dangerous to him," Olivia reminded the half-daemon. "And the Halliwells. So, why send an assassin after me?"

All Cole could do was give his fiancée a tight hug. Especially since he had no answer for her question.

------------

Artemus examined his Atropa Belladonna plant and spotted a small brown insect crawling along one wide, green leaf. He immediately picked up the bug with his thumb and forefinger and squashed it. At that moment, Prax entered the greenhouse. "Pardon me, sir. You have a visitor. In the Magneta Room."

A sigh left Artemus' mouth. "Thank you, Prax. Send Ameddo in there, as well for a few drinks. I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Yes sir." Prax paused at the door. "By the way, Artemus. I haven't heard from Mr. Logan. I can only assume that the visit is about him."

"Thank you, Prax." After his assistant had left, Artemus removed his smock and washed his hands. Then he teleported out of the greenhouse and into one of the manor's elegant drawing-room. The vivid coloring of the room's draperies and wallpaper had led the daemon to name it the Magneta Room. Inside, he found his guest sitting on the sofa with a glass of martini and looking very anxious. "Judging from your expression and Prax's announcement that Mr. Logan is missing, I can only assume that everything did not go as planned."

Idril placed her glass on the table before her, and regarded her benefactor with fearful eyes. "I'm afraid not, Artemus. Mr. Logan had . . . fed the poison to the witch's drink, as planned. Only . . ."

"Yes?" Artemus headed for the liquor cabinet, where he found a glass of bourbon that had been prepared for him by his manservant. He picked up the drink and headed for his favorite leather chair. "Only what?" He regarded the young demoness with an intense stare.

Squirming slightly, Idril continued, "Someone else had ended up drinking the poison. Adrianne Evans."

Mention of the well-known wizard caught Artemus by surprise. "Adrianne? What was she doing at Belthazor's engagement party?" An unpleasant thought came to the daemon. "Was Lohdon there, by any chance?"

Idril nodded unhappily. "Along with several members of the Fornost Order. I saw Lohdon and Adrianne talking with Nimue and the witch's parents. They seemed very chummy."

"I see." Artemus' stomach began turning flips. He had long harbored a deep suspicion that Nimue might try to assume the Source's throne. He had no idea that she had managed to recruit support from Lohdon, of all people. Both daemons, along with Artemus, were heads of at least three of the five most powerful demonic orders within the old Source's realm. If Nimue had managed to recruit Lohdon's support, all she needed was support from the remaining two top demonic orders. Unfortunately for Artemus, he had only managed to recruit support from minor demonic factions, but no one from the Big Five. And to make matters worse, Olivia McNeill remains alive and her family, involved with both Nimue and Lohdon. Artemus asked his guest, "And what happened to Mr. Logan?"

Idril sipped her drink. "He's dead. Belthazor had cast a magical shield around the ballroom at the Berisa Resort, preventing anyone from leaving. I'm afraid that this made Mr. Logan . . . rather anxious. So, I felt it was necessary to make sure that he would never reveal anything. It's a good thing I had poisoned his drink. Ms. McNeill's brother had caught on to Mr. Logan and turned him over to Belthazor."

"Are you sure that Mr. Logan is dead?"

A smug smile curved Idril's lips. "Oh yes. I had peeked into the hotel manager's office. He died just before he had the chance to reveal anything. Although I do believe that Belthazor and the others are suspicious of your company."

Artemus dismissed Idril's last sentence with a shrug. "They've been suspicious of the Magan Corporation since last summer." He gave the demoness an appraising stare. "Perhaps I should have allowed you to take care of Ms. McNeill."

"I don't think that would have been a good idea," Idril commented. "I had already taken a chance at appearing at the party with Melkora's invitation, in the first place. And I suspect that both Belthazor and Nimue were suspicious of me." She paused. "Do you, uh . . . still plan to get rid of Belthazor's witch?"

"I have no choice. Now that I know that she and her parents are involved with both Nimue and Lohdon, the prospects of Tiresias' prophecy about the Source's throne seem more certain than ever."

Idril added, "And Belthazor?"

Artemus stared at the demoness. There seemed to be a catch in her voice. "Well, he has to die, of course. He's the main threat. I wish I could kill him first, but . . ." He sighed. "Belthazor might prove to be a bit more difficult. I have asked an alchemist to find out how the Crozats came so close to killing Belthazor, last year." He gave Idril a thoughtful stare. "Does the idea of Belthazor's death upset you?"

"Why should it?" Idril turned her attention to her drink.

The older daemon continued, "Because you seem slightly upset, my dear. And I do recall you being quite fond of him. I would hate for your feelings to interfere in this opportunity."

Idril snorted with derision. "I'm a daemon, Artemus. We don't fall in love."

Artemus regarded the younger daemon with pitying eyes. "You still view that nonsense about our inability to love as fact? My dear Idril, that was nothing more than propaganda perpetrated by the former Source in an attempt to hide the fact that he had fallen in love, centuries ago." Idril's eyes widen in shock. "Oh yes? You didn't know? My former mentor had told me. Before he had become the Source, he had fallen in love with this female sorceress. A human. She spurned him and he ended up developing a deep hatred for all humans. Personally, I believe he had drummed up that silly nonsense about daemons being unable to love in order to hide the fact that he had once experienced love. And I believe that he had considered himself immune to the emotion . . . until Belthazor's feelings for one of the Charmed Ones had affected him."

"But Raynor had . . ."

"My dear, if there are daemons who are definitely not evil - like those of the Gimle Order - then we are most definitely capable of love." Artemus paused. "I've been in love. Once. It did not work out. But I survived. I have no problem with you falling in love . . . as long as you don't allow your emotions to cloud your judgment or get in the way of business."

Again, Idril took another sip. "I see."

Artemus stared at her. "You're not in love with Belthazor, are you?"

Mirthless laughter rose from Idril's throat. "Of course not. Granted, I still find him very attractive. I can't deny that. But the closest I've ever been in . . . love, as you say, was probably with Raynor." She added before taking another sip, "And not that much. Business always comes first with me."

Again, Artemus stared at the demoness. A small worm of doubt wiggled within him - despite her air of sincerity. He only hoped that he had not made a mistake by including her in his plans to assume control of the Source's Realm. Perhaps he should keep a close eye on her. Satisfied with his decision, Artemus took a deep breath and finished his drink.


THE END

Understanding "BABYLON FIVE" (4.06) "Into the Fire"

UNDERSTANDING "BABYLON FIVE" (4.06) "INTO THE FIRE"

I have seen the Season Four episode, (4.06) "Into the Fire", on numerous occasions, since I first started watching the series, "BABYLON 5", over twenty years ago. But several years ago, I had experienced an epiphany about the episode that still makes me shake my head to this day.

My opinion of "Into the Fire" had always been somewhat lukewarm in the past. When I first saw it, I had assumed it would be another episode that featured a large-scale battle - similar to episodes like (1.13) "Signs and Portents", (3.10) "Severed Dreams" and (4.15) "No Surrender, No Retreat". There were battle sequences featured in "Into the Fire", but not to the extent that I would consider it as an action-heavy episode.

Sue me. I had been young and stupid in those days. I had believed a top-notch "BABYLON FIVE" episode should always consist of a large-scale battle. But I finally saw the light. I finally understood what "Into the Fire" was really about. Well, I take that back. I had always understood since I first viewed the episode. But I was so disappointed by the lack of a real battle that I had allowed the message to pass over my head.

But not during that viewing some ten to twelve years ago. Anticipating to be bored out of my mind, I had finally allowed J. Michael Straczynski's message to filter into my brain. I finally understood and accepted the messages about parental or colonial figures letting go and allowing the young - whether they were individuals or nations - to grow in their own ways. And in the end, it brought tears to my eyes. Much to my surprise. Thank you Mr. Straczynski for a first-rate television episode. And please accept my apologies for allowing so many years to pass before finally getting the message.

"SENSE AND SENSIBILITY" (1981) Review

"SENSE AND SENSIBILITY" (1981) Review

Jane Austen's 1811 novel, "Sense and Sensibility" has been a favorite with her modern-day fans. The novel has produced at least three television and two movie adaptations and a literary parody. However, this review is about the seven-part, 1981 BBC adaptation. 

Directed by Rodney Bennett and adapted by Alexander Baron and Denis Constanduros, "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY"starred Irene Richards and Tracey Childs as the two main protagonists - sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. The story focused on the sisters' attempts to find happiness in the tightly structured society of early 19th century England. Through their experiences with men and their relationship with each other, Elinor and Marianne learn that one must strive for a balance of both sense and sensibility.

From an overall point of view, this "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY" seemed to be a solid adaptation of Austen's 1811 novel. I have noticed in many articles and reviews of Austen adaptations made in the 1970s and 1980s, fans tend to view them as"faithful" in compare to later ones. Frankly, I have yet to see an Austen adaptation made before or after 1986 as completely faithful. And I can extend this opinion to this 1981 production. One, Baron and Constanduros' screenplay began with the grieving Dashwood women returning to Norland Hall, after viewing a potential new home. And there is no sign of a Margaret Dashwood - the youngest of the three sisters - in sight. But since the other versions of the novel are no more or less faithful, I do not have a problem with this. But I did have a problem with the miniseries' ending. It featured Edward Ferrars asking for Elinor's hand in marriage and Colonel Brandon commencing his courtship of a receptive Marianne. That is it. The ending seemed a bit too abrupt for my tastes.

And I had other problems with "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY". I realize that the male characters in Austen's novel were not as strongly written as the female characters. But the uninspiring casting in this production made their roles seem even weaker. I am sorry to say that Bosco Hogan as Edward Ferrars did not impress me. He gave a solid, yet lackluster performance. Peter Woodward gave a charming performance as the novel's ne'er-do-well, John Willoughby. Unfortunately, Woodward's presence barely made a dent in the production. And his biggest scene - in which Willoughby expressed remorse for his bad treatment of Marianne to Elinor - featured some over-the-top acting. But not all of the male performers disappointed me. 

Watching Diana Fairfax's performance as Mrs. Dashwood, I found myself wondering why Elinor was forced to assume so much responsibility for their household at Barton Cottage. Fairfax's Mrs. Dashwood barely seemed like the emotional widow who was forced to come down to earth by her more sensible older daughter. She seemed just as sensible in her own way. Annie Leon's portrayal of Mrs. Jennings struck me as pleasant, affable and very supportive of the Dashwood sisters. But there was something missing in her performance. She seemed subdued in compare to Austen's portrayal of the character. Leon's Mrs. Jennings failed to be the nosy, cheeful vulgarian that I had come to love. I barely remember Marjorie Bland's portrayal of Mrs. Jennings' older daughter, Lady Middleton. She failed to leave a mark in my memories. I could say the same about Hetty Baynes as Mrs. Jennings' younger daughter, Mrs. Charlotte Palmer. And Margot Van der Burgh's Mrs. Ferrars seemed more like a dress rehearsal for Lady Catherine de Bourgh in Austen's "Pride and Prejudice".

But there were performances that impressed me. Julia Chambers and Pippa Sparks made a very entertaining Lucy and Ann Steele. I was especially impressed by Chambers' performance, which struck a fine balance between Lucy's scheming and desperation to become a member of the respectable and wealthy Ferrars family. Philip Bowen's portrayal of Robert Ferrars struck me as rather funny. He gave the character a foppish edge that I have never seen in other portrayals of the character. Donald Douglas was certainly down-to-earth in an affable manner as Mrs. Dashwood's cousin, Sir John Middleton. Amanda Boxer gave a spot-on portrayal of the cold-blooded and domineering Fanny Dashwood. At first, I was not that impressed by Robert Swann's portrayal of Colonel Brandon. However, as the story progressed, Swann skillfully revealed the character's passion and emotions behind the stoic facade. But the one performance that really impressed me was Peter Gale's as the Dashwood family's new patriarch, John. Although he gave a solid performance in the miniseries' early episodes, he really came into his own in the role, when the story shifted to London. I was especially impressed by one scene in which Gale's John tried to point out the suitability of Colonel Brandon as a match for Elinor. Both Irene Richards and Tracey Childs gave solid performances as Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. The two actresses did a first-rate job of holding the miniseries together as the the leads. And both were somewhat spot-on in their portrayal of the two sisters. Mind you, I would have liked if Richards had revealed the passion that Elinor harbored for Edward in small moments. And I wish that Childs' Marianne was not so sober - especially in a few scenes in the miniseries' earlier episodes. But in the end, they did a good job.

As far as production design goes, I am afraid that Paul Joel did a solid job. But there was nothing about his work that I found particularly impressive. I suspect that he may have been hampered by the budget. I was NOT impressed by Dorothea Wallace's costumes. Frankly, I found them rather cheap looking and in some cases, slightly ill fitting. Like the miniseries' production design, it was probably hampered by the budget. Overall, I would have to say that this "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY" was the least impressive looking adaptation I have ever seen.

"SENSE AND SENSIBILITY" had its virtues. Both Irene Richards and Tracey Childs gave solid performances and kept this production together, along with director Rodney Bennett. The supporting cast also included memorable performances from the likes of Peter Gale, Amanda Boxer, Donald Douglas, Julia Chambers and Peter Woodward. And screenwriters Alexander Baron and Denis Constanduros managed to create a solid script that was nearly faithful to the story. But due to a good number of disappointing performances and a rather cheap looking production, this is probably my least favorite adaptation of Austen's novel.