"Vanity Fair" (1998) TV mini-series

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

24 October 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot Keywords:

Rags To Riches | Costume Drama | Money | Boarding School | Unrequited Love

Awards:

5 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Natasha Little	...	Becky Sharp (6 episodes, 1998)
Frances Grey	...	Amelia Sedley (6 episodes, 1998)
David Ross	...	Mr. Sedley / ... (6 episodes, 1998)
Philip Glenister	...	William Dobbin (6 episodes, 1998)
Michele Dotrice	...	Mrs. Sedley (5 episodes, 1998)
Janine Duvitski	...	Mrs. Bute Crawley (5 episodes, 1998)
Anton Lesser	...	Mr. Pitt Crawley (5 episodes, 1998)
Nathaniel Parker	...	Rawdon Crawley (5 episodes, 1998)
Jeremy Swift	...	Jos Sedley (4 episodes, 1998)
Tom Ward	...	George Osborne (4 episodes, 1998)
Stephen Frost	...	Bute Crawley (4 episodes, 1998)
Tim Woodward	...	Mr. John Osborne (4 episodes, 1998)
Janet Dale	...	Miss Briggs (4 episodes, 1998)
Frances Tomelty	...	Mrs. O'Dowd (4 episodes, 1998)
Mark Lambert	...	Major O'Dowd (4 episodes, 1998)
David Bradley	...	Sir Pitt Crawley (3 episodes, 1998)
John Surman	...	Horrocks (3 episodes, 1998)
Miriam Margolyes	...	Miss Crawley (3 episodes, 1998)
Daniel Hart	...	Ensign Stubble (3 episodes, 1998)
Abigail Thaw	...	Jane Osborne (3 episodes, 1998)
Bryan Pringle	...	Raggles (3 episodes, 1998)
Linal Haft	...	Moss (3 episodes, 1998)
Eleanor Bron	...	Lady Bareacres (3 episodes, 1998)
Sarah Crowden	...	Lady Blanche (3 episodes, 1998)
Graham Crowden	...	Lord Bareacres (3 episodes, 1998)
Sylvestra Le Touzel	...	Lady Jane Crawley (3 episodes, 1998)
Gerard Murphy	...	Lord Steyne (3 episodes, 1998)
Robert Cole	...	Little Rawdon (3 episodes, 1998)
Zohren Weiss	...	Little Georgey (3 episodes, 1998)

Runtime:

50 min (6 episodes)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:PG | UK:PG | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, UK

Company:

A&E Television Networks

Trivia:

The blue gown with white sleeves Abigail Thaw (Jane Osborne) wears at dinner is the same costume Amanda Hale (Mary Musgrove) wears in Persuasion (2007) (TV) during the scene in which Mary and Charles arrive at Camden Place in Bath. The same costume was also previously worn by Polly Walker (Jane Fairfax) in Emma (1996), during the wedding scene at the end of the film, and by Tanya Samuel in "The Regency House Party" (2004).

Quotes:

Becky Sharp: I am innocent. Before God, Rawdon, I AM innocent! Tell him I'm innocent!

Movie Connections:

Version of Vanity Fair (1932/I)

Soundtrack:

When I Am Laid In Earth

Brilliant lead role

I haven't seen the new version (it's not out in the theaters yet here), but the fuss led me to re-watch the DVD of the mini-series. I agree with the comments that this is not the top-of-the-drawer BBC miniseries, although there are some very dramatic scenes, particularly as the venue of the film shifts to Brussels in the lead-up to Waterloo. Natasha Little is indeed bewitching as Becky Sharp, a slippery character if ever there was one, and it will be interesting to see how Reese Witherspoon will cope with this role. Perhaps since Ms. Little is much less well-known than Ms. Witherspoon, she has more scope for creating a unique image of the ambitious Becky Sharp. I look forward to the comparison.