Reviews

I doubt that there was anything accidental about the factual distortion, but what good is history anyway when "We learn from history that we learn nothing from history." But at least here we have top notch entertainment. I agree with some of the other people who voiced their comments that this show is not a bland documentary, but it is very good and juicy entertainment. The cast is excellent. I am mesmerized by the actress who plays Anne Boylin, she fits the role and the time so well and she plays her role perfectly. Her face is refreshingly beautiful and original, her eyes are captivating. It's absolutely believable that Henry would fall head over heels over her and be so moved as to stop at nothing. Her counterpart, Queen Catherine of Aragon is fabulous too. I enjoy the role played by Sam Neill. He is without a shadow of doubt a great actor. I love him in the role he played in Dr. Zhivago, and I love his acting now as Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. Jonathan Rhys Meyers is also fantastic. He portrays the multifaceted character of the king perfectly. I am hooked on this show and highly recommend it.

David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd tread lightly but surely on a dangerous political territory exposing human shortcomings, hypocrisies, and conflicting driving forces and with their delightful sense of humor they win the audience over every time. But I am not sure how this show would be received in France, or Germany, or England even. Putting the characters into the shoes of superficial caricatures of resistance fighters to exploit this very opportune vantage point, while from a comical perspective as it offers a lot of grounds for humor is genius, in reality it is a bit insensitive. I am thinking of the resistance fighters of my own country whose first hand accounts I read quiet a lot and having done so I would have a difficult time laughing if there was a silly series as such made about them. But, it takes genius of the duo of producers in this series, to perpetuate stereotypes with such elegance and wit. After seeing the You Rang M'Lord series it is hard to say that Allo Allo is good. It by far falls short. It felt like there the plot and the characters did not evolve much or smoothly, the characters were not as multidimensional as in You Rang M'lord, and the different aspects of each character were not explored in various scenarios. It also felt like the producers perhaps were not operating with a theme and historical setting through which they could maneuver in a very liberal sort of way. However, standing alone this series is nevertheless funny in a silly kind of way. It has several catchy lines, the caricature characters are comical, and overall it is very entertaining. Some characters were more entertaining than others; I found the acting of the old lady, Edith, Herr Grueber, Helga and the old musician to be hilarious while Rene, the two barmaids, Herr Flik, and the women of the resistance left a lot to be desired. Nevertheless, I highly recommend it.

I cannot count how many times I have seen the episodes since I bought the DVD's. Without reservation, it is the best sitcom ever. In terms of the quality of humor it is of the similar caliber as Blackadder and Monty Python. It is thoroughly engaging and entertaining. The layers of humor, the subtlety of the humor, the characterization, the historical value, the witty dialogues, the various clever interplays between the characters are superior to anything else that has been produced. It is excellent on so many different levels.

It portrays a tug-of-war between the different desires and needs of various characters, and the different classes; how the class system reflects itself in the building of the characters and relationships, their faults and how these character shortcoming develop into various events and how these result in complex social webs. It portrays a very real struggle for survival in a jungle of desires, shortcomings, boredom, propriety, poverty, wealth......all weaved together in very funny episodes.

This interpretation of the novel is horrible. The characterization is poor. Some characters unsuccessfully attempt to be three dimensional against a backdrop of one dimensional cast of caricatures. The whole thing is silly. Sally Hawkins plays her role so unnaturally. She's received as being socially handicapped as opposed to being repressed by the society. I was annoyed with her acting and her ridiculous mannerisms and facial expressions. She did not fit the character of Anne Elliot at all. Her face annoyed me; her perpetually gaping whimpering mouth annoyed me; she overacted with her unconvincing eyes; her hair despite some locks that attempted at femininity and conformity to social norm were not at all feminine. She came off as a repulsive socially handicapped duckling. She should be cast as some kind of a troll or elf role in Lord of the Rings or play an alien role in a remake of Star Trek. This actress lacked the self-possession which characterizes all of Jane Austen's main characters. The girl who plays Anne Boylin on the Tudors would have been a much more suitable choice. All jest aside, I did not sympathize with the inner turmoil as it was portrayed by this actress. The actress was miscast. All throughout she drapes herself in the pretense of being pathetically apologetic, self-effacing, self sacrificing and oh so humble and sensible while sporting a most creepy, insensitive, opportunistic, self indulgent smile of hope in the scene where her "romantic rival" falls tragically and she over the unconscious girl's body, with her perpetually bobbing head on the annoying neck glances into the Captain Wentworth's eyes. This scene was creepy and surely not what Jane Austen intended. Also all the running around town with the letter was unbelievable and then at the end of this run with her gaping mouth running straight into the two talking men with music playing in the background and her unnatural and suggestive gasping for air. Silly at best in my estimation. This movie unwittingly made a farce out of the central romance. I think even Captain Wentworth was not swept away with Anne Elliot; one could observe fleeting glances of repulsion rather than attraction and the prolonged kissing scene with Sally Hawkins visible drool between her lips in the middle of the street was the climax of the how horrid this production really was and made me laugh out loud. Give me a break - was that supposed to me romantic or was the intention to disgust the audience. I was the latter. I am very disappointed at this very poor remake of a very good novel. It does not do justice to Jane Austen's penmanship, her characterization, or her subtle sense of humor. It is truly awful.