Let us just pretend that North and South III......
does not exist. It's a totally different story.
shareYou're right. I have never thought of it as a sequel to NORTH AND SOUTH. But why is it so weak? I'll tell you...the distance of time between 1986 when they made Book II and 1994 is too big. Therefore, it all did not have reference, it was just all too artificial.
Just have a look. Book II was filmed one year after Book I and everything fitted, was great
The lag between 1986 and 1994 is also important for another reason - by 1994 the era of the big-budget miniseries was long over, ever since War & Remembrance in 1988. I can't think of any more recent miniseries that could compare to the sheer grandeur of those of the 1970s and 1980s: North and South I & II, The Winds of War, Roots, The Thorn Birds, Centennial, etc.
Combined with other factors - Heaven & Hell was the weakest novel in the trilogy, there were too many plot differences between the novels and the miniseries by the end of Book II, too many actors didn't return to reprise their roles in Book III - this makes a recipe for disaster.
I don't like Book III either, but I'm glad to have it just to complete the collection. I remember scouring the stores in the 90s (pre-Internet, pre-DVD) trying to find it on VHS, even calling Warner Brothers to find out if it was ever going to be on home video. A very nice lady called me back and politely said "No." I finally was able to find someone who had taped it from television and who allowed me to copy it.
If they hadn't released the whole set on DVD, I'd still be calling that nice lady at Warner Brothers about it. :)
Yeah, I'm watching Book III right now (have to take a break because it's just sooo bad!). The only thing worth watching on that particular DVD (in the boxed set) is a feature "look back" at the series. Some of the actors are in it (Swayze, James Read, Lesley-Anne Down).
They not only waited far too long to film Book III, the returning characters don't seem anything like they once were. Madeline has lost her earlier fire and spirit and seems to be dreamy-eyed and simpering all the time. Cooper Main, who is Orry's older brother, was never mentioned in Books I and II (although he is in the novels) just appears out of nowhere. Charles Main is portrayed by someone else and seems to be half-witted at times. Only George Hazard seems the same.
Bent -- wow, he's really gone "bent." His accent is not as strong it was in Books I and II.
I'm glad to have Book III to complete my collection too, but I don't think I can stand to watch it again.
I can't think of any more recent miniseries that could compare to the sheer grandeur of those of the 1970s and 1980s
Look to England, my friend; look to England:
Parade's End (2012)
Horatio Hornblower
Sharpe's Rifles (1st in a series of 14 tv films)
To the Ends of the Earth
the Devil's Whore
The Mayor of Casterbridge
Far From the Madding Crowd
Garrow's Law
The Forsyte Saga
Bleak House
David Copperfield (1999)
Little Dorrit
Nicholas Nickleby
North & South 2004 (based on a novel by Elizabeth Gaskell)
That's a short list off the top of my head, and I deliberately left out some excellent mini series such as Pride and Prejudice et al because I was tryihg to list the ones that had more appeal to the masculine sex, with more action sequences and subject matter.
share
Sharpe's Rifle was a singular film. If it had not done well, then the others would not have been made.
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