The Brontes of Haworth   (British mini-series)

 

Picture: C     Sound: C     Extras: D     Episodes: B-

 

 

British TV did what it could to keep up with the American innovation of the mini-series and fared better than most.  The Brontes of Haworth (1974) is an interesting example.  The five parts (running 262 minutes) tells the tale of the literary legends Charlotte, Emily, and Anne, and how sadly their lives went with their family and their end.  Along with their parents, there was their bright, but alcoholic brother Branwell who were siblings ahead of their time.  The world turned out not to be so accommodating.

 

Early on, they seem to have the potential to be a happy family, but the girls alone already show their brightness and inquisitive minds.  As time goes on, they do not quite integrate into society or find what is around them as challenging and interesting as expectation.  Their work becomes the way they group together what does work and stand out for them.  Some may argue that the gender of the ladies was an obstacle, but the problems with brother Branwell, who seems like a “good chap” from this program, speaks of some kind of dysfunctionality that is not obvious or heavy, but present enough to be a problem.

 

Writer/director Marc Miller obviously has an interest in his subject, but the shows drag a bit, though this was likely more watchable thirty years ago before such programs were so commonplace.  We also do not learn as much about their work and how it connects with life, as we might like.  This is a well-cast, well-acted show, but that can only stop the parts that drag form doing so so much.

 

The full screen image is one of those British mixes of videotape and film (or tape transferred to film) that makes for odd viewing as the film stock is not in great condition with artifacts and age, while he color videotape does not have the strongest color.  This is a few years before Yorkshire did The Sandbaggers and what a difference a few years makes.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is unremarkable and barely passable.  Extras include an extensive DVD-ROM section on the sister’s history and six sections of their works, while all DVD players can access their quotes and abbreviated bibliographies.

 

BFS offers this program in a two-DVD package, which has a nice cover.  They keep bringing out many interesting British and even Australian programs we might not otherwise see.  Literary fans will be particularly interested in this set, for whom the program may not drag as much.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo