The Buccaneers
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 | Product Details: Studio: BBC Warner Region: 1 Rating:   Sales Rank: 4880 | | Look for similar DVDs by genre: | | Customers who bought this item also bought:
| | Customer Reviews: Illuminates 1870's Marriage Alliances Between American & English Families (02 August 2010)Backdrop: In the latter half of the 1800's, America's New York was a rising industrial and financial giant. Many "old money" families like the Vanderbilt's and Astor's began to look to England to secure English titles to add to their prestige. Whereas, the "new moneyed" Americans denied admittance into New York society, also looked to England for a title and acceptance. On the other hand, where England was still a colonial power with extreme amounts of wealth in the hands of a few landed gentry, many of these landed English families were cash poor; thus paving the way for marriage alliances to be formed across the Atlantic. The Story: Edith Wharton's unfinished novel, The Buccaneers takes place within these historical times, and portrays the hazards that develop when socially driven families manipulate and connive young minds through the use of duty, honor, title and wealth. This BBC production is splendidly done, with grand costumes of the day, beautiful locations, and strong performances by the cast. One slight drawback is that several key characters seem to simply fade away within the story, so that the emotional investment is oddly lost and dismissed for three of the four girls halfway through the series. The ending developed from Wharton's notes is satisfying, at the same time that it is unsettling. For true to the time, women's choices were difficult, and often crushing. Surprisingly, you may find that you'll think on this story long afterwards. One of the BEST mini series' I've seen in a long time! (26 July 2010)I LOVED this mini series! It has drama, romance, history, beautiful costumes, everything I want in a good mini series. Once I started watching I couldn't stop! If you love a good period drama this is definitely for you. I love Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Our Mutual Friend and I would definitely rate The Buccaneers up there with them! I definitely rate this as a mini series 10/10 and highly recommend it for a girls weekend away! Great mini-series (04 July 2010)I saw this series when it first came out and loved it. I purchased the dvd on Amazon but forgot to write a review. Several reviews blasted this film but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Period pieces are among my favorites and this did not disappoint. It is older now and you can see the actors, now older too, in many current films. James Frain for instance in Where the Heart Is. The costuming is amazing, good acting and interesting cultural information of the times make it a superior series, in my opinion The Buccaneers (12 June 2010)I found the movie easy to follow, if a trifle too dramatic for my taste. The era is timeless and romantic, the costumes stunning. The characters are played well. A Primer On Aristocracy and Differences Between England and America (02 May 2010)This is not a 'happily-ever-after' kind of a story. The plot is convoluted. Cinderella is nowhere to be seen. Moral values are few and hard to find, and just when you think you've found someone who has brains and/or morals, if that's your goal, the plot takes another turn. It's an attractive movie as far as backgrounds and clothes. I watched this several years ago and forgot that I had watched it, which says something, and started it again. After several false starts, losing interest and starting again, I made it through to the end, and came out with some 'lessons' that this series teaches. -America is different from England, as if we didn't already know that, but I hadn't realized just how different we really are/were. -English 'gentlemen' don't work. -English 'gentleman' often have LAND but NO MONEY. They must marry rich or lose the land. -English 'gentleman' are willing to marry for money and find their love elsewhere. -English 'gentleman' are not always very nice and sometimes downright cruel to their wives. -It is frowned upon when an English gentleman decides that he wants to earn a living, just not done! It's also frowned upon when they want to marry outside their position in life. -Americans don't have a clue how the English system works, but it sounds/looks like fun, so we want to participate in it, and if we have the money for it, they will let us do it. -American women in the 1800s had no rights, were treated like children, and in some cases were downright silly, probably because they were expected to be. It certainly didn't pay for them to have brains, or values not appreciated by their families, and try to use them. I tried very hard to find characters that I could relate to or care about. Finally I found one and hoped she would continue behaving herself appropriately through the whole story. How did that turn out? You'll have to see it and decide for yourself. |
