Vanity Fair

[JaneJeffer]

I'm finding Rebecca annoying. I haven't read the book so have no idea if she's meant to be.

Useless fact of the day: the bloke who plays Dobbin wrote and sang the music for Detectorists.

I’m quite enjoying it and quite like Becky. She is desparate to make a good marriage as the alternative is being a spinster governess or living on the streets.

I read Vanity Fair for the first time a few months ago and loved it so much I’m about a third of the way through reading it for the second time at the moment.
I predicted on the 50 books thread that I would bitch and moan about the tv adaptation so here I am for a bitch and moan
As CourageCamille says the narrator (Thackeray’s) voice is missing and without it a huge amount of the humour and insights into the characters are lost. So disappointing that we are given the wonderful Michael Palin as Thackeray at the beginning who gives us the opening lines of the novel and then he disappears completely for the rest of the episode. Such a shame. No reason why he couldn’t be the one breaking the fourth wall to address the viewer during various important scenes, or even making comments as a voice over. The scenes are lovely with their period details but it feels so, so much flatter than the book with this major ‘character’ missing.

I’m not convinced that the actress playing Becky has quite the acting chops necessary to convey that in every scene in which Becky appears she is scheming and manipulating. This is why she is such a fantastic antihero; smart, savvy and constantly playing the game with only a few people marking her for the psychopath she truly is, which brings me onto Dobbin...

Dobbin is far too handsome. When he appeared I made a noise of crossness. He is meant to be a great gangling, clumsy embarrassment of elbows, feet and sticky-out-ears. What’s the bloody point in having a gorgeous Dobbin? He’s there to be the contrast to the magnificent George and his tremendous mustachios? Urgh. WRONG.

George is far too nice and in love with Amelia at the moment. He’s meant to be rather dismissive and bored of her at this point in the book which will then add drama and great character complexity what happens to heir relationship next.

Liked Martin Clunes as Sir Pitt. I understand that will have to cut huge chunks out of a book that is nearly 900 pages long, but was sad to see they missed the scene where he gives Becky a delicious supper of boiled tripe and a third of an onion.

Saying all that, I still enjoyed it. I’m quite happy looking at the costumes, jewellery and the lovely period wallpaper if the acting is a bit dodgy. Will definitely be watching the entire series and muttering away in the sofa how it’s not right.

Does anyone know if it's on in Ireland?

Oh yes, and Jos Sedley was not nearly fat enough, although they did do his outrageous clothes perfectly. Full marks to the costume designer there.

I'm undecided so far. Will watch episode 2 before committing to watching rage full series

I love the book so much that I can't bear to watch it. If you're going to change it,why not write your own bloody book to go from? (This is from watching the trailers). It seems that the lovely Anthony Head is playing Lord Steyne. In the book a physically and morally disgusting man. Who wouldn't sleep with Anthony Head , given the chance? Like the stupid casting of Dobbin and Josh, it makes the book a pale shadow of itself - Mills and Boone in bonnets.

I was looking forward to this from the trailers, but I won't be watching the next episode. I didn't like it at all. If it's meant to be funny (I haven't read the book) it's not making me laugh at all - just cringy and lacking in substance.

ken it's on UTV.

So much of the lighting seems off - particularly in / outside the Sedley’s house, everything had an orange tinge. Some of the shots looked a bit weirdly staged as well (thinking Miss Pinkerton vs Becky and Jos/Becky on the sofa).

I agree with others, it’s all a bit shiny and shallow. I’m not really a big fan of ‘modern’ costume dramas, I prefer the classics like Wives & Daughters, North & South - even Poldark feels more ‘real’ than this in terms of feeling for the characters and caring what happens to them.

I saw someone on Twitter describe it as ‘costume drama for the Snapchat generation!

Oh where do I start?! Firstly, love the book which is why I'm watching! Re the use of author as a character, I don't seem to remember this in earlier productions/film. It definitely adds to the production, and I hope we see more of Thackeray, there are some wonderful asides in the book such as when Sir Pitt's rich spinster sister appears the author gets carried away in a daydream of having such a rich aunt and how he and his wife would make a fuss of her on her visits. Does it really matter at this moment that George isn't shown as tiring of Amelia? He certainly appears to be taking her for granted, and is selfishly concerned for his own status with regard to her as he doesn't want a future brother-in-law marrying beneath him. I thought the scenes at Vauxhall were enjoyable. The racism in the book isn't glossed over (Jos' parents not wanting him to bring home a black Mrs Sedley) but we are given an antidote to this in the eloquent looks from Sam the black footman; he is also astute enough to see through Becky but I don't think this is in the book. I was disappointed that they seemed to sideline another black character - Miss Swartz the West Indian heiress who was only shown among the other pupils at the school. whereas in the book she was so fond of Amelia and cried buckets when her dear friend left ....she should appear later though! Re Dobbin, I was delighted they'd made him handsome because he's the decentest man in the book!

I'm enjoying it.

I was trying to remember the adaptation I really liked with Philip Glenister as a very believable Dobbin. 1998 it was filmed in - feels like it was only a few years ago.

I'm not going to watch the rest of it - feeling like maybe I'm just too old to enjoy it.

rookiemere It was the BBC's adaptation written by Andrew Davies you're talking about, and it's to my mind one of the best tv adaptations ever. The casting is spot-on, unlike ITV's. I also think Natasha Little as Becky was perfect because although you find yourself rooting for Becky, you don't actually like her.

I get unreasonably annoyed at details like the sign for Miss Pinkerton school being so cheaply printed on a piece of plastic /brass surely they can run to an engraved sign? Attention to detail makes or breaks it

Also the modern day woohoo she did on the carousel set my teeth on edge

Don't like the modern day music with trailers.

This is just just showing how brilliant the BBC are at period drama.

Dead right Chango - I was so looking forward to this and it is just a bit of lightweight, dumbed down shite.

It doesn't seem terribly close to the book so far, the characters are 2-dimensional and not believable for their era, and of course - in my mind is the superb BBC adaptation.

I recorded episode 1 and am watching it at the moment - and it is dreadful.

Becky Sharpe is not a nice person - she isn't intended to be - but the BBC actress had the character down to a tee - not merely mercenary but also clever, witty and charming - you could see why men would fall at her feet. This actress is very pretty but just doesn't have that extra quality which Becky Sharpe has. The author of the book makes it very clear that she is one of those women who can wind most men around her little finger - a woman of incredible sexual allure. This new Becky doesn't have that oomph!

Though Becky isn't a nice person, she is in many way an admirable one, in that she fights like a tigress to get a decent life for herself - she is wholly selfish, but she won't let anything stand in her way. This Becky is like skimmed milk compared to champagne. She takes the blows life throws at her and uses them to her own advantage as best she can - sometimes she is too clever for her own good.

Martin Clunes is totally miscast as Sir Pitt Crawley - he is far too personable. (TBH almost the entire cast is mis-cast - Dobbin is too good-looking, Becky is too "girlishly" pretty) Impertinent servants, vulgar strumpets and fortune tellers have been added in, and quite important scenes taken out (where Amelia discovers that Becky has stolen from her for instance - a scene which shows exactly how greedy and calculating Becky is.

I'll give it another week or two, but am not impressed so far.

I also think Natasha Little as Becky was perfect because although you find yourself rooting for Becky, you don't actually like her.

Agree Rookie

One of the very early scenes where Becky has been sacked but is working her notice, and teaches all of her little lady pupils to say "Kiss my arse" in French without their being aware of what the words mean, is superb!

Someone said below "it all seems rather shiny and shallow". YES! It's supposed to! They are all shiny, shallow, conniving, falsities other than Dobbin.

I think Becky is doing great tbh. The actor I mean

Re Dobbin, I was delighted they'd made him handsome because he's the decentest man in the book!

Yes - he is - but in the book he was an outstandingly plain and ungainly man. Nothing wrong with having a plain man as a hero. Philip Glenister was perfect - plain enough to be the character, (but not repulsive), and attractive enough to be a believable husband for Amelia. His rugged but not "pretty boy" looks were exactly right for the role. And he wasn't such a nellie as the new Dobbin. Although he was comparatively poor and plain, he wasn't a blushing infant like this new one is. He was a real man.

watched 20 minutes and gave up....and I love a good period drama!
seemed really cheap and crappy

Even DH is confused by Material Girl at the end. Not the context, but the use of it. Bizarre. Totally out of keeping.

I thought the second episode was a massive improvement on the first and enjoyed it. I'm a big book fan though it's a few years since my last read, which helps. I loved Crawley's young daughters (were they so prominent in the book?). George is vile but of course his father is worse. Rawdon is a nice mid-point between poor dupe and schemer.