Episode 2 - Our Mutual Friend

Good DVD Release of a Great Dickens Adaptation
Others here have done a fine job of reviewing this excellent film, so I'll focus briefly on the DVD from BBC/Warner. The video and audio transfers of Our Mutual Friend are quite good. Although there are no subtitles, this DVD is closed-captioned. In general, this DVD is of similar quality to other BBC Dickens adaptations that have been released on DVD (e.g., Oliver Twist (1999) and David Copperfield (1999)).

One reviewer below complained that 45 minutes or more of the original film are missing from this DVD. I have no idea where he got that idea. It must be some kind of misunderstanding or perhaps a defective copy because my copy clearly has the entire film (divided into four episodes, two on each side of a two-sided disc). The all-important climax and ending scenes of this 351-minute production are all there to enjoy. Highly recommended for Dickens fans and fans of period dramas in general.

DICKENS AT HIS DARKEST AND AT HIS VERY BEST
"Our Mutual Friend" finds Charles Dickens at his very darkest and most intense providing many unforgettable characters ranging from the very rich to the very poor. Retched and vile, noble and good occupying all social structures with the desire and acquisition of money along with the ramifications thereof being a recurring theme

This BBC production is superb. The acting is splendid. This production keeps this rather complex story moving along splendidly.

Sit down and enjoy a "really good show". You'll need some patience because the story is very involved; however, trust me; your patience will be rewarded! As a previous reviewer stated, if you can devote 6 hours in one viewing, its best viewed that way. However, anyway you can see this presentation it is well worth your time. Trust me, it is worth every second that you spend!

A stellar production
I vaguely remember seeing a dramatization of Our Mutual Friend on PBS in the 1980s, but the only character I remembered was the dollmaker. This 1999 production is outstanding. Great cast - especially Paul McGann - lots of twists, and kept me glued to it for all 5 1/2 hours. I'm so glad that Amazon has included this gem in it's growing selection of British films and adaptions for television. Simply brilliant.

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