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Reviews
17 Miracles (2011)
Yikes
I watched this expecting hot garbage. I basically got it when they showed these people as Christian heroes and not the murderers they were. They conveniently left out all the indigenous people they killed so they could find Mecca. Unbelievable.
The Forsyte Saga (2002)
Great possibility crushed by the casting of Gina McKee
I read the Forsyte Saga after watching this series. I found the series nearly intolerable, mostly by way of having no sympathy for Irene (even when she was raped), and I can mostly attribute this to the writing and casting of the character. In the novels, Irene is more mysterious, beautiful, and without a clear voice. I found her character selfish, unremarkable, and cold in the miniseries. I also didn't understand why McKee was cast, as she was 40 at the time of filming and didn't have the same aesthetic intrigue that I surmised was so necessary to the character of Irene: a quiet, fair-haired young lady seen only through the eyes of those around her.
As I mentioned before, the lack of sympathy derived from the early development of Irene left me more sympathetic for Soames (and a wonderful performance by Damian Lewis), even when he raped her (of course, spousal rape repulses me, however, I felt the need to remain loyal to at least one character). However, with the book, I found it more difficult to singularly place my sympathies with a character, as the story intends.
In conclusion, I disliked the series and could hardly reach its conclusion. I found the novels more interesting, yet hardly a suggestible read, only enjoyable relative to the series.