Little Dorrit [DVD] [2008]

This is one of Dickens' lesser known works and is given a wonderful screenplay by Andrew Davies who also did the Pride and Prejudice and Bleak House adaptations for BBC TV. The novel centers on two characters whose lives are changed when the father of one of them dies and triggers a search for answers from the past. Much of the storyline is taken from Dickens' personal experiences as a young boy when his father was imprisoned in a debtors prison. The theme of imprisonment pervades the entire storyline and every character is affected by it in one shape or form (physical, psychological, familial, and societal). Dickens' satire of the pre-Victorian 1826 English society class snobbery, bureaucracy, and greed are displayed by the characters in this novel.

The original novel was broken into two parts with Arthur Clennam being the primary focus in the first part and Amy Dorrit in the second part. This adaptation chose to focus on both characters right away instead of following the original novel time line. There are many great individual performances in this 7 1/2 hours saga. The two central characters remain unchanged despite financial, family, and social status pressures. This adaptation blends humor, sorrow, joy, and a mystery embedded in a love story that transcends time and place. It is a rare TV event to see such a wide ranging emotional and visually impressive presentation. Many of the questions that people look for answers like who we will live our lives with, what obligations do parents and children have for each other, and how will we live our lives are brought out from this presentation. This is a timeless series with a timeless message that what really matters in life is not money, status, or power.

I had the opportunity to ask the screenwriter questions on the screenplay adaptation when the series was being broadcast on USA TV networks in April 2009. Mr. Davies changed some of the scenes from the novel to make it with a more contemporary feel and to give the heroine a more dignified and individual character. The ending of the series also does not follow the novel exactly. Arthur Clennam gets the answers to his dying father's request in the TV series while the novel leaves some questions unanswered. Mr. Davies wanted Arthur to have closure and to make for a more emotionally satisfying ending. The following is taken from Mr. Davies' introduction to the BBC novel edition.

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"I realized that I would have to simplify and clarify the way the characters are introduced, so that the audience could get a sense of how they interrelate. I also needed to get a handle on the mystery that lies at the heart of the Clennam household. The mystery goes back into the past, involving characters that are dead before the book begins. It revolves around a will, a particular bequest, twin brothers, and a tin box that disappears and then reappears, and it culminates by bringing the house down literally. I had to consider how to translate all this coherently to television, while laying the clues so that the audience can get a shock of recognition when all is revealed."

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The sets, costumes, background scenery, and acting are all first rate with many familiar British actors/actresses in the cast. A lot of work and effort was done to make this production so special (the makeup work for the Maggy character took over 2 hours). The heroine, newcomer Claire Foy, becomes the primary focus of the entire story and deservedly so. Claire called the making of the series like a "special Christmas gift". Kudos to the casting director, Rachel Freck, who brought together a wonderful cast to the series and for her encouragement to Claire Foy which was crucial to her selection for the leading role (she flubbed the first two auditions for the part). The musical pieces (especially the haunting opening score with the piano and string instrument and Amy Dorrit's pensive mood music scenes when she was thinking about Arthur or was with him - taken from the Chinese music box) are beautifully matched to the story actions throughout the presentation. Dickens is mostly known for his more popular works such as Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, A Christmas Carol, and Great Expectations. Little Dorrit (originally titled "Nobody's Fault" by Dickens) deserves more wider recognition because its message is one that touches the heart of nearly everyone. A rich, moving, and touching story excellently presented. The series is a big departure from what you normally see on TV or in the theaters.
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IMPORTANT NOTE TO THOSE CONTEMPLATING THE PURCHASE OF THE DVD:

Please note that some of the merchants offering this DVD are Netherlands (or non-UK) based sellers (the shipping information will show something like "Dispatched from the Netherlands" or the description has something like "European (Dutch) version"). These sellers are selling a movie version that ONLY contains Dutch (or non-English) subtitles (but with English audio). These DVDs were made for non-UK speaking audiences, but can be sold to other European countries and the rest of the world. The box cover and menu screens on the DVD are in non-English words and does NOT match the photo shown for this item listing. If you want to buy a movie version with English subtitles, make sure you are NOT ordering one from a non-UK based merchant. Only the UK based merchants are selling English subtitled version. If you are unsure, email the seller first and ask.

I have both an English and Dutch subtitled versions and they play fine on my region free DVD player. Please also note, the Dutch subtitled version does NOT have chapter settings on the DVD. So you cannot go directly to a particular scene within an episode unlike the BBC DVD English subtitled version. Also, the Dutch subtitled version does not have the supplemental material found on the UK English subtitled DVD version (such as the "Little Dorrit- an insight" extra). Both versions do contain the same movie run time.

After 'Dombey and Son' this must be the hardest book of Dickens' to adapt for the screen. The last Dickens we were given was 'Oliver Twist', which was pretty mediocre but I had been waiting to see this since I heard it was being made about eighteen months ago. It seems the BBC could have another hit on its hands. Like 'Bleak House' this has been filmed in 30 minute segments giving it a soap like feel and seems to work with this story, as it did with 'Bleak House'. I did have a few qualms about some of the casting, but these seem to have been misplaced.

So, what is Little Dorrit about? The story is about lies, deceit and secrets, a tangled web of all these has been formed and the question is can the honest and honourable Mr Clennam unravel these to find what is going on. After the death of the senior Mr Clennam his son is sent back to England with a pocket watch and a message for his mother. Only at this stage does the young Mr Clennam become aware that some shady dealings have gone on in the past, and he is determined to get to the bottom of it, especially as he has taken a liking to Amy 'Little' Dorrit and is concerned that his family may have bankrupted her father, placing him in the Marshalsea.

The acting is good, and so are the set pieces, costumes, etc. This is truly a sumptious adaptation that really brings the novel to life. For some purists they may not agree, as not every scene from the book and every word is repeated, but surely the success of an adaptation is the ability to evoke the essence of a story and make something that captivates an audience? To this end Andrew Davies has supplied a screenplay that does just that and once again he can rest on his laurels as the supremo of classic novel to screen adaptations.

I would strongly advise people to read the book at some time, as it is really good. I have the Penguin edition Little Dorrit (Penguin Classics), but there are cheaper ones for sale on this website. I bought this edition as I needed a replacement for my old battered copy, and I knew this one had the illustrations in, which I don't think all the copies on the market necessarily do have.

The past decade has produced some fabulous costume dramas, but Little Dorrit has to be the best: it combines moving profundity, eccentric humour and a dazzling evocation of Victorian London and Venice to create a visually spellbinding and continuously gripping experience for the viewer. It's impeccably cast, and all of the actors give superb performances, down to the last telling detail.

It's astonishing that Andrew Davies could have captured such a complex, multi-layered story with such daringly economical dialogue, but every character and scene is drawn in intricate, mesmerizing detail and the feel of the book is recreated with utmost faithfulness. Mr Pancks' leapfrog is one of our favourite television moments of all time! No-one could fail to enjoy this adaptation. We'll be watching the episodes back to back continuously for the rest of our lives!