North and South(BBC)
Jun. 21st, 2007 01:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meganbmooreI just finished(well, an hour or so ago, but a shower and youtube search were required) the BBC mini. Within the first twenty minutes, it was easy to see why so much of my flist is nuts about it, and about Richard Armitage(ok, the picspams were also a good indicator, but he's exceptionally charismatic in addition to being good looking) In fact, I think I first heard of this mini when someone on the flist had "convince the world that North and South is the best thing ever" on a to do list, though it was this post by
winterspelthat got me interested(specifically, the part about Thornton and Higgins intrigued me) BTW, the post also has links to a bunch of other N&S posts.(If this post seems haphazard, I apologize, trying to finish it before bed because I plan to head out by 10:30-11 tomorrow and won't be back until after midnight. Otherwise, I'd save it to do before work tomorrow)
The very short version is that N&S is about Margaret Hale, a clergyman's daughter who grew up in the very open rural southern England, only to have her father uproot the family(he disagrees with his superior...thinks he's getting above himself or somesuch) and moves the family to the industrial north where they live in Milton, a town where cotton mills are the chief source of prosperity and employment is the local cotton mills. There, she clashes in every way possible-ideologically, class, perceptions of propriety and responsibility, etc.-with John Thornton, a self-made man who clawed his way up from the bottom of the barrel to become the owner of a prosperous cotton mill. He runs his mill strictly, but(especially considering what many mills and factories of the time were like) fairly, though it doesn't seem that way to Margaret. Think of Pride & Prejudice, only grittier and with a lot more obstables to overcome.
On first viewing(subsequent viewing may change my opinion, but I doubt it) it's almost flawless, both in execution and in it's history, but, as great as the final scene was cinematically, a public display of affection on that level(especially given the reserve throughout the rest of the mini) is a major historical anachronism. But I can forgive one flaw.
Before I get to the cut, one thing that stood out to me throughout is the contrast between scenes in Milton and scenes anywhere else...scenes in Milton often had muted, understated colors and conematography...often, the most visually catching part of a scene is the constrast between the snowlike white fluffs of cotton against the dark grey of the buildings, and many scenes and perspectives are mazde to seem smal and closed in. In contrast, scene set elsewhere are exceptionally bright and colorful, and no matter where the characters are, the setting is made to look large and open...as compared to the scenes in Milton, they acquire and almost fairytale-like, unreal quality, a feeling Margaret seems to share somewhat by the end.
There are several youtube videos of scenes from the mini under the cut, though one of the 2 I wanted the most I couldn't find, sadly.
One thing about this that immediately stood out to me is how flawed Margaret is. All too often, productions set in 18th-19th century England tend to approach the story from the perspective that women of the time were subjugated by men and the laws made them completely dependent on the whims of men. While this is to a large degree too, the result is that they often tell the story in a way that the only one who needs to grow and change is the man, no matter how flawed the woman may be. This is one reason that, even though I like both, I far prefer the Kate Beckinsale version of Emma to the Gwyneth Paltrow version...Paltrow's Emma makes mistakes, but they're essentially passed off as not being her fault, and she never grows or changes. In contrast, Beckinsale's Emma is unintentionally hurtful and doesn't apply common sense to her good intentions and is often far too proud of herself, and she has to learn of her flaws and grow up so that she can be a better person.
In her first scene, it's obvious that Margaret's too blunt and outspoken for her own good...she says exactly what comes to mind as it comes to mind without considering the consequences, as becomes obvious when she learns that her words made the man she was talking to think she was open to a proposal of marriage. While she never delibaretly speaks cruelly or to misleading, she never stops to consider what she says before saying it, no matter what it is, which often can lead to hurt feelings and misconceptions. When she goes to Milton, she's clearly approaching it from a stance of having a moral and class superiority to the residents, even if she doesn't realize it. When she meets the men Thornton had find suitable lodgings for the family, she approaches them from the perspective of a girl used to being listened to by people used to her dealing with her father's business and she's offend when they treat her like any other girl of the time would be treated...that it's matters that shouldn't concern her, she should rest and they'll talk it over with her father. It's easy to see why Margaret would be offended by them and take and even more superior stance and issue orders, but it's also easy to see why these men, who were simply carrying out a task given to them by their employer, would be offended at this girl who knows nothing about them or their ways ordering them around and acting superior. Which is one of the things that stands out to me about this series...you can always see where both sides are coming from, no matter which one you agree with(and often, both sides are either equally right, or equally wrong)
This scene really stands out when watching the end scene, where the wiser, more cautious Margaret isn't sure what to say and wants the lawyer to say it for her, but Thornton makes her speak her mind. It's not that she's lost her confidence or faith in herself, it's just that she's grown up and realized how badly she's screwed up in the past, and doesn't want to unintentionally cause more problems with her words. It also shows how much Thornton has grown. The Thornton of the beginning of the mini would have been through listening the moment Margaret displayed a degree of uncertainty, but the Thornton of the end encourages her...he doesn't want to hear what she wants from someone else, she wants her to tell him, because it's her words and wants that matter.
Back on track, when we first see Thornton, he's beating an employee. Like Margaret, our initial reaction is horror, yet, as soon as we know why, even before Thornton fully explains it, we can understand why, even if we don't approve of the action...the man was smoking in the working area of the mill, a room where tons of cotton fluffs were floating through the air, and that was crammed full of people and cotton. By smoking, he was endangering the lives of everyone in the mill, if not the entire town. This was the scene I couldn't find on youtube, though I find find their first "proper" introduction, when Margaret learns that Thornton has become her father's pupil to learn how to be a gentleman.
No, that didn't go very well.
Another thing that doesn't go over very well is their individual ideas of propriety. In the society Margaret grew up in, a handshake is a sign of intimacy or(among men) business relations... a man shaking the hand of a woman he barely knows is rude and presumptuous. In Thornton's society, however, a handshake is a common thing and a sign of respect that means little beyond greeting and parting, but the rejection of a handshake is an insult. As a result, when Thornton attempts to shake her hand in parting, she rejects it, offended, and they both leave feeling as if they've been gravely accepted.
However, Margaret soonm learns what a handshake means in her new home, and her acceptance of that ritual is one of her earlier signs of growth and her adjusting to her new society, and Thornton's accepting her way of apologizing is a sign of his beginning to grow.
The handshake:
As I said before, they also clash quite a bit ideologically. A clergyman's daughter, Margaret believes that an employer who takes responsibility for his employees also concerns himself with their life and livelihood outside of work. Thornton, however believes that his responsibility begins and ends with how they do their jobs. This is a fairly common conversation between them:
And since I'm already up almost an hour later than planned, I'll leave off with the most disastrous marriage proposal, and subsequent rejection, ever. Thornton approaches and explains the proposal in the worst, heavy-handed way possible and Margaret, true to form, instinctively tells him exactly what she thinks of that, with no consideration for how her own words will be receieved.
In her first scene, it's obvious that Margaret's too blunt and outspoken for her own good...she says exactly what comes to mind as it comes to mind without considering the consequences, as becomes obvious when she learns that her words made the man she was talking to think she was open to a proposal of marriage. While she never delibaretly speaks cruelly or to misleading, she never stops to consider what she says before saying it, no matter what it is, which often can lead to hurt feelings and misconceptions. When she goes to Milton, she's clearly approaching it from a stance of having a moral and class superiority to the residents, even if she doesn't realize it. When she meets the men Thornton had find suitable lodgings for the family, she approaches them from the perspective of a girl used to being listened to by people used to her dealing with her father's business and she's offend when they treat her like any other girl of the time would be treated...that it's matters that shouldn't concern her, she should rest and they'll talk it over with her father. It's easy to see why Margaret would be offended by them and take and even more superior stance and issue orders, but it's also easy to see why these men, who were simply carrying out a task given to them by their employer, would be offended at this girl who knows nothing about them or their ways ordering them around and acting superior. Which is one of the things that stands out to me about this series...you can always see where both sides are coming from, no matter which one you agree with(and often, both sides are either equally right, or equally wrong)
This scene really stands out when watching the end scene, where the wiser, more cautious Margaret isn't sure what to say and wants the lawyer to say it for her, but Thornton makes her speak her mind. It's not that she's lost her confidence or faith in herself, it's just that she's grown up and realized how badly she's screwed up in the past, and doesn't want to unintentionally cause more problems with her words. It also shows how much Thornton has grown. The Thornton of the beginning of the mini would have been through listening the moment Margaret displayed a degree of uncertainty, but the Thornton of the end encourages her...he doesn't want to hear what she wants from someone else, she wants her to tell him, because it's her words and wants that matter.
Back on track, when we first see Thornton, he's beating an employee. Like Margaret, our initial reaction is horror, yet, as soon as we know why, even before Thornton fully explains it, we can understand why, even if we don't approve of the action...the man was smoking in the working area of the mill, a room where tons of cotton fluffs were floating through the air, and that was crammed full of people and cotton. By smoking, he was endangering the lives of everyone in the mill, if not the entire town. This was the scene I couldn't find on youtube, though I find find their first "proper" introduction, when Margaret learns that Thornton has become her father's pupil to learn how to be a gentleman.
No, that didn't go very well.
Another thing that doesn't go over very well is their individual ideas of propriety. In the society Margaret grew up in, a handshake is a sign of intimacy or(among men) business relations... a man shaking the hand of a woman he barely knows is rude and presumptuous. In Thornton's society, however, a handshake is a common thing and a sign of respect that means little beyond greeting and parting, but the rejection of a handshake is an insult. As a result, when Thornton attempts to shake her hand in parting, she rejects it, offended, and they both leave feeling as if they've been gravely accepted.
However, Margaret soonm learns what a handshake means in her new home, and her acceptance of that ritual is one of her earlier signs of growth and her adjusting to her new society, and Thornton's accepting her way of apologizing is a sign of his beginning to grow.
The handshake:
As I said before, they also clash quite a bit ideologically. A clergyman's daughter, Margaret believes that an employer who takes responsibility for his employees also concerns himself with their life and livelihood outside of work. Thornton, however believes that his responsibility begins and ends with how they do their jobs. This is a fairly common conversation between them:
And since I'm already up almost an hour later than planned, I'll leave off with the most disastrous marriage proposal, and subsequent rejection, ever. Thornton approaches and explains the proposal in the worst, heavy-handed way possible and Margaret, true to form, instinctively tells him exactly what she thinks of that, with no consideration for how her own words will be receieved.
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no subject
Date: 2007-06-21 03:02 pm (UTC)Armitage has that rare actor ability to repell and attract at the same time (he himself is self deprecating, well spoken, very polite and completely devoid of the laser intensity in interviews). I completely understand why Lucy Griffiths (Maid Marian) seems to harbor a bit of a crush on him in the series commentary.
My contribution to the N&S written word.
http://crumpeteer.livejournal.com/160989.html#cutid1
no subject
Date: 2007-06-21 03:17 pm (UTC)This is why I'm far more forgiving of Mrs. Thornton than I am of other matriarchs. She is the way shge is because she was clawing her way up right beside her son, and has to be as hard and crusty as he is. The scene where she sends the sick child hope is an act of sainthood for qa person of her position in those times...most would have let the child work herself to death, and if they'd sent her home, would have grsbbed the next available child to take her placw. Instead, she willingly sacrifices 2 hours of production so the family won't lose the income.
no subject
Date: 2007-06-21 03:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-21 03:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-29 04:43 pm (UTC)it's Richard Armitage as Thornton that does it for me.
Of course that scene on the railway station would never have been allowed in the 1850's but hey let's not quibble it's one of the best love scenes ever. That kiss is just so erotic.
No wonder that the Armitage Army started when North and South was on
(you might guess that I'm an army girl so very biased)
Amandajane
no subject
Date: 2007-06-29 05:14 pm (UTC)the scene at the station wouldn't stand out as much(to me) if the rest of the thing hadnt been so careful to avoid obvious anachronisms, so it just makes it stand out to me. but the scene itself is good enough to overcome that.
this is actually my first exposure to armitage.