This is a difficult piece to come by now, I had to purchase the DVD for a not trivial amount to be able to watch it. After completing it I understand why it is now being lost to the annals of time. It is because this has been supplanted by the far superior 2008 adaptation in almost every way.
The choice to do this in 2 feature length films is commendable and perhaps mimics the form of the novel which is split in to 2 parts: 'rags' and 'riches'. However, the 6 hours were not used very efficiently, and it leaves a significant amount of the plot out, especially in the final 30 minutes it rushes through a simplified ending leaving much out. The 2008 version is far more faithful.
For the time the production quality is very high as it was financed by a film studio rather than a TV adaptation. Derek Jacobi is always a pleasure to watch and does a really good Arthur Clenham. Alec Guinness is good too but he doesn't have a great deal of screen time. The woman who played Little Dorrit was right in disposition but frankly a terrible actor. And I have learnt that she didn't do any more acting after this and it is no surprise. Claire Foy is a much better Little Dorrit. Before the 2008 adaptation this would have been an imcomplete adaptation though with some merits. However, I can't see why I would recommend watching this at all when there is a far superior adaptation that has since been made. The 2008 Little Dorrit is one of the very best Dickens adaptations and period novel adaptations of all time.
The choice to do this in 2 feature length films is commendable and perhaps mimics the form of the novel which is split in to 2 parts: 'rags' and 'riches'. However, the 6 hours were not used very efficiently, and it leaves a significant amount of the plot out, especially in the final 30 minutes it rushes through a simplified ending leaving much out. The 2008 version is far more faithful.
For the time the production quality is very high as it was financed by a film studio rather than a TV adaptation. Derek Jacobi is always a pleasure to watch and does a really good Arthur Clenham. Alec Guinness is good too but he doesn't have a great deal of screen time. The woman who played Little Dorrit was right in disposition but frankly a terrible actor. And I have learnt that she didn't do any more acting after this and it is no surprise. Claire Foy is a much better Little Dorrit. Before the 2008 adaptation this would have been an imcomplete adaptation though with some merits. However, I can't see why I would recommend watching this at all when there is a far superior adaptation that has since been made. The 2008 Little Dorrit is one of the very best Dickens adaptations and period novel adaptations of all time.