The
movie
It's
the beginning of the 20th century, a new age: but for the Forsyte
family, old feuds are far from forgotten. The rivalry that began
decades before, chronicled in The
Forsyte Saga: Series 1,
here continues unabated, as the next generation of Forsytes, innocent
of the history between their families, set in motion events that will
affect all of them.
I
loved the first series of The Forsyte Saga: the story of
Irene, Soames, Jolyon, and all the other characters was completely
captivating and very memorable. I knew it would be a tough job for
Series 2 to live up to the standard set by Series
1... and
I was delighted to discover that it does, in every way.
The
Forsyte Saga: Series 2 is really a straight continuation of
Series 1, which is a strong point in its favor. Based on the
third volume of John Galsworthy's trilogy about the Forsytes, the
focus of Series 2 falls on the younger generation: Jon, the
son of Irene and Jolyon, and Fleur, the daughter of Soames and
Annette. But their story, and their lives, doesn't happen in
isolation; the story draws in characters from both sides of the
Forsyte family, and develops their stories along with that of Jon and
Fleur. It's not completely necessary to remember exactly what
happened in Series 1, but it does help (and certainly adds a
greater dimension to the events in Series 2); viewers who need
a quick refresher can check out the text summary of the events of
Series 1, in the special features of Disc 1. (Viewers who
haven't seen Series 1 at all should go out and watch it right
away: it's too good to miss out on.)
As
always, the characters are at the center of the brilliance of The
Forsyte Saga: when it comes to the performances, there's not a
single wrong note here, from the smallest part to the largest one.
And when it comes to the main roles, we get some truly outstanding
performances, most notably from Damian Lewis as Soames and Gina McKee
as Irene, but also Lee Williams and Emma Griffiths Malin as Jon and
Fleur. All of the characters are complex people, and most
importantly, they're very real people, not "good guys" and
"bad guys."
Jolyon Forsyte, whom we know and love, is capable of being wrong,
perhaps of holding a grudge too long; Soames Forsyte, narrow-minded
and self-centered as he is, is even sometimes in the right. It's also
a mark of how well done the series is, that all of the characters are
compelling. Soames is by turns frightening, despicable, and pathetic,
yet he's also the single most fascinating character in the series...
and we come to understand him, flaws and all, and even to sympathize
with him even while also completely sympathizing with the characters
who despise him.
The way that the story is told matters as much as what's being told.
Fundamentally, this is a very intelligent and thoughtful series, one
that shows respect for its characters and for the audience. Respect
for the characters, because they always behave true to themselves;
through good decisions and bad ones, through conflict and
reconciliation, the characters behave as they do because of who they
are. The plot develops around them, rather than drives them. Respect
for the audience, because the story is completely engaging without
any narrative "tricks." There are no last-minute
melodramatic twists, and no manipulative tear-jerking; they would be
unnecessary, as we feel already profoundly attached to the characters
and anxious about what happens.
The
Forsyte Saga: Series 2 is also very willing to deal with
complicated situations without offering a clear-cut "right
answer." The story centers around the relationship between Jon
and Fleur, one from each side of the feuding Forsyte family. Should
they be allowed to be together? Should they be kept apart? As the
series develops, this question is by no means as clear-cut as it
might seem... and the final resolution leaves us, like the
characters, wondering if it was the right thing or not. It's a
difficult thing to wrap up a story like The Forsyte Saga, but
the final episode does it very well: it's not a conventional happy
ending, but a realistic one; it's an ending that provides a very
satisfying sense of closure while at the same time leaving a number
of threads open.
And,
of course, one last element that helps make The Forsyte Saga
work so well is its impeccable production values. When we watch The
Forsyte Saga, we're stepping into an utterly convincing world of
the 1920s, with every detail from houses and cars to clothing and
entertainment feeling completely right. It's particularly fascinating
to see the characters from Series 1 here, coming to grips with
the changing way of life in the post-World War I years and the
"roaring twenties."
In
the end, the effectiveness of The Forsyte Saga can be measured
in how much it sticks in the mind. I watched the four episodes over
the course of several days, and between each one, I found myself
thinking about what had happened, wondering what the characters would
do, and what I hoped or feared for them. After finishing it, it
sticks with me even more; now I'm looking forward to re-watching
Series 1 and Series 2 in succession. That's the
unmistakable sign of a production with a
lot of substance to it.
The
DVD
The
Forsyte Saga: Series 2 runs 276 minutes across two DVDs, with two
episodes on each disc. This is the complete UK broadcast version of
the show, and is uncut. Each DVD has its own plastic keepcase, with
the two discs inside an attractive glossy paper slipcase.
Video
Like
the first series, The Forsyte Saga: Series 2 is presented in
anamorphic widescreen, at its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The
image is soft, but uniformly so, and without graininess; I suspect
that this soft look was intentional. Overall, the image looks very
good. Colors are excellent, with a natural look and a nice vibrancy
and richness; contrast is also handled very well, with detail
correctly presented even in challenging lighting environments. I
didn't notice any edge enhancement or print flaws. All in all, Series
2 offers an attractive transfer.
Audio
The
Forsyte Saga: Series 2 is presented in a well-balanced Dolby 2.0
soundtrack. The emphasis of the film is on dialogue, which is handled
very well, always sounding natural and clear. Music and environmental
sounds are also incorporated into the soundtrack quite well, creating
a very pleasing audio experience overall.
Extras
On
Disc 1, we get a useful text summary of "Previously on The
Forsyte Saga," which I suggest that viewers read before
watching the first episode of Series 2. It would have been
even better if this had been in video format rather than text, but
it's useful nonetheless. We also get a photo gallery, a biography and
book list for John Galsworthy, and cast
filmographies.
Final
thoughts
The
Forsyte Saga is one of the very best historical dramas I've had
the pleasure of watching. This elegant, superbly acted adaptation of
John Galsworthy's novels offers a compelling story that won't easily
be forgotten. Series 2 is a direct continuation of Series
1, and
has all of the same power and drama as the first series; if you
enjoyed Series 1, you will like Series 2 just as much. And if
you've never seen any of The Forsyte Saga, now is a perfect
time to get started, and watch both Series
1 and
Series 2 in succession, as the complete story that they are.
Acorn Media has given the series a nice treatment on DVD, with a
lovely anamorphic transfer and good sound. It's very highly
recommended.
Buy: