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(More customer reviews)In some ways, "Dombey and Son" is Dickens' saddest novel. It's a story about a father who, through his infatuation with his own image, irrevocably loses both his children, and then realizes too late the value of what he has lost.
Around such a wrenching theme Dickens wrote a remarkably buoyant and lively story, with sharp contrasts of darkness and brightness, piquant characterizations (and caricatures) and humor. I'd been wishing and hoping that there was a dramatization of this novel out there, and was delighted to find this version.
**SOME SPOILERS FOLLOW**
In 10 episodes, this production unfurls the story with great faithfulness to the book. When one has read the novel beforehand, one pictures characters and scenes, and it sometimes is tough for a production to live up to one's expectations. However, as I waited for favorite characters to appear, I was again and again exclaiming, "He's wonderful!" (of Captain Cuttle) or "She's marvelous!" (of Mrs. Pipchin.) It was like opening a Christmas present and finding something you wished for. They looked exactly as I'd pictured them, both in looks and manner--not a bit watered-down, nor smoothed out as Hollywood productions often make them.
It's difficult to warm to Mr. Dombey as a character, so I can't hold it against Julian Glover that he comes across as stiff and dry. He does an excellent job of conveying a sort of dormant animosity toward his hapless daughter, Florence, which makes its occasional expression all the more jarring (as when he refers to his son Paul as his "only child".) Lysette Anthony is sweet and warm as Florence, the daughter whom he cannot love but instead regards as a rival for his son's affection. One of the challenges of the story (as in many of Dickens' stories) is how to handle mawkish Victorian sentimentality. This dramatization treats these risky scenes sparely and believably--without at all injecting anachronistic attitudes or behavior. For instance, a modern reader often gets impatient with how much mistreatment Florence puts up with before she finally turns her back on her father and leaves home. Here, her devotion and longing for affection is always felt, but she doesn't act like a doormat--and when the final blow comes, she is out of there.
Most of the color comes from the sideline characters: Captain Cuttle, Miss Tox (a deliciously & delicately eccentric portrayal), the blue-faced Major Bagstock, Mrs. "Cleopatra" Skewton, the sweetly vacant Mr. Toots, and gravelly Mr. Toodles.
My favorite was Zelah Clarke's aptly-named Susan Nipper, the short-tempered but good-hearted nurse/companion of Florence. I think this production is worth seeing on the strength of her performance alone.
And of course, Walter Gay. Too bad he's offstage for most of this story.
If the 10th episode had been equal to the other 9, I would have given this DVD 5 stars. However, at the very end, everything so carefully built up is hastily and anticlimactically ended. I was disappointed. It was so abrupt that if it hadn't been followed by the credits, I could not have believed that it was over. It has the appearance of a desperate hurry to wrap things up. They probably needed an 11th episode to allow the viewer to adjust to the new overturned state of things, and develop Dombey in his humbled state. This is the crux of the novel, and it was just dashed through. It would not be so disturbing if the preceding 9 episodes hadn't been so good.
Another disappointment is the absence of the whole sidestory of James Carker/John Carker/Harriet Carker/Alice Brown, which gives depth and explanation to James Carker's villainy. There is a theme of doubles and mirror images in "Dombey and Son" which was lost by the omission of these characters--John Carker, the repentant embezzler vs. James Carker, the arrogant self-righteous manager, who is ruining the company in a much worse way; the artificial old lady Mrs. Skewton vs. the witch-like Mrs. Brown, both mothers; and their exploited daughters, the proud, well-bred purchased bride, Edith vs. the bitter prostitute, Alice. And Alice's role in the final downfall of James Carker contributes one of the most icy and memorable scenes in the book. This might have taken a few more episodes to include, but it would have been worth it, to make this grand production an absolute masterpiece.
Nevertheless, if you love Dickens, you must see this production. It is rewarding in many ways. You will find jewels of enjoyment here.
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DOMBEY AND SON - DVD Movie
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