#elizabeth hoyle

[claudia1829things]

"SILAS MARNER" (1985) Review

"SILAS MARNER" (1985) Review

I have seen a handful of television and movie adaptations of novels written by George Eliot. But the very first adaptation I ever saw was "SILAS MARNER", the 1985 version of Eliot's third novel published back in 1861. My recent viewing of the production led me to reassess it.

"SILAS MARNER" begins with an English weaver living with a small Calvinist congregation in Lantern Yard, a slum street in a Northern England city. His life falls apart when he is framed for stealing the church's funds, while watching over the congregation's ill deacon. Worse, his fiancee leaves him for his so-called best friend, the very man who may have framed him. Shattered and embittered, Silas leaves Lantern Yard and arrives at a rural village in the Midlands called Raveloe. Although he resumes his trade as a weaver, Silas' traumatized past leads him to achieve a reputation as a miser and a loner in the community.

Silas' move to Raveloe eventually leads him to cross paths with the community's leading citizens, the Cass family. The head of the latter is the elderly Squire Cass who has two sons - Godfrey and Dunstan. Godfrey, who is the squire's heir is secretly married to one Molly Farren, a lower-class woman and opium addict from another town, who has given birth to his young daughter. Godfrey is also engaged to a young middle-class woman named Nancy Lammeter. Dunstan is a dissolute wastrel who constantly loses money via excessive gambling. One night, a drunken Dunstan breaks into Silas' cottage, steals the gold coins that the latter has been hoarding and disappears. Through a series of events, Molly plots to expose her marriage to Godfrey and their child during the Cass family's New Year party, but dies in the snow before she can reach it. Silas, who is emotionally upset over the loss of his coins, finds both the dead Molly and the child. Although he informs the partygoers of Molly's death and the child, he assumes guardianship of the latter (renamed Hephzibah "Eppie"), much to the relief of Godfrey, who can now legally marry Nancy. All goes well until Godfrey and Nancy's failure to have children threaten Silas' newfound happiness as Eppie's father years later.

What can I say about "SILAS MARNER"? I can honestly say that it was not one of the best adaptations of a George Eliot novel. Then again, I do not consider the 1861 novel to be one of her best works. I realized that Eliot had set the story either around the end of the 18th century or around the beginning of the 19th century. It was her prerogative. But both the novel and the movie seemed to reek of Victorian melodrama that I found myself feeling that Eliot or any adaptation could have set the story around the time it was originally written and published - the mid 19th century. The story is, at best, a good old-fashioned Victorian melodrama. I would never consider it as particularly original in compare to the likes of "MIDDLEMARCH" or "DANIEL DERONDA".

"SILAS MARNER" tries its best to be profound on the same level as the other two Eliot stories I had mentioned. But I had a few problems with the narrative. What was the point behind Dunstan Cass' disappearance and theft? Yes, he stole Silas' hard earned money before he disappeared. I got the feeling that the stolen coins seemed to serve as a prelude to Silas' emotional attachment to Eppie. But why have Dunstan take it? How else did his disappearance serve the story . . . even after his dead remains were found close by, years later? In Eliot's novel, the discovery of Dunstan led brother Godfrey to form a guilty conscience over his own secret regarding young Eppie and confess to his wife. But in the movie, it was Godfrey and Nancy's inability to conceive a child that seemed to finally force the former to confess. Unless my memories have played me wrong. Frankly, Dunstan struck me as a wasted character. Anyone else could have stolen Silas' money.

I also noticed that Giles Foster, who had served as both screenwriter and director for this production, left out a few things from Eliot's novel. I have never expect a movie or television to be an accurate adaptation of its literary source. But I wish Foster had shown how Eppie's presence in Silas' life had allowed him to socially connect with Raveloe's villagers. Eliot did this by allowing her to lead him outside, beyond the confines of his cottage. The only person with whom Silas managed to connect was neighbor Dolly Winthrop, who visited his cottage to deliver him food or give advice on how to raise Eppie. I also noticed that in the movie, Silas had never apologized to another villager named Jem Rodney for his false accusation of theft. And Jem had never demanded it. How odd. I also wish that Foster could have included the segment in which Silas had revisited his former neighborhood, Lantern Yard. In the novel, Silas' visit revealed how the neighborhood had transformed into a site for a factory and its citizens scattered to other parts. Silas' visit to his old neighborhood served as a reminder of how his life had improved in Raveloe and it is a pity that audiences never saw this on their television screens.

Yes, I have a few quibbles regarding "SILAS MARNER". But if I must be really honest, I still managed to enjoy it very much. Eliot had written a very emotional and poignant tale in which a lonely and embittered man finds a new lease on life through his connection with a child. Thanks to George Eliot's pen and Giles Foster's typewriter, this story was perfectly set up by showing how Silas Marner's life fell into a social and emotional nadir, thanks to the betrayal of a "friend" and the easily manipulated emotions of his neighbors.

Once Silas moved to Raveloe, the television movie did an excellent, if not perfect, job of conveying how he re-connected with the world. It was simply not a case of Silas stumbling across a foundling and taking her in. Even though he had formed a minor friendship with Mrs. Winthrop, having Eppie in his life managed to strengthen their friendship considerably. The movie's narrative also took its time in utilizing how the Cass family dynamics played such an important role in Silas' life in Raveloe. After all, Godfrey' secret marriage to Molly Farren brought Eppie into his life. And Dunstan's theft of his funds led Silas to re-direct his attention from his missing coins to the lost Eppie. And both Godfrey and Nancy Cass proved to be a threat to Silas and Eppie's future relationship.

The production values for "SILAS MARNER" proved to be solid. But if I must be honest, I did not find any of it - the cinematography, production designs and costume designs - particularly memorable. The performances in the movie was another matter. "SILAS MARNER" featured solid performances from the likes of Rosemary Martin, Jim Broadbent (before he became famous), Nick Brimble, Frederick Treves, Donald Eccles, Rosemary Greenwood; and even Elizabeth Hoyle and Melinda White who were both charming as younger versions of Eppie Marner.

Angela Pleasence certainly gave a memorable performance as Eppie's drug addicted mother, Molly Farren. Patsy Kensit not only gave a charming performance as the adolescent Eppie, I thought she was excellent in one particular scene in which Eppie emotionally found herself torn between Silas and the Casses. Freddie Jones gave his usual competent performance as the emotional Squire Cass, father of both Godfrey and Dunstan. I was especially impressed by Jonathan Coy's portrayal of the dissolute Dunstan Cass. In fact, I was so impressed that it seemed a pity that his character was only seen in the movie's first half.

I initially found the portrayal of Nancy Lammeter Cass rather limited, thanks to Eliot's novel and Foster's screenplay. Fortunately, Nancy became more of a central character in the film's second half and Jenny Agutter did a skillful job in conveying Nancy's growing despair of her inability to have children and her desperation to adopt Eppie. I thought Patrick Ryecart gave one of the two best performances in "SILAS MARNER". He did an excellent job of conveying Godfrey Cass' moral ambiguity - his secrecy over his marriage to Molly Farren, the passive-aggressive manner in which he "took care" of Eppie through Silas and his willingness to use Eppie as a substitute for his and Nancy's failure to have children. Ryecart made it clear that Godfrey was basically a decent man . . . decent, but flawed. The other best performance in "SILAS MARNER" came from leading man Ben Kingsley, who portrayed the title character. Kingsley did a superb job of conveying Silas' emotional journey. And it was quite a journey - from the self-satisfied weaver who found himself shunned from one community, to the embittered man who stayed away from his new neighbors, to a man experiencing the joys and fears of fatherhood for the first time, and finally the loving man who had finally learned to re-connect with others.

Overall, "SILAS MARNER" is more than a solid adaptation of George Eliot's novel. I did not find its production designs particularly overwhelming. I did enjoy Eliot's narrative, along with Giles Foster's adaptation rather enjoyable . . . if not perfect. But I cannot deny that what really made this movie work for me were the first-rate performances from a cast led by the always talented Ben Kingsley. Victorian melodrama or not, I can honestly say that I have yet to grow weary of "SILAS MARNER".

[eunoiareview]

Unexpected

The new addition to group therapy this morning confirms the rumors I overheard at breakfast. We have a new face at Bletchwood Residence, a face all of us have seen before from his movies or from one of his many ads. It’s a face framed by an angular jaw and prominent cheekbones, topped off with a crown of curly, dark hair. Right now, that face is surveying the rest of us like a god looking for…

[sophs-style]

The Daily Front Row’s 10th Annual Fashion Media Awards was held at The Rainbow Room on Friday (8th September 2023) in New York City.

Grace Elizabeth (wearing Alaïa), Sarah Jessica Parker (wearing Oscar de la Renta), Emily Ratajkowski (wearing Dolce & Gabbana), Alexandra Daddario (wearing Dior), Dove Cameron (wearing Valentino), Jordyn Woods (wearing Saint Laurent), Winnie Harlow, Martha Hunt (wearing Cinq a Sept), Nadine Leopold, Melissa Roxburgh, Madeleine White, Marianne Fonseca, Kaylin Shepherd (wearing Azazie), Cass Dimicco and Matthew Leonard Hoyle, and Olivia Caputo.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

This is the cope that will be worn by the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle at the Coronation Service on 6 May 2023.

Made from crimson velvet and decorated with embroidered flowers and stars, the cope was made for the coronation of Charles II in 1661 and is the oldest in our collection.

The cope was also worn by Dean Alan Campbell Don when he took part in the coronation of The King's mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in the Abbey in 1953.

The cope is usually on display in the Abbey Galleries and you'll be able to see it there when we re-open for visiting next week.

NOTE:

Cope is a liturgical vestment worn by Roman Catholic and some Anglican clergy at non-eucharistic functions.

A full-length cloak formed from a semicircular piece of cloth, it is open at the front and is fastened at the breast by hooks or a brooch.

[grandmaster-anne]

December 2022 Amidst final preparations for the #TogetherAtChristmas carol service at Westminster Abbey last week, The Princess of Wales planted a tree for the #queensgreencanopy in honour of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II❤️ Alongside the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, and members of the Abbey’s gardening team, Her Royal Highness planted a wild cherry tree in the Dean’s Yard, which joins over a million trees planted across the UK as part of the #queensgreencanopy 🌳 🇬🇧 Westminster Abbey has a unique bond with the Royal Family as the setting of special occasions, past & present⛪️ Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953 👑 The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge's Royal wedding in 2011 💒 The upcoming coronation of our Patron, His Majesty The King💚 — The Queen's Green Canopy

[fruityyamenrunner]

A national treasure is a cherished side character; they are never at the centre of events, and are, endearingly, never the holder of secular powers. They stand around the edges of a ruling class’s mental universe: observing, warning, guiding, admonishing – sometimes obliquely, sometimes not. They act as the conscience of a nation, or, rather, as the conscience of its rulers.

...

If we look at it this way, then the first ever British national treasure was Edmund Burke, famous for his Reflections. Burke was principled; Burke was conscientious; Burke was solemn; Burke was worthy; Burke never achieved a higher office than Paymaster of the Forces – a minor clerical job. Nevertheless, especially in the decade after his death in 1797, Burke could be cherished as the burning conscience of his society. Impossible to deal with as a man, but, nevertheless, part of the furniture. The immediate inheritor of this role was one of Burke’s contemporaries: William Wilberforce, the apostle of Victorianism, and the scourge of English popular customs like bear-baiting, bull-baiting, and boxing.

...

The suite of characteristics that makes up a national treasure lends itself to two archetypes, both forces for conservatism: the bureaucrat, and the light entertainer. So it has proven. Bruce Forsyth; David Frost; Stephen Fry; Betty Boothroyd; and latterly, Jackie Weaver, Lindsay Hoyle, and Sue Gray. All have been drawn from either of these two wells, and have led their lives accordingly.

The trouble is that Britain’s governing classes, especially after 1997, have begun to insist more and more strongly on these qualities: more rule-bound; more solemn; more strivingly modest. These characteristics, once endearing in their own way, have now started to ferment. Increasingly, the only individuals who would ever consent to play this role are either second-rate or suspect.

...

By the early 2020s, the standard British national treasure is an entertainer and informer, a bursar of charitable millions, a practitioner of old-fashioned mannerisms, who maintains a special relationship with the House of Windsor. This model – startlingly – remains the same basic one established by Jimmy Savile.

...

Meanwhile, the social importance of these people is evermore emphasised by England’s ruling classes. One refrain about Elizabeth II was that she, in her person, ‘held together’ 21st Century Britain: the same has been said of David Attenborough and Captain Tom Moore. This kind of hysteria has no foreign analogue; in the United States, Tom Hanks and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson are not assigned such a role in the body politic.

Louder also is the insistence that we like these people. My first visceral experience of this was when I was informed in a series of adverts that I loved Phillip Schofield, a television presenter of little distinction. As we have seen, these people are not for our consumption. It is therefore of little surprise that they seldom inspire any real popular love. Stephen Fry and Sandi Toksvig are not liked, only obeyed. There is a garrison quality to these national treasures. Beyond their core constituency of public sector employees, popular opinion on these people ranges from sullen indifference to outright hostility.

[defendingtheduchesses]

Posted @withrepost • @queensgreencanopy Amidst final preparations for the #TogetherAtChristmas carol service at Westminster Abbey last week, The Princess of Wales planted a tree in honour of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II ❤️

Alongside the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, and members of the Abbey’s gardening team, Her Royal Highness planted a wild cherry tree in the Dean’s Yard, which joins over a million trees planted across the nation as part of the #queensgreencanopy 🌳 🇬🇧

From coronations to weddings and burials, Westminster Abbey has a unique bond with the Royal Family as the setting of many special Royal occasions, past and present

Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in June 1953 👑

The Royal wedding of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in April 2011 💒

The coronation of His Majesty The King, Patron of The Queen’s Green Canopy, which will take place in May 2023 💚

@princeandprincessofwales @theroyalfamily @westminsterabbeylondon

[ljones41]

"PERSUASION" (2022) Review

"PERSUASION" (2022) Review The years between 2009 and 2020 saw a few television and/or movie productions about various Jane Austen novels. Yet, these productions were either sequel, spoofs or other takes on her novels. Then 2020 arrived and two straight up movie adaptions appeared for Austen fans - "EMMA" and "MODERN PERSUASION". Another two passed before the streaming service Netflix released its own straight Austen adaptation, namely "PERSUASION".

Anyone familiar with Austen's works should also be family with the plot of her 1818 novel and this movie. Eight years before the story's beginning, a baronet's daughter named Anne Elliot had fallen in love with a young Royal Navy officer named Frederick Wentworth. However, her godmother Lady Russell, had convinced her to reject Frederick's marriage proposal out of family duty and his lack of social rank and fortune. During the eight years that followed, Anne had become an ignored and faded spinster. When her father, Sir Walter Elliot, finds himself in financial debt, and Anne's older sister Elizabeth move to Bath to live in style with less finances. Sir Walter also leases his estate, Kellynch, to Frederick's older sister and brother-in-law, Admiral and Mrs. Croft. Anne visits her married younger sister and brother-in-law Mary and Charles Musgrove at the estate of the latter's family, Uppercross. During her visit to the Musgroves, Anne becomes re-acquainted with Frederick after eight years and becomes convinced that he has emotionally moved on from being rejected and from her. When I saw the trailer for "PERSUASION", I never thought I would like it. What can I say? I had not been impressed by the film's trailer. It seemed to emphasize the film's worst aspects. And if I must be honest, this version of Austen's 1818 novel, like the other adaptations, had its issues. I did not care how screenwriters Ronald Bass and Alice Victoria Winslow occasionally utilized modern English in the film's dialogue. It felt out of place, and I am thankful that it did not dominate the movie. I rather enjoyed Stewart Scudamore and Agni Scott's natural portrayals of Admiral and Mrs. Croft. This is why I was very disappointed by their lack of appearances in the film's Bath sequence, especially since it was the former who had revealed an important piece of information about his brother-in-law, Frederick Wentworth. I also had a problem with the portrayal of Henrietta Musgrove in the film. I did not have a problem with the actress who portrayed her - Izuka Hoyle. I had a problem with how Bass and Winslow had re-written her character. Henrietta went from a slightly shy and reserved young woman to a more self-assured and forthright personality. Why did they change her personality? Nor did I see the need for a brief scene featuring Anne Elliot preparing to take a piss near some bush before overhearing a conversation between Louisa Musgrove and Frederick. I really did not need to see that. There were other minor aspects of "PERSUASION" that I did not like. I had no problems with Marianne Agertoft's costume designs for the film - with one exception. I did not care for some of Dakota Johson's costumes. With the exception of a few, most of them seemed bland in compared to the costumes for the other female characters. They brought back memories of Sally Hawkins' costumes in the 2007 adaptation. Considering Johnson served as the film's leading lady, I found this particularly irritating. One of her costumes looked as if it was suited for a period drama set in the early 1910s, instead of the mid-1810s. Yes, I could tell the difference. Also, Johnson's hairstyle seemed to be all over the place in some attempt to infuse a loose modern take in her hairstyle. Why? Perhaps the filmmakers wanted to single her out in compared to the other actresses due to her being the leading lady. Or perhaps Johnson did not want a strict early 19th century hairstyle. Whatever the reason, I disliked her hair. I had considered pointing out Cosmo Jarvis' day-growth beard. However, I discovered that the Royal Navy has always allowed its men to wear beards. So, Jarvis got a pass. Almost. I believe he should have worn a full beard or be clean shaven. That day-growth beard looked a bit too modern in my eyes. Many have issued other complaints about the movie. However, I found myself disagreeing with them. I had no problem with Johnson's Anne Elliot breaking the fourth wall every now and then. In fact, this narrative device had been used in the 2007 adaptation with Sally Hawkins, but with less frequency. The same could be said for using Anne as the story's narrator. Again, the 2007 adaptation used narration a lot less than this adaptation did. But I must admit that I found Anne's narration in this movie at times entertaining and rather poignant. Speaking of Anne's narration, many have complained about the character's sense of humor, pointing out that she seemed less like Austen's Anne Elliot and more like the author herself. One, I thought Johnson handled Anne Elliot’s wit with such subtlety that the character did not come off as a Jane Austen 2.0 like the Fanny Price character in 1999’s "MANSFIELD PARK". Even the Anne Elliot character in the 1971 adaptation of Austen's 1818 novel had expressed flashes of wit every now and then. Also, Anne had only expressed her wit in those moments when she broke the fourth wall. I take that back. There were a few moments when she tried to be witty with her sisters, but they tend to either ignore her, criticize her humor or take her words seriously. Although I had complained about the lack of Admiral and Mrs. Croft in the Bath sequences, two other characters from the novel were missing - Anne's old school friend, Mrs. Smith and the latter's aide, Nurse Rook. If I must be honest, I did not miss them at all. I have never liked the scenes featuring Anne with this pair. Only her defiance against accompanying her family to Viscountess Dalrymple's house in order to visit her old friend was the only aspect of Mrs. Smith I liked in Austen's story. But one would point out that Mrs. Smith had served as the catalyst for Anne's discovery about her cousin William Elliot's villainy. My response? Who cares? One of my major complaints about "Persuasion" had been the portrayal of William as a villain. I have always found it unnecessary. And apparently, the filmmakers, along with screenwriter Nick Bass and director Carrie Cracknell felt the same. That is correct, I have never cared for Austen's portrayal of William Elliot as a villain. Nor have I ever saw the need for such a portrayal for the character. I thank God the screenwriters had decided to simply portray William as a roguish man who enjoyed tripping up with his sharp wit every now and then. More importantly, William openly admitted his intent to prevent Sir Walter Elliot from ever marrying Elizabeth Elliot's companion, Mrs. Penelope Clay in order to remain the older man's heir to Kellynch and the baronetcy. One might believe this admission went against William's pursuit of Anne in the story's second half. But William has always been genuinely attracted to Anne - in the novel and in all of the adaptations. If Louisa Musgrove could be a threat to the potential Anne and Frederick reconciliation without being a villainess, surely William could serve a similar role without being the story's villain. For me, the true barriers to Anne and Frederick's romance have always been her rejection of his first marriage proposal and Frederick's long-lasting resentment of her rejection, not Louisa Musgrove or William Elliot. One scene that had never been featured in Austen's novel appeared in this movie. It featured Frederick's attempt to establish a friendship between him and Anne at Lyme. In this scene, Frederick gave a speech to Anne, expressing his "desire" to end the resentment and regret between them and become friends. I thought it was one of the most deliciously awkward moments I have witnessed in a period drama. This scene was capped by one of my favorite lines spoken by Anne: "But a heartbeat ago, there were no two souls more in rhythm than Wentworth and I. Now we're strangers. Worse than strangers. We're exes." In other words, Frederick had just friend-zoned Anne. And it was the film's only moment in which I had no problem with its use of modern dialogue. Aside from my complaints regarding Dakota Johnson's costumes, I had no problems with the film's other artistic and technical aspects. I found Marianne Agertoft's costume designs for the other characters solid and properly aligned to the movie's mid-1810s setting. But I could not think of a particular costume that blew my mind. However, I was very impressed by Joe Anderson's photography. The movie's scenes featured sharp colors and engaging vistas of locations such as Salisbury, London, Lyme Regis and Yeovil in Somerset, and Bath. And I am utterly grateful the movie did not feature dark interior shots that made it difficult for me to see a person or object. I realize I might attract a good deal of flack for this, but I found Carrie Cracknell did a better job in filming Louisa's accident at the Lyme Regis Cobb than any other adaptation of "Persuasion". I kid you not. There seemed to be something about that particular scene that led previous filmmakers to film it in the most awkward manner. As for the movie's performances, I managed to enjoy them. I have already commented on Stuart Scudamore and Agni Scott's warm portrayals of Admiral and Mrs. Croft. The movie also featured solid performances from Lydia Rose Bewley as Penelope Clay, Izuka Hoyle as Henrietta Musgrove, Jenny Rainsford as Mrs. Harville, Nia Towle as Louisa Musgrove, Gary Beadle as Mr. Musgrove, Eve Matheson as Mrs. Musgrove and Edward Bluemel's very outgoing portrayal of Captain Harville. But there were performances that I particularly enjoyed. When I first viewed "PERSUASION", I had judged Richard E. Grant's portrayal of Sir Walter Elliot as a bit over-the-top. Upon my second and third viewing, I finally appreciated how entertaining and hilarious he was as the self-involved baronet. And . . . I thought he had one of the best lines in the film. I found both Yolanda Kettle and Mia McKenna-Bruce's portrayals of Anne's sisters - Elizabeth Elliot and Mary Elliot Musgrove - to be equally entertaining and funny. Ben Bailey Smith gave a very amusing performance as Mary Musgrove's long-suffering husband, Charles Musgrove. Nia Towle's portrayal of Louisa Musgrove struck me as both charming and ebullient. Nikki Amuka-Bird gave a warm and poignant performance as Anne's godmother, Lady Russell. I might as well say it. Henry Golding's William Elliot has proven to be my favorite version of the character. I have already expressed my pleasure at the screenwriters' decision to avoid Austen's more villainous portrayal of the character. But I also enjoyed Goulding's funny, yet sly performance as Sir Walter's heir. Golding had projected so much charm into his performance that he made it easy for me to see why Anne would briefly consider a future with her cousin. Cosmo Jarvis gave an interesting performance as Captain Frederick Wentworth . . . and I mean that as a compliment. I thought he did a fine job of weaving between the charm and wit Frederick directed at the Musgrove sisters, his continuing anger at Anne's past rejection through the occasion sharp barb or caustic criticism of her character. Once Frederick's anger began to dissipate, Jarvis skillfully managed to convey Frederick's awkwardness at trying to hide his love for Anne via friendly dialogue. I was especially impressed by that moment when he tried to place Anne in a friend zone. Many critics and Austen fans have criticized Dakota Johnson's for being too modern and too witty. I have already complained about the movie's use of modern dialogue and Johnson was not the only actress or actor who used it. As for Anne's wit, I have already discussed Johnson's portrayal of Anne's sense of humor. But I also enjoyed how the actress occasionally utilized facial expressions to convey her amusement or any other emotions toward her family and other characters in the story . . . while breaking the fourth wall. I really enjoyed that. Yet, I also enjoyed Johnson's portrayal of Anne's frustrations and despair over the continuing wall between her and Frederick and the possibility of continuing loneliness in her life. I was almost inclined to regard Henry Golding's portrayal of William Elliot as my favorite performance in this film. But you know what? I have to give that honor to Dakota Johnson's performance as Anne Elliot. How can I put this in a nutshell? This new version of "PERSUASION" is not perfect. It has flaws that include some modern dialogue, the transformation of the Henrietta Musgrove character and some of the costumes worn by the leading actress. But despite these flaws, I still enjoyed watching "PERSUASION" very much. I enjoyed it as much as I had enjoyed the 1995 and 2007 adaptations. Only the 1971 miniseries is superior in my eyes. It is a pity that the movie had received so much negative reactions upon its release on Netflix. But I have no control over that situation and frankly, I do not care. I know how I feel about "PERSUASION" and I look forward to many re-watches of it for years to come, thanks to the screenwriters, director Carrie Cracknell and a wonderful cast led by Dakota Johnson and Cosmo Jarvis.

[oakappleday]

I love the beautiful embroidery on David Hoyle's cope:

This is a truly historic garment! According to Westminster Abbey, it was made for the coronation of Charles II in 1661. It was also worn by the then-dean of Westminster, Alan Campbell Don, for the coronation of Elizabeth II.

[kwebtv]

Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe - BBC / A&E - December 30, 1985

Drama

Running Time: 92 minutes

Stars:

Ben Kingsley as Silas Marner

Jenny Agutter as Nancy Lammeter

Patrick Ryecart as Godfrey Cass

Rosemary Martin as Dolly Winthrop

Jonathan Coy as Dunstan Cass

Angela Pleasence as Molly

Freddie Jones as Squire Cass

Patsy Kensit as Eppie

Elizabeth Hoyle as Baby Eppie

Melinda Whiting as Little Eppie

Robert Putt as Ben Winthrop

Jim Broadbent as Jem Rodney

Tony Caunter as Mr. Snell

Michael Bilton as Mr. Macey

Nick Brimble as Bob Dowlas

Frederick Treves as Mr. Lammeter

[college-girl199328]

King Charles and Queen Camilla are attending their first Commonwealth Day service as the reigning couple.

The King, 74, and Queen Consort, 75, joined members of the royal family at Westminster Abbey on Monday for the annual event honoring the 56 countries and nations that make up the Commonwealth. Other members of the royal family in attendance included Prince William and Kate Middleton, Prince Edward and Sophie (the new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh), and Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

During the event, King Charles gave his Commonwealth Day address from the Great Pulpit at Westminster Abbey, in which he remembered his mother, Queen Elizabeth.

"Commonwealth Day was an occasion of particular pride for my beloved mother, the late Queen — a treasured opportunity to celebrate our Commonwealth family, to whose service she dedicated her long and remarkable life," he said. "In succeeding Her Majesty as Head of the Commonwealth, I draw great strength from her example, together with all that I have learned from the extraordinary people I have met throughout the Commonwealth, over so many years."

The King added, "The Commonwealth has been a constant in my own life, and yet its diversity continues to amaze and inspire me as a force for good in the world that demands our highest ambition; its sheer scale challenges us to unite and be bold."

He also spoke at the service last year, standing in for Queen Elizabeth, who missed the event. Queen Elizabeth's 2022 Commonwealth Day address, which she wrote from Windsor Castle, renewed her pledge to continue the promise she made 75 years ago that she will be forever "devoted" to her public work. "In this year of my Platinum Jubilee, it has given me pleasure to renew the promise I made in 1947 that my life will always be devoted to service," she stated in her message.

Queen Camilla honored Queen Elizabeth with her outfit, sporting a sapphire and diamond brooch that belonged to the monarch. The accessory adorned her blue wool crepe dress and coat by Fiona Clare, paired with a feathered beret by Philip Treacy (which she held with one hand to avoid a wardrobe mishap in the wind!).

If her outfit looks familiar, there's a good reason: Camilla sported the same hat and coat for the first state visit of King Charles' reign in November, when they welcomed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to the U.K.

The Commonwealth Day theme for 2023 is "Forging a Sustainable and Peaceful Common Future." On King Charles and Queen Camilla's arrival at Westminster Abbey, they were met by the Dean of Westminster before they greeted members of the Ngāti Rānana London Māori Club. King Charles also met some of them with the hongi, a traditional Māori greeting where two people press their noses and foreheads together.

The service began with a procession of flags from Commonwealth member states, including a specially designed Commonwealth Flag for Peace. In his welcome, the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr. David Hoyle, said that the congregation was together "in this house of prayer and place of a coronation in the year of coronation" to celebrate as a Commonwealth of Nations. Leading a prayer for peace, he added, "We will pray too for our King as we look to the day when we will gather here again in loyalty and affection as people of faith, hope, and compassion; we shall pray for the peoples of Turkey, Syria, and Ukraine, and all for whom the last year has brought great suffering and loss."

The annual event featured musical performances from saxophonist Yolanda Brown, West End stars Roshani Abbey and Nuwan Hugh Perera, and the all-female Amalgamation Choir from Cyprus. Marking Rwanda's role as the current Commonwealth Chair-in-Office, the Rwandan National Ballet, Urukerereza, also performed.

Throughout Queen Elizabeth's 70-year reign, the Commonwealth grew from just seven nations to 54 members. Gabon and Togo joined in 2022, bringing the total number of nations to 56. "In collaboration towards shared economic, environmental, social, and democratic goals, the Service seeks to highlight a vast community that spans every geographical region, religion, and culture, embracing the diversity of its population of 2.5 billion people, of which over 60 percent are under 30 years old," the palace said in a statement.

The Commonwealth Day Service marked the first public outing for Queen Camilla after she had to cancel her planned visit to Newmarket for a pair of royal engagements on Thursday due to inclement weather.

[news24fr]

Le compte Twitter de Piers Morgan semble avoir été effacé d'une grande partie de son contenu, au milieu des informations selon lesquelles il aurait été piraté.L'ancien présentateur de Good Morning Britain (GMB), 57 ans, qui compte 8,3 millions d'abonnés sur le site de médias sociaux, n'avait pas de photo de profil, d'image de bannière ou de publication mardi après-midi. Certains tweets contenant des images fixes et vidéo sont restés, tout comme des enregistrements de tweets que son compte avait aimés.Selon des informations, son compte a partagé du jour au lendemain des messages contenant de fausses informations, des insultes raciales et des messages abusifs dirigés contre feu la reine Elizabeth II et le chanteur Ed Sheeran.Cela vient après que le compte de la secrétaire britannique à l'éducation, Gillian Keegan, ait semblé avoir été piraté le jour de Noël. Son compte a répondu à plusieurs tweets avec des liens vers des sites Web faisant la publicité de crypto-monnaies telles que le bitcoin.Les tweets sur le compte de Keegan ont commencé à apparaître peu avant 19h30 le jour de Noël et ont été envoyés tout au long de la soirée jusqu'aux petites heures du lendemain de Noël.Le mois dernier, le président de la Chambre des communes, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, a écrit aux députés pour leur conseiller de renforcer la sécurité sur leurs téléphones portables avec une vérification multifactorielle, ainsi que de mettre à jour le logiciel et de supprimer les anciens messages.L'avertissement est venu après que le téléphone de Liz Truss aurait été piraté par des Russes au cours de l'été alors qu'elle était ministre des Affaires étrangères et favorite dans la course à la direction des conservateurs.Le compte Instagram de Morgan semblait fonctionner normalement.Le présentateur, qui a récemment rejoint TalkTV en tant qu'hôte de son émission Uncensored après avoir quitté GMB, n'a pas publiquement abordé le piratage apparent.Plus tôt ce mois-ci, la police métropolitaine a déclaré qu'aucune autre mesure ne serait prise contre un homme soupçonné d'avoir envoyé des menaces de mort à Morgan et à sa famille en ligne.Inscrivez-vous pour Première éditionNewsletter quotidienne gratuiteArchie Bland et Nimo Omer vous guident à travers les meilleures histoires et ce qu'elles signifient, gratuitement tous les matins de la semaine

[myroyallikes]

Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales dedicated a tree in Dean’s Yard at Westminster Abbey to mark the memory of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The tree is a wild cherry tree (Prunus avium Plena) from the estate of the Duchy of Cornwall. It replaces a horse chestnut tree that was rotten and suffered with Summer Sudden Limb Drop earlier this year.

The Princess shovelled the last spadefuls of earth on to the tree and unveiled by a plaque which reads:

This wild cherry tree, a gift from the Duchy of Cornwall, was dedicated in memory of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales on 14th December 2022.

It forms part of The Queen’s Green Canopy.

The Queen’s Green Canopy is a nationwide initiative created to mark this year’s Platinum Jubilee of HM The late Queen’s accession to the throne.

The initiative was due to conclude in December – the end of the Jubilee year – but because the official tree planting season in the United Kingdom is from October to March, the initiative has been extended to include the full tree planting season, beginning in October 2022 and concluding in March 2023.

The Princess of Wales was welcomed to the Abbey by the Dean, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, and members of the Chapter of Westminster. The Abbey’s Head Gardener, Jan Pancheri, and her colleagues Cormac Connolly and Danny Bitten, were presented to the Princess of Wales.

[eunoiareview]

A New Adventure

“I’m afraid I might be turning into a tree.” The assistant chiropractor looks away from the computer he’s typing his notes into. He half-smiles. “I’m nearly done, then we’ll start making you feel like a human again, Kit.” He resumes his typing and I wonder how he’ll react once he feels how wooden my back has become. I bite my tongue as punishment for saying my fears out loud. I still don’t know…

[genevieveetguy]

Don’t you know i wanna be your friend?

Smooth Talk, Joyce Chopra (1985)

[grandmaster-anne]

Court Circular | 14th December 2022

Buckingham Palace

The King held an Investiture at Windsor Castle this morning. The King this afternoon attended the Palace of Westminster to unveil a plaque marking the place of the Lying-in-State of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and to unveil The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Gift, and was received by the Lady Usher of the Black Rod (Ms Sarah Clarke), the Speaker of the House of Commons (Sir Lindsay Hoyle) and the Lord Speaker (the Lord McFall of Alcluith). In Westminster Hall His Majesty, escorted by the Lady Usher of the Black Rod, the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker, thanked representatives of parliamentary departments which provided significant assistance in support of The late Queen’s Lying-in-State, before unveiling the plaque. Subsequently, escorted by the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker, The King moved to New Palace Yard, unveiled a gift of bronze sculptured lampposts from Parliamentarians to The late Queen, which marked the occasion of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, and met representatives of organisations involved with the Gift. The King held a Council at 4pm. There were present: the Rt Hon Penelope Mordaunt MP (Lord President), the Rt Hon Mark Harper MP (Secretary of State for Transport), the Rt Hon Alister Jack MP (Secretary of State for Scotland) and the Rt Hon Melvyn Stride MP (Secretary of State for Work and Pensions). The Lord Kennedy of Southwark, the Rt Hon Victoria Prentis MP and the Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP were sworn in as Members of His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council. Mr Richard Tilbrook was in attendance as Clerk of the Council. The Rt Hon. Sir Clive Alderton (Principal Private Secretary to Their Majesties) and the Rt Hon Sir Edward Young (Joint Principal Private Secretary to His Majesty) were in attendance on The King. The Rt Hon Penelope Mordaunt MP had an audience of His Majesty before the Council. The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP (Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury) had an audience of The King this evening. The Princess Royal, on behalf of The King, held an Investiture at Windsor Castle this afternoon.

St James's Palace

The Princess Royal this evening attended The Queen’s Green Canopy Exhibition and Reception at Sotheby’s London, 34-35 New Bond Street, London W1, and was received by Colonel Jane Davis (Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London).