Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #220 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-01-26
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Format: PAL
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 4
• Running time: 452 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
It’s fair to say that the BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Little Dorrit managed to attract quite a cast. Led by the excellent Claire Foy and Matthew Macfadyen, you’ll happily talent spot as the likes of Eddie Marsan, Andy Serkis, Alun Armstrong and Tom Courtney take their places in the production. And what’s more, making more fleeting appearances are the likes of Sue Johnston, Amanda Redman, Pam Ferris and Freema Agyeman. Star-studded doesn’t begin to describe it.

Perhaps the real star of Little Dorrit though is writer Andrew Davies, who once more manages to skilfully wrangle a classic text into a cracking TV adaptation. Across fourteen episodes, he weaves Dickens’ tale of 1820s London into life, and it’s not the easiest text to adapt. Davies, however, does sterling work here, and cements his position as one of the best in the business.

He’s matched toe-to-toe by the production team, though. Little Dorrit is the latest to further enhance the BBC’s pedigree where costume drama is concerned, and the production is simply sumptuous. Perhaps, on the downside, the casting gets a little star-focused, and it does require a little more effort than you’d normally expect on the part of the viewer to get into. But it’s richly rewarded effort, and we can’t be the only ones eagerly wondering what Andrew Davies will tackle next. For Little Dorrit really is something quite special. --Jon Foster

Synopsis
A victim of her father's debt, 'Little Dorrit' has spent her childhood behind the heavy, iron doors of Marshalsea Prison. But will a chance meeting change her life? Andrew Davies' gripping new series brings to life Dickens’ classic tale of hardship and struggle in 1820s London, where larger-than-life characters leap from rags to riches (and back again), and fortunes can be reversed in an instant.

Returning home after many years abroad, Arthur Clennam is surprised by the mysterious presence of Amy Dorrit, a young seamstress, in his mother's house. Troubled by the Dorrits' plight, and suspecting his own family's involvement in their downfall, he resolves to help them. Delving into the puzzling connections between the two families, Arthur entangles himself in a mystery that transcends the walls of Marshalsea to include an epic scope, and a personal resonance, that makes this tale one of the most exhilarating and stirring in history. And as the truth unfolds, Arthur discovers that the shadow of debt can fall in the most unlikely of places…

Customer Reviews

At Last
After 'Dombey and Son' this must be the hardest book of Dickens' to adapt for the screen. The last Dickens we were given was 'Oliver Twist', which was pretty mediocre but I had been waiting to see this since I heard it was being made about eighteen months ago. It seems the BBC could have another hit on its hands. Like 'Bleak House' this has been filmed in 30 minute segments giving it a soap like feel and seems to work with this story, as it did with 'Bleak House'. I did have a few qualms about some of the casting, but these seem to have been misplaced.

So, what is Little Dorrit about? The story is about lies, deceit and secrets, a tangled web of all these has been formed and the question is can the honest and honourable Mr Clennam unravel these to find what is going on. After the death of the senior Mr Clennam his son is sent back to England with a pocket watch and a message for his mother. Only at this stage does the young Mr Clennam become aware that some shady dealings have gone on in the past, and he is determined to get to the bottom of it, especially as he has taken a liking to Amy 'Little' Dorrit and is concerned that his family may have bankrupted her father, placing him in the Marshalsea.

The acting is good, and so are the set pieces, costumes, etc. This is truly a sumptious adaptation that really brings the novel to life. For some purists they may not agree, as not every scene from the book and every word is repeated, but surely the success of an adaptation is the ability to evoke the essence of a story and make something that captivates an audience? To this end Andrew Davies has supplied a screenplay that does just that and once again he can rest on his laurels as the supremo of classic novel to screen adaptations.

I would strongly advise people to read the book at some time, as it is really good. I have the Penguin edition Little Dorrit (Penguin Classics), but there are cheaper ones for sale on this website. I bought this edition as I needed a replacement for my old battered copy, and I knew this one had the illustrations in, which I don't think all the copies on the market necessarily do have.

Best costume drama in a decade!
The past decade has produced some fabulous costume dramas, but Little Dorrit has to be the best: it combines moving profundity, eccentric humour and a dazzling evocation of Victorian London and Venice to create a visually spellbinding and continuously gripping experience for the viewer. It's impeccably cast, and all of the actors give superb performances, down to the last telling detail.

It's astonishing that Andrew Davies could have captured such a complex, multi-layered story with such daringly economical dialogue, but every character and scene is drawn in intricate, mesmerizing detail and the feel of the book is recreated with utmost faithfulness. Mr Pancks' leapfrog is one of our favourite television moments of all time! No-one could fail to enjoy this adaptation. We'll be watching the episodes back to back continuously for the rest of our lives!

Unputdownable!
The BBC's latest adaption of Little Dorrit is not to be missed. The casting is excellent (M. Rigaud is truly terrifying), and the costumes and sets are just right. Every moment is riveting, one is constantly wondering which way the story is going to turn next, and although the plot is perhaps a little contrived in places (a few too many coincidences), it doesn't detract from the enjoyment. In fact I'm beside myself at the end of each episode, wanting to know what will happen next. Not normally a great lover of Dickens, this production has changed my mind. Don't miss it!