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Okay, I Get it Now
When we were doing the Top 100 Polling back in October, I entered a number of ballots with North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. At one point, I sent an email to Cindy and Lee, my fellow pollsters, indicating how surprised I was that so many people were voting for a Civil War book....Oops! One of them kindly let me know that North and South is really a book set in England (while off in the geography by a long shot, I was pretty close in terms of time). I filed that information away, but didn't really think about it...way too many books to read.
Fast forward a couple months, and I started noticing all kinds of posts at AAR and elsewhere about the BBC series North and South, featuring an actor I'd never heard of - Richard Armitage. Once again, too many movies to see, too little time.
Finally, early this week, I was at my local library picking up DVDs to watch on my laptop on a train trip to Chicago. There, nestled right next to Colin Firth's Pride and Prejudice (oh, I know he didn't write it, but it's how I will FOREVER think of it) was North and South. Hmm...okay, I figured I could watch one on the trip to Chicago, and the second on the trip back.
So, yesterday, I nestled into my comfy Amtrak seat (really, it was comfy), plugged in my computer, and pulled out a DVD from my bag. Lo and behold, out popped North and South, not Colin. I decided to go with it anyway. And may I say, I'm very glad I did.
While I still love my regency England historical movies, North and South was such a refreshing change, offering heartbreaking glimpses of life in the 1850s for the working class poor in England. The views of child labor, poverty, and hunger were wrenching...Nary a view of the aristocracy could be found. But, let's be honest, it wasn't the fantastic costumes, it wasn't the wonderful scenery or sets, that has me still sighing over North and South; that has me actually contemplating watching it on my return trip for a second time rather than Colin....No, anyone who has seen it knows exactly what has me sighing.....
Richard Armitage as Mr. Thornton, oh yes, I'm definitely feeling the love.
What interesting synchronicity! I just received the first 2 hours of North
and South from Neetflix yesterday. (I've completely given up on the current
TV season.) I told myself I'd savor it and only watch the first hour. Hah!
Mr. Armitage's charms soon persuaded me to watch both hours. And now I'm
desperate for the next two installments to arrive
Didn't I tell you how good N&S was? Train scene!!!
I am actually reading N&S right now and it is very good. The tone is a bit
different from the movie but overall a great read and great movie.
Richard Armitage... sigh....
I have a huge crush on Richard Armitage. Ever since Kristie got me started
watching N&S, I have been completely enamored. I initially got N&S from
the library, but loved it enough that I had to rush right on to amazon.com
to order my own copy.
LOL - now you understand Katie & my signatures. Once you see this - if you
have that certain gene - once is just never enough! Now you know why we've
created a whole Crusade to try and get the word out on this truly wonderful
series. We've really been talking the North and South love. And there
have bee quite a few romance readers that have seen it and been totally
smitten. Although Richard Armitage is wonderfully cast - it really is so
much more and the thing is - the more you watch it, the more you want to
watch it again, and again and then talk about it - over and over. For
those of us who've release the gene that contains the fever that is :)
kate, you were right! The train scene...oh my! That may be the most
romantic ending I've ever seen in a movie.
Oh, North and South. Sa-woooon. I have to rewatch this. I've seen it
twice already, but it's been too long.
I am COMPLETELY obsessed with this at the moment! I am actually watching
the first DVD at the moment!