Distributor:
Roadshow Home Entertainment Certificate: M15+ | 781
minutes Extras: Yes
ANYONE
IN IT WE KNOW?
Tim
Piggott-Smith, Art Malik, Dame Peggy Ashcroft, Susan Wooldridge, Charles
Dance, Renee Goddard, Nicholas Farrell, Warren Clarke, Judy Paritt,
WHAT’S
IT ABOUT THEN?
Following
their massive success with
Brideshead Revisited Granada TV
in the UK were the kings of the
lavish mini series, following up
Brideshead would not be easy but
they found the perfect subject
in Paul Scott’s Raj quartet,
tracing the lives of a group of
Britons and Indians during the
1940’s in India at a time of
growing civil unrest not only
with world war
II
at the forefront but through to Indian independence in 1947; Chief
amongst the large cast of characters is Tim Piggott-Smiths contemptible
Ronald Merrick, a police officer who wasn’t above fitting up an
innocent Indian for a crime (most notoriously by framing Art Malik’s
reporter Hari Kumar for the rape of hospital worker Daphne Manners
played by Susan Wooldridge) also central to the story are The Laytons
who help advance proceedings from 1942 Mayapore to the massive change of
Indian independence.
Stunning
in every regard, from its sumptuous and detailed set design and location
filming to the superlative cast at the peak of their careers from
Piggott-Smith to Charles Dance’s Sgt Guy Perron and Peggy Ashcroft’s
legendary missionary Barbie Batchelor.
The
Jewel in the Crown (the Jewel being India of course in the crown of the
British Empire) was a massive worldwide success winning an Emmy, a
Golden Globe and a BAFTA for best drama series, it was a hugely
expensive series for Granada to make (freak weather conditions in India
and a fire at the UK studios didn’t help ease the financial aspect
either) but it is all there on the screen.
Easily
one of the best productions of the 1980’s and its 14 episodes on this
nicely put together Roadshow digi pack box set are essential viewing.
ANY
SPECIAL FEATURES THEN?
Extras
include an audio commentary on episode 1 by Art Malik and Tim
Piggott-Smith; Episode 4 by director Christopher Morahan and episodes 13
and 14 by Charles Dance and Geraldine James. There are also two photo
galleries Postcards From The Raj and location scouting in
India
as well as a look at the Jewel in the Crown painting.
