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Rating:  - A beautifully filmed period piece that interlaces romance with a man's search for purpose and identity
Daniel Deronda the series is based on George Eliot's novel of the same name . The main character Daniel Deronda[Hugh Dancy], is a young man of unknown parentage who is the adopted son of a wealthy man, Sir Hugo, and has all the trappings of wealth, yet yearns for a 'real' purpose and searches for his identity. When the story begins, we are shown a scene where a beautiful woman [Romola Garai] is gambling at the roulette table and when Daniel [Hugh Dancy] stares at her, her winning streak comes to an abrupt end. She is intrigued by him, yet refuses to be introduced to him.
We are then shown a flashback to months earlier when the beauty, a Ms Gwendolyn is shown to be the toast of society, and is desired by the men of her society, both young and old, rich and not so rich. Gwendolyn typifies the spoilt young rich woman who tells her mother 'I hate everyone!' and posseses a fiery temperament. She attracts the particular attentions of Mr Grandcourt [Hugh Bonneville] who hides a malevolent and cruel streak beneath his sophisticated and attentive exterior. When she finds out a scandalous truth about him, Gwen flees to Europe before news that her family fortunes have been lost brings her back into Grandcourt's circle again.
Daniel's story is also no less compelling - he goes boating one day and saves a young woman who has attempted suicide. The young lady turns out to be a gifted singer and Jewess, Mirah Lapidoth [Jodhi May] who is in despair for her attempts to find her long lost mother and brother have been in vain. Daniel sends her to a friend's home to be nursed and taken care of, and pays all her expenses whilst trying to help her find her family. In the process, he inadvertently comes into contact with people whom he feels a strange affinity for and this leads him to uncover the truth of his own origins.
The action in this drama is non-stop - but I am not referring to the swashbuckling sort of action, rather the intensity of emotions and unfolding of the story of the two main characters - Daniel and Gwendolyn. Their stories though different, are also parallel for fate brings them together again. What happens to these two characters forms the backbone of the story and makes for compelling viewing.
Hugh Dancy and Romola Garai do an excellent job as the leads, and the other characters are also equally credible in their roles. Hugh Bonneville makes an appropriately revolting villain, and Jodhi May plays the role of the impoverished yet gifted singer ably.
The sets and score are simply beautiful as are the scenes of the English countryside and also other exotic locations. All in all, I would highly recommend this series to those who are avid period drama fans.
Rating: - Daniel Deronda - highly recommended period peice
This is an excellent period peice with a sound story and excellent character development. After seeing Pride and Prejudice, I wanted more of that type of film, well, Daniel Deronda is even better than P&P, it's excellent and highly recommended viewing for the romantic movie buff!
Rating:  - Well Worth A Look
I don't usually buy these movies; my wife and I rent them from Blockbuster online. There really is no need to buy movies anymore, is there, when one can so easily get them from any number of rental outlets?
That said, we greatly enjoyed this richly-detailed story from George Eliot. The film is a very good length--210 minutes, in three parts--for a novel of this type. As in most of the Austen/Trollope/Eliot period pieces, the typical feature length of 90 to 120 minutes is not enough time to adequately develop the characters and story. I have not read the novel, though I fully intend to after seeing this production; to me, that is a good test of whether or not a film is worthwhile.
It's a morality tale with a cast of wonderfully interesting and three dimensional characters. Daniel's quest to find his familial roots--and his true love--is deeply compelling. The production values and locations are magnificent throughout, the performances by the leads are all fabulous, the attention to detail, the beautiful music, the interiors and exteriors of all those incredible English mansions, are truly glorious. I found the Jewish flavor of the story to be endlessly fascinating; we are privileged travellers on a journey into an intimate world of Jewish faith and family.
Jodhi May plays the haunting young girl whom Daniel rescues and restores to life. I had not seen her since her glowing performance in the masterpiece Last of the Mohicans. She is a revelation. Beautiful, full of emotion and repressed desire, very convincing in her accent and look.
Luscious skinned, honey-haired, with a perfect figure, Romola Garai plays the selfish young beauty who everyone desires. With her immaturity and egocentrism, her frigidity, and her powerful beauty, she is really nothing more than an extremely attractive but empty ornament. But she does have a conscience; when she thinks about it, she admits that she is a deeply unhappy. Despite this, she marries a haughty and cold nobleman, telling herself that she's doing it to help her impoverished family. It does not take long for her to realize she's made a tragic mistake.
You'll totally lose yourself in this classic tale of romance and redemption.
Rating: - Top quality period piece!
I'm always on the look out for new period pieces. This one has made my top five which include Pride and Prejudice (mini-series), Sense and Sensibility (Ang Lee), North and South, and Howard's End. It is a great piece. Romola Garai is amazing, as is Hugh Dancy, Jodhi May and Hugh Bonneville (what a great character to hate). The series has incredible depth and breath, and the acting is wonderful. Truely a great classic!
Rating:  - Boooooring!!!
The entire movie was too long and boring and with a disappointing ending to boot. I felt there was next to no chemistry between Daniel and Mirah; whereas he seemed more compatible and happy with Gwendolen. This movie is a huge waste of time and money. I wish I read between the lines of what the other reviewers also tried to express.
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