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The Pursuit of Love (BBC adaptation, 2021)


Marie H

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So, is anyone else excited about the BBC 1, Sunday evening watching the adaptation of Nancy Mitford’s The Pursuit of Love?  I am! :exc:The actors seem a decent bunch, 


BBC blurb

Freedom, friendship, sex and love. Impatiently waiting for life to begin, two cousins are thrust into a decadent, whirlwind adventure. Starring Lily James and Andrew Scott.

 

 

Role Contributor
Linda Radlett Lily James
Fanny Logan Emily Beecham
Uncle Matthew Dominic West
Lord Merlin Andrew Scott
Tony Kroesig Freddie Fox
The Bolter Emily Mortimer
Aunt Emily Annabel Mullion
Writer Emily Mortimer
Director Emily Mortimer

 

Adapted and directed by award-winning actor Emily Mortimer, The Pursuit Of Love is a romantic comedy-drama about love and friendship from the 1945 novel by Nancy Mitford. Emily Mortimer explains how the novel was brought to the screen and the challenges of adapting it from book to screenplay as well as directing, including directing herself in the role of The Bolter.

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I am certainly intending to watch the first episode. 

I am in the fortunate position of not having read the book, so may enjoy it - normally, if I have read and enjoyed a book, I avoid TV/film versions as they almost always disappoint.

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The first episode was very good, both accurate with plot and acting. I’m not sure that some on the music (1980s New Order and possibly Marc Bolan) we’re slightly jarring. Why not music of the era would have been better? Anyway, I really did enjoy the 1st episode.

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I'm not taken by Lily James, either - or rather, by the character she plays, Linda Radlett 

 

It seems to be a thing I have about 1920s novels in general - I find so many of the characters very superficial.

Presumably they are the "bright young things" needing to fit as much fun as possible into their lives, so many of the previous generation having had their youthful years wiped out by the Great War, or the influenza pandemic that followed. 

But I do find them & their small concerns tedious.

 

Apart from the music, which did jar, I didn't think the girls had a particularly 1920s look - but it's maybe set a bit too early for the flapper fashions I am thinking of, or that their restricted upbringing had kept them a bit behind the times.

Their faces seemed to be quite C21 - possibly that is what France found annoying about Lily James.

  I am not dismissing it altogether - I will watch episode two and see if i become acclimatised. 

Edited by megustaleer
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It has been done before, I think Frances Barber played the Bolter but  that's all I can remember.

 

I watched the first episode of the new version, hated it.  too much narration, most of them were irritating, apparently it does get better but I never was a Mitford fan so will pass on this one.

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I have enjoyed the 1st and 2nd episodes. I think the characters are quite accurate to the book, and Lily James was well played as Linda - uneducated and vacuous (with increases as she grew as adult). 

The 2nd was less about the Bright Young Things (how I did loathed them!), who were in the centre in 1st episode. Most people became grown up, but Linda remained uneducated and ridiculously silly. But she is always rescued by a man……🤔. 
 

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Finished watching the final episode on iPlayer - that was peculiar putting all the episodes so soon, being usually a Sunday evening.
 

Anyway, after seeing the end of the programme, I’m unsure if I remember it as quite the ending as before. I have really enjoyed the series, so I’ve just started re-reading the novel again.

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