Brideshead Revisited ***** (1981, Jeremy Irons, Anthony Andrews, Diana Quick, Claire Bloom, Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud) – Classic Movie Review 9289

Directors Charles Sturridge and Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s monumental and magnificent 1981 Brideshead Revisited is Granada Television’s sumptuous adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s novel about England’s decadent and declining upper-class between the world wars, made in 11 episodes.

It won the 1983 Golden Globe for Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television and Anthony Andrews won for Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television. Laurence Olivier won a 1982 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special for playing Lord Marchmain. It won seven BAFTA TV Awards, including Best Drama Series/Serial and Best Actor (Anthony Andrews).

Jeremy Irons plays the innocent Oxford undergraduate Charles Ryder, who befriends the divinely decadent Sebastian Flyte (Anthony Andrews) and becomes entangled in the affairs of his Catholic family, the grand but vulnerable Flytes.

Atmospheric and beautifully acted, it sustains a strong stately pace through a riveting tale stretching from the heady Twenties to the aftermath of World War Two.

A classic of British TV drama, it was remade as a single feature for the cinema in 2008 as Brideshead Revisited.

Also in the cast are Diana Quick, Claire Bloom, Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud, Mona Washbourne, Stéphane Audran, John le Mesurier, Jane Asher, Phoebe Nicholls, Simon Jones, Charles Keating, Jeremy Sinden, John Grillo, Roger Milner, Ronald Fraser, John Nettleton, Jenny Runacre and Nickolas Grace as Anthony Blanche.

Brideshead Revisited was directed by Charles Sturridge and Michael Lindsay-Hogg, runs 664 minutes, is made by Granada TV, is written by John Mortimer, based on Evelyn Waugh’s novel, is shot by Ray Goode, is produced by Derek Granger, and is scored by Geoffrey Burgon.

I like the story that the teddy bear was specially made and based on a real one called Archie that belonged to Waugh’s Oxford friend John Betjeman. But I don’t go for it, as Aloysius looks like he was bought at Hamleys toy store.

Irons and Andrews swapped roles. Laurence Olivier was offered his choice to play either Lord Marchmain or Edward Ryder, and later regretted not picking Gielgud’s much stronger role of Edward Ryder.

Castle Howard, the location for much of the series, was owned by George Howard, who was chairman of the rival TV network BBC. He was also a technical adviser and supplied many of the props.

Production was delayed for several months by the 1979 ITV technicians’ strike. Lindsay-Hogg was no longer available to direct, so he was replaced by Sturridge.

Sturridge married Phoebe Nicholls (Cordelia).

The ship storm incorporated unused footage from The Poseidon Adventure (1972).

At £10,000,000, it was the most expensive British TV series.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9289

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