Our Mutual Friend (1998) Review

So it has been a little while since I have seen this. I probably saw it March-April-ish so bear with me.

When I watched Dicken's Our Mutual Friend miniseries, I had not yet read the book, so at first I was really confused. Then as things became more clear I couldn't wait to watch the next episodes.

Our Mutual Friend begins with the death of a wealthy heir, John Harmon, (or whatever his name was at the time, since he changed it a lot. For this review, I am just going to call him John Harmon.) who is sailing to meet his future bride. (The only way he can inherit the fortune is to marry Bella Wilfur.)
What is supposedly his dead body is found in the river by Gaffer Hexam and his daughter Lizzy. Thus begins the intricate plot of Our Mutual Friend. There are the token creepy dudes off to find the Harmon fortune (Silas Wegg and his friend.) There is also Charley Hexam's teacher, who is attracted to Lizzy Hexam. At first I thought maybe those two would work out, but people. He is NUTS. Very weird. Very vindictive and angry. By the end everything he did disgusted me. And he really could not have loved sweet Lizzy or he would have been happy for her instead of ruining all her hopes and dreams.

There are also the Boffins, the faithful servants of old Mr. Harmon and the new heirs to the fortune. Sometimes I liked them and sometimes they were a little weird. But really, their hearts were in the right place. And for all his declared "dimness," Mr. Boffin came up with an ingenious plan to show Bella where her true priorities lay.

                                            
Bella was pretty, but selfish and rude. She cared all about herself, she complained often, and was often petulant. I did not like her. How could John have? But he did and she refused him. (I could have told him that would happen. Plus, he was kind of being stalker-ish so I might have been a little worried too if I had been Bella.) Her change was believable though and I really grew to be quite fond of her. How could she be so okay with John lying to her and keeping such a big secret from her? I would have forgiven him, but I would have been mad at first. I mean, lying about your identity is kind of a big deal.... anyway.

Eugene Wrayburn and Mortimer Lightwood were foppish. Mortimer not as much, but still. And they were bored of everything. (though I could rather understand that, "Society" is dreadful company.)

                           
At first I wasn't happy with Eugene liking Lizzy. She kept saying she was beneath him, but honestly? He was beneath her. He put his own needs in front of hers. Except when it really mattered, he tried to do what was best for her. And he married her. What would Society think? Society be dashed! It was a great transformation for him.

Mortimer Lightwood... He finally saw the light and proclaimed the truth to society. BUT he was still back in London society when the show ended, so I am not really sure how well off he was. There was not even a nice girl in the picture. Sad, that.

Anyway, it all works out. The bad guys are punished, the good guys prevail, and the heros and heroines get their happily ever afters. (After a lot of worry and distress and SUCH a complicated plot.)

It was classic Dickens, with lots of characters, sub plots, and everyone was somehow related to everyone else. It was really good, and I enjoyed it. I found it for free on YouTube here.

And now I am going to post a bunch of Bella's dresses 'cause I love 'em. :)

                    

                                                           

                             

Thankful Thursday #2

It's Thursday again, which means it's time to be thankful! So, I have made a little list again of what I am especially thankful for at the moment....

• Warm beds. There is nothing like snuggling into a warm bed with a good book at the end of a long day. Fuzzy socks help too. :)
• Lotions. I have many lotions and potions. Many of the with scents; and when my skin gets cracked and chapped around this time of year, it is nice to have something to both smooth and soothe the skin.... while making you smell good. Wow I sound rather like an advertisement. Oh, well.

                              

• Friends. I am awfully thankful for my friends. Anytime I need help, even on something as simple as a math problem, they are there to help me out. And that's really nice to know.
• Quotes. I love quotes. It is amazing how someone you don't even know, someone from another place or even another time, can feel how you feel, and express it ever so much nicer than you ever could. The quotes that just get to you. And I love finding those. I am a major quote collector. I have them on my desktop, on my chalkboard, on my cork board, and in a notebook. Here are a few I have liked lately: "

"Once you face and understand your limitations, you can work with them, instead of having them work against you and get in your way, which is what they do if you ignore them, whether you realize it or not. And then you will find that, in many cases, your limitations can be your strengths." -The Tao of Pooh

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." -Philippians 4:13

                 

"What day is it?"asked Pooh. "It's Today!" squeaked Piglet. "My favorite day," said Pooh. -Winnie the Pooh 

"Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts." -Charles Dickens

"Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less." -C.S. Lewis

And, finally, "People are often unreasonable and self-centered: forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives: be kind anyway.

If you're successful, you'll win some false friends and some true enemies: succeed anyway.

If you're honest and frank, people may cheat you: but be honest anyway.

What you spend years building, someone can destroy overnight: build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous: be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow: do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough: give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it's between you and God, it was never between you and them anyway."

-Mother Teresa 

Do you have a favorite quote(s)? I hope you have a lovely end of the week!