Vanity Fair

Having recently seen the BBC version of it, I have a lot to say about both the book and the impending movie.

I read the book a few years back and now, I can barely remember what happened to poor Becky. Which just goes to show how much I had grown wearisome of the book or how un-retentive I was.
Indeed it was neither. Thackery is an excellent writer and thus Vanity, despite its length (which closely resembled Anna Karenina's), was still a dream to read.
Of and about Becky, the daughter of a blind tutor (I think!) works...no, claws her way up through society, indifferent to the people she leaves dead and bloodied along the way. And once again, like Anna Karenina, parallels Beck's social mountaineering with the descent of once-rich-now-poor Amelia, Beck's friend from school. I have no fear in giving away that as deserving as either girl was that one ends up unhappy but somewhat satisfied while the other has an uncharming Jane Austen ending. Featuring an excellent English cast, with the exception of Ms. Witherspoon, which includes the likes of Romola Garai (personal fave), Jonathan Rhys Myers, Bob Hoskins, Jim Broadbent, Elieen Atkins, Rhys Ifans (Ah! He plays Dobbins! What? Who did this casting?), James Purefoy and of course, Gabriel Byrne, who could say no? Well certainly some could but not me. I've always had a softie for period dramas. The trailer proves thus wise with enough wealth and richness of period style, detail and production to rival the Phantom of the Opera. With a dash of that exotic, Indian allure which of course, is the facet and focus of Miss Becky's personality. In truth, I'd love to see this all squashed into one fat movie but I also fear it. Let's hope my fear is squashed itself as I loved Ms. Witherspoon in her debut English accent in The Importance of Being Earnest and consquently, I await this in earnest derived just from the trailer. 9/10 from me.
I deducted a point because Gabriel Byrne does not come off to me as the lavicious type. No, no. That bald guy from the BBC series did. Perhaps switch him with Hoskins. Yes, that's better. *nods* Download away.

~ M.M.W ~