Tom Wolfe once wrote that the only reason Brideshead Revisited became a hit in America was because of its portrayal of the wealthy. Sort of a British Dallas, then? Not quite. This miniseries has been so intensely loved it is often dubbed the greatest piece of television ever. I wouldn’t go that far, but it is a sprawling chronicle of a lost era that demands your full attention for more than eleven hours.
Getting to know each other in college
The year is 1943. Captain Charles Ryder (Jeremy Irons) is stationed near Brideshead, the stately home of the aristocratic Marchmain family. Charles was once deeply involved in their affairs and begins to recall how he first met Sebastian Flyte (Anthony Andrews), the younger son. In 1923, they were both enrolled at Hertford College in Oxford and became very close friends; Charles was charmed by Sebastian’s carefree attitude to life and appetite for adventure. On one of his early visits to Brideshead, Charles is picked up at the train station by Sebastian’s sister Julia (Diana Quick) and is astounded to notice how similar the siblings are.
As time progresses, Charles becomes a familiar guest at Brideshead but begins to worry about Sebastian; his usual alcohol-laden adventures have turned into serious bouts of depression and he slowly drifts out of Charles’s life. However, his connection to the rest of the family remains intact, even after getting married to a woman he has little in common with.
Fresh twist to the story
That’s part of the story, but my summary doesn’t say much about the major themes. Evelyn Waugh’s classic novel (this adaptation is close to it) is very religious and portrays Christ as a savior who’s always there even if you have denied His existence all your life. The Marchmains are Catholics and their troubled relationship with the Church is a source of debate, not least for Charles who comes to Oxford as an atheist. The concept of divine grace is evident in the paths the characters follow.
Still, there are other liberal ingredients that bring a fresh twist to the story. Brideshead and the lives of the Marchmains stand as archaic and sometimes unintentionally humorous symbols of a period long gone; the waste is obvious and the extreme contrivances of these people’s lives are in stark contrast to their strong passions. And then there is the nature of Charles’s and Sebastian’s relationship. There are sections of the book and the miniseries that portray them as possibly more than friends. Isn’t Charles’s infatuation with Julia a mere consequence of the fact that he can’t have her brother? Nothing is clearly stated, but the story offers many interpretations and the carefully written, poetic and wistful dialogue provide further clues.
Brilliant acting throughout; Irons and Andrews give heavily lauded performances and Quick is equally great as Julia. Nickolas Grace is amusing and even a little sad as one of Sebastian’s extraordinarily mannered, homosexual friends from Oxford. The cast is rounded out with dignified appearances by John Gielgud and Laurence Olivier as Charles’s alienating father and the ailing Lord Marchmain. Geoffrey Burgon’s music gives the miniseries a melancholy feel, reinforced by Irons’s somber narration.
Tom Wolfe isn’t all wrong. Part of the allure of Brideshead Revisited is to watch and dream of the perks that come with wealth. But it isn’t shown here without an underlying sense of criticism; the glamor can’t be taken seriously. And the fact that the themes are so rich that they could be further explored for an additional eleven hours says something about the quality of this miniseries.
Brideshead Revisited 1981-Britain. Made for TV. 659 min. Color. Produced by Derek Granger. Directed by Charles Sturridge, Michael Lindsay-Hogg. Teleplay: John Mortimer. Novel: Evelyn Waugh. Music: Geoffrey Burgon. Cast: Jeremy Irons (Charles Ryder), Anthony Andrews (Sebastian Flyte), Diana Quick (Julia Flyte), Simon Jones, Phoebe Nicholls, Nickolas Grace… John Gielgud, Laurence Olivier, Claire Bloom.Â
Trivia: Originally shown in 11 episodes. Irons was allegedly first considered for Andrews’s part, and vice versa. Remade as a film in 2008, Brideshead Revisited.
Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actor (Olivier). Golden Globes: Best Miniseries, Actor (Andrews).
Last word: “I did an analysis of all the homoerotic references in the novel. And when you write them up over two pages, it’s quite strong. But we decided it would be better to show nothing. It’s much more lilting, tender and emotional that way.” (Granger, The New York Times)
ABOVE AVERAGE