I suspect this miniseries was deliberately given its title to be provocative. It was in fact judged 'too much' for the US DVD release, where it was re-titled The Devil's Mistress. I suspect this says more about marketing people than the American people at large, however.
First things first, this has a crazy good cast: go IMDB it and stare at the talent involved for a moment. Unsurprisingly, it's wall to wall with solid to excellent performances, which are ably augmented by the excellent set and costume design.
Plot-wise, it's a fictionalised account of the English civil war (the one in the 1640s, not the earlier War of the Roses or even earlier Barons' Wars of the 13th century). It purports to be the true account of the life and times of Angelica Fanshawe, who did not actually exist. Noble-born Angelica is a free spirited believer in social justice. She is also member of Charles I's court, at least until her husband is executed for failing the King in battle. Destitute, she falls in with Levellers - for the time political radicals who believe in crazy things like letting every adult male have a vote (not adult women of course, that would be considered ludicrous for another 250 years). Angelica finds the Levellers' beliefs much more in keeping with her own. She also finds one of their leaders quite dashing, and becomes his bride.
Alas, being Angelica's husband is a dangerous job and she's twice-widowed by the halfway point of the mini-series, which provides the pretext for her to move through several of the other political and religious movements of the period, such as the Diggers and Ranters. Most of the questions and conflicts of the era are depicted fairly accurately, though it is as noted fiction, so there are plenty of liberties taken in the details.
If you're in the mood for an upscale historical melodrama, this is a good one.
No comments:
Post a Comment