Best movie of this year hands down!

Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

I like Black Panther, but I didn't like this movie.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Prior to Downton Abbey, this was the best drama series of the last twenty years. I appreciate that's a bold statement, but it really was that impressive. Many years since i'd seen the black and white TV series, that ran for so long it became a little tiresome. Damian Lewis was nothing but captivating as Soames, playing him in a way that at times you questioned whether he was the victim or the villain. The casting of Gina McKee at the time I wasn't crazy about, but seeing it over a few times I find her pretty good. Nyree Dawn Porter will never be bettered as Irene.Series one 10/10Series two 6/10

Comparisons between the 60s version of this splendid work and the latest one are difficult because they were both great. I have really enjoyed the last version especially as regards the performances of Damian Lewis and Gina McKee.One previous contributor said that he found himself almost liking Soames which 'we were not supposed to do'. Is that right? Galsworthy intended The Forsytes to be representative of the upper middle class with some bad aspects - arrogance, lack of sentiment, conscious always of their respectability - but also with a positive side - sturdy, determined, ambitious, but ultimately concerned with ownership and property. Soames is an extreme example of his kind, to the extent that he regards people - especially his wife - as potential property. Irene, on the other hand, represents the new force which, along with the effects of WWI and the rise of the Welfare State, nationalisation etc will soon overthrow the old order.Superficially at least, Soames is the villain. He appears to terrorise his wife, physically abuses her and more. However, is there another side to this? Irene marries him quite cynically for materialistic reasons. It's not merely a question of 'not loving' him. He positively makes her flesh creep right from the start. We are given the idea that she is forced to marry him by her stepmother and by her poverty. Force her?? As the story goes forward, we see that she is a strong character - no-one can force her to do anything. Her poverty? She has £50 per annum from her father. This might not seem a lot, but it was about what an artisan earned in a year at that time (on which he was expected to keep a family). Despite his treating her as property, Soames does love Irene in his way and he does try his best to give her what she wants. In return she is openly unfaithful to him, denies him children and even conjugal rights. As regards his bad treatment of her, she certainly returns the compliment in kind. She could be looked on as something of a vampire - she sucks the life force from Soames and old Jolyan and wantonly destroys the happiness of her friend June and Bossiney (though admittedly he goes along willingly). As regards her own son her hatred of Soames tempers her dislike of Fleur so even her son is badly affected by her force of character and neurosis.I think Galsworthy, as well as writing a simple commentary on Edwardian and Victorian life was also trying to divide his readers into factions - the pro-Soames camp who like the old ways, and the pro-Irene (the 'new woman' camp) who wanted change.Whatever, I have to congratulate Gina McKee. She carried off that complex character of Irene so well. Her enigmatic Mona Lisa smile, did it display goodness? Or the opposite? I'm still not sure

I just finished watching the Series One of the Forsyte saga and I must say I liked it. It has a good picture, realistic and exquisite backgrounds, costumes, everything. I don;t know if so it was intended but i HATED IRENE who in my opinion is nowhere near beautiful and somehow this way in which she is presented is quite strange, being shown as an outstanding beauty when in fact she isn't, also the way characters gravitate around her is not convincing at all. Soames on the other hand is very well played, he is very real I would say, the realest of them all. I recommend this movie if you like the epoque feeling and romantic stories.

I couldn't agree more with previous reviewers overseer 3 and housemouse. It is obvious that almost all the reviewers who raved about this production never saw the original 1967 classic. I urge them to watch the original (available at most libraries) and compare. Almost every member of the cast gave a far superior and convincing performance in the original. While Damien Lewis was excellent in "Band of Brothers," his rendition of Soames was awful when compared to the brilliant Soames of Eric Porter in the original version. Lewis' slicked down red hair was very distracting, did you notice any other Forsyte with red hair? He had a constant smirk on his face that was very annoying. Gina McKee as Irene projected none of the beauty, radiance and talent of Nyree Dawn Porter who was unforgettable and created an Irene that will never be bettered. While Rupert Graves was the best of the current cast, I still felt Kenneth More was more believable. The actors who portrayed old Jolyon, Winefred, Helene, Frances, Holly and June were also more convincing in the original 1967 version. Finally, the costumes worn by the ladies in the original, over 3,000, were stunning and truly representative of all the decades covered by the saga. I was surprised how abbreviated the second season of this series was compared to the original. It ended with the marriage of Fleur and Michael Mott. The original series dealt with their marriage at some length and also the marriage of Jon to an American girl. What I found unbelievable was Damien Lewis' pathetic smirks, tears and sulking depression when Irene left him. I don't think Eric Porter shed a single tear or showed any weakness in his lengthy portrayal of a more resolute Soames in the original. While Gillian Kearney gave a good performance of June, her excessive affection for Irene at the end, considering their history really strains credulity. I also found the costumes worn by Irene to be very unflatering and drab compared to those worn by Nyree Dawn Porter in the original. I would be remiss if I did not mention the aspects of this sequel that I thought were superior to the original. The color and music, sorely missed in the original, was a big plus. I also preferred Ioan Grufford's portrayal of Philip Bossiney and especially Beatrix Batarda's performance as Soame's second wife Annette. She was present for Fleur's wedding unlike Annette in the original version. Finally, I would urge all those who enjoyed this version to obtain a copy of the original 1967 version, now on DVD, at any library. It is far longer and more detailed and ends with the death of Soames. Sadly, Nyree Dawn Porter, the luminescent Irene of the original, was scheduled to play one of the elder three Forsyte sisters in this sequel but she suddenly died before filming began.