| | |  | GIFT SETS | Home » » The Elizabeth Gaskell Collection (Wives and Daughters / Cranford / North and South) | | | | | | | Description: | | Three BBC miniseries adapted from Mary Gaskells classic novels. Cranford, a market town in the North West of England, is a place governed by etiquette, custom and above all, an intricate network of ladies. It seems that life has always been conducted according to their social rules, but Cranford is on the cusp of change… North & South follows Margaret Hale, the daughter of a middle-class parson who uproots the family from rural southern England to start a new life in Milton - a northern mill town in the throes of the industrial revolution. Wives and Daughters is set in a richly portrayed society well-stocked with eccentric nobles and gossipy villagers. The well-ordered world of 17-year-old Molly Gibson becomes complicated when her father, a respected country doctor, remarries after many years of widowhood.DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Biographies
Deleted Scenes
Documentary
Interviews
Production Notes
| | | Features: | |
• Three BBC miniseries adapted from Mary Gaskellsic novels. Cranford, a market town in the North West of England, is a place governed by etiquette, custom and above all, an intricate network of ladies. It seems that life has always been conducted according to their social rules, but Cranford is on the cusp of change? North & South follows Margaret Hale, the daughter of a middle-class parson who
| | | Product Details: | | | Actors:
| Daniela Denby-Ashe, Richard Armitage, Tim Pigott-Smith, Sinéad Cusack, Lesley Manville | | Format:
| Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen | | Language:
| English | | Number of Discs:
| 7 | | Studio:
| BBC Worldwide | | Run Time:
| 828 minutes | | DVD Release Date:
| May 20, 2008 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 99 reviews |
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- Mint | | | $98.55 | Used
- Mint | | | $98.55 | New | | | $176.97 | New | | | $230.15 | Used
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| New | |
| $47.24 | New | | | $47.25 | New | | | $51.99 | New | | | $52.76 This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. | New | | | $60.96 | New | | | $60.99 | New | | | $61.07 | New | | | $61.11 | New | | | $61.24 | New | | | $61.33 | New | | | $61.46 | New | | | $62.49 | New | | | $63.07 | New | | | $64.35 | New | | | $64.86 | New | | | $65.06 | New | | | $66.08 | New | | | $66.99 | New | | | $72.97 | New | | | $73.63 | New | | | $75.91 | New | | | $75.96 | New | | | $84.78 | New | | | $88.17 | New | | | $94.37 | New | | | $95.94 | New | | | $98.55 | New | | | $176.97 | New | |
| Used | |
| $39.62 | Used
- Acceptable | | | $41.68 This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. | Used
- Acceptable | | | $44.75 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $48.99 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $53.95 | Used
- Mint | | | $55.00 | Used
- Mint | | | $61.33 | Used
- Mint | | | $98.54 | Used
- Mint | | | $98.55 | Used
- Mint | | | $230.15 | Used
- Good | | | $250.00 | Used
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| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
144 of 144 found the following review helpful:
3 of BBCs finest costume dramas in one dvd set. Amazing!!Jun 06, 2008
By Marcy Gomez
"North & South" alone is reason enough to buy this dvd collection. This coupled with two other period drama powerhouses "Wives & Daughters" and "Cranford" makes this a collection that any period drama/classics/romance fan should be without. These dramas by author Elizabeth Gaskell represent the finest that BBC drama has to offer.
** "North & South" is the spectacular adaptation of the novel that centers on John Thornton (who represents the industrial north) and Margaret Hale (who represents the idyllic, agricultural south). Theirs is a war of words, cultures and personalities as Margaret Hale (Daniela Denby Ashe) and her family struggle to adapt to life in the dirty, noisy, mill town of Milton after a carefree, comfortable life in the southern town of Helstone. There her family meets manufacturer John Thornton (played by the unforgettable Richard Armitage) and his family and it is dislike-at-first-sight for Margaret. She finds Mr. Thornton a rough, proud and haughty man who treats his employees with disdain. Mr. Thornton, however, is instantly smitten with the outspoken and fearless Margaret. But as Margaret gradually learns to appreciate Mr. Thornton, events take place that threaten to divide them from each other forever.
** "Wives and Daughters" is the story of young Molly Gibson (Justine Waddell) and her widowed father (Bill Paterson). Molly lives a carefree life, until her father remarries and brings home his new wife, Hyacinth (Francesca Annis). She and her lovely daughter Cynthia (Keeley Hawes) bring change and sometimes chaos to the Gibson's lives and Molly finds herself in competition with Cynthia for the affections of Roger Hamley (Anthony Howell), the son of the local squire (Michael Gambon). We soon find that all is not as it seems and long-kept secrets are unearthed which threaten the love lives and reputations of both Molly and Cynthia.
** The splendid "Cranford" starring a bevy of British acting greats led by Judi Dench, Michael Gambon, Eileen Atkins, Francesca Annis and Imelda Staunton. The story centers around the locals in the sleepy town of Cranford, where everyone makes it their business to know everything about their neighbors. Their lives are turned topsy turvy when a handsome young doctor (Simon Woods) with new ideas arrives and rumors of the railroad threaten to destroy their idyllic town. This is truly an ensemble cast, as all stories intermingle and each character makes an impact of the lives of others in the town. Judi Dench and Eileen Atkins play the Jenkyns sisters; Lisa Dillon play their cousin Mary Smith; Deborah Findlay and Selena Griffiths play the Tomkinson sisters; Imelda Staunton is the quirky and nosy Miss Pole; Barbara Flynn is the elegant Mrs. Jamieson; Julia Sawalha is the quiet spinster Jessie Brown and Jim Carter is her outspoken father; Francesca Annis plays the haughty and aristocratic Lady Ludlow; Greg Wise plays her cousin Sir Charles Maulver; Phillip Glenister plays Lady Ludlow's land agent, Mr. Carter; and Alex Etel is a young man that Mr. Carter takes on.
What sets these apart from other costume dramas is the consistency of the acting, the high production values, the compelling stories, and memorable characters. I dare you not to feel John Thornton's pain as he says "Look back at me" as he watches Margaret climb up the carriage on her way back to London, or Harry Gregson's pain as he says goodbye to a beloved mentor, or the thrill as Roger Hamley sees Molly's transformation at the Cumnor's ball. These are wonderful stories that you will want to watch over and over, which make this dvd collection an absolute gem.
38 of 38 found the following review helpful:
Three Great ProductionsOct 13, 2008
By EB
"Crumit"
All three of these shows are so good, you'll be glad to have them on hand to watch again and again. (And in such a compact package that saves shelf space!) North and South gets my nod as the best, but the other two are fantastic as well. Each contains several performances that are marvels of acting--Michael Gambon and Francesca Annis in Wives and Daughters; practically the whole cast of Cranford; and Richard Armitage and Sinead Cusack in North and South. There is also a nice bio of Elizabeth Gaskell included, which was interesting.
A warning to Gaskell fans: The screenwriters are not always faithful to the stories of North and South and Cranford; the results, though, are so entertaining that it's hard to quibble.
40 of 43 found the following review helpful:
The Elizabeth Gaskell Collection (Wives and Daughters / Cranford / North and South)Jun 30, 2008
By Quilt Zone
I had heard a little about Elizabeth Gaskell before. I knew that she had written the biography of Charlotte Bronte but that is all I knew about her. I had never read any of Mrs. Gaskell's books myself. Recently, I saw Cranford on PBS and decided to purchase the DVD of it. When I saw that Amazon offered a collection of three of Mrs. Gaskell's stories, I decided to buy the whole collection. I must say, I LOVE all three of these stories and I have come to appreciate Mrs. Gaskell as a writer, even more. If you are a Jane Austen fan, you will enjoy Cranford, Wives & Daughters and North & South by Elizabeth Gaskell, too.
The Elizabeth Gaskell Collection (Wives and Daughters / Cranford / North and South)
12 of 12 found the following review helpful:
Three excellent productions based on Elizabeth Gaskell's worksJan 19, 2009
By Z Hayes
Cranford
Cranford aka the Cranford Chronicles, based on Elizabeth Gaskell's story is a stellar production. It is a lush period drama and is very authentic in its portrayal of people living in a little hamlet called Cranford. The sets are beautiful as are the costumes, and of course the production is elevated to a level of excellence by its impeccable casting.
Writer Heidi Thomas does a wonderful job of adapting Elizabeth Gaskell's story [purportedly based on Gaskell's own hometown] and though liberties are taken, the stellar cast more than makes up for whatever deficiencies there may be in the faithfulness of the adaptation. Dame Eileen Atkins [Miss Deborah Jenkins] and Dame Judi Dench [Miss Matty Jenkins] portray two spinster sisters in 1842 who live in the little town of Cranford. Far from being a quiet little hamlet, this little town hums with activity and village gossips, especially a Miss Pole [Imelda Staunton]who flits around from one hearsay to another, avidly passing on any little nuggets of gossip to the other inhabitants.
Cranford is set aflutter by the arrival of a new doctor, Dr Harrison [Simon Woods] who is young, handsome, single and very much into trying new methods of treatment, to the initial consternation of the townspeople. Dr Harrison finds himself attracted to a beautiful local lass, Sophy [Kimberly Nixon] though he inadvertently attracts the romantic affections of other single women in Cranford.
But the story does not merely focus on romance, as there are other more serious themes underlying the series. For one, there is talk of a railroad being built that would go through Cranford, and disrupt the idyllic life in the village, giving rise to the inevitable battle between modernization and the desire for things to remain unchanged. The local rich lady, Lady Ludlow portrayed by Francesca Annis is very much opposed to change, and not only opposes the railroad but also any form of societal change, such as literacy amongst the lower classes [she refuses to hire a maid who is literate, saying the girl's parents did her a disservice by teaching her to read].
There is also the theme of lost love, death and grief. Miss Matty Jenkins[ Judi Dench] finds herself recounting the tale of her lost love [played by Michael Gambon]. This is what makes Cranford such an engaging viewing experience - the absurd [the story of the cat swallowing an anitque lace and how the lace is retrieved] is interlaced with tales of poignancy and everything unfolds leisurely. It is a tale that we wish will never end, and hope to revisit again and again.
North and South
This production of North and South stays faithful to the novel and has a superior cast - Daniela Denby Ashe plays Margaret Hale who symbolises the 'south' [rural, agricultural] whilst Richard Armitage plays John Thornton who epitomises the industrial north. When Margaret's family moves to the gritty mill town of Millstone, the two leads' paths cross and they engage in a war of words. Margaret initially dislikes the brusque John Thornton, and John in turn is attracted to Margaret's outspoken manner. Though Margaret comes to form a liking for John, both find that there may be insurmountable obstacles barring their path to happiness.
Wives and Daughters
BBC's adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's Wives and Daughters beautifully captures the nuances of family and personal relationships, amidst a Victorian setting. The writing by Andrew Davies [who also gave us Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth] is excellent as is the casting. Added to this are the gorgeous period authentic costumes, the lush landscape of the English countryside and a beautiful score.
The story centers around young Molly [played to perfection by the talented Justine Waddell] who is the daughter of local doctor Dr Gibson [Bill Patterson]. Both father and daughter are very close but the dynamics of their relationship changes with Dr Gibson's remarriage to the self-absorbed and ludicruous Hyacinth [Francesca Annis]. Molly finds herself chafing under the Victorian strictures imposed by her stepmother, and finds some relief with the arrival of her glamorous step-sister, Cynthia [Keeley Hawes]. Both Molly and Cynthia form a friendship though their personalities are polar opposites. Cynthia is vivacious and a social butterfly, and very aware of her charms and effects on the opposite sex whereas Molly is unassuming and possesses a more natural sort of beauty.
The Hamley brothers, Osborne[Tom Hollander] and Roger [Anthony Howell] add romantic interest and Molly is dismayed by Roger's infatuation with Cynthia, as she herself harbors romantic feelings for him. Meanwhile Squire Hamley [Michael Gambon] plays an ambitious man who wishes to see his sons married into the 'right' family, i.e. with proper connections and wealth. The rest of the story deals with what happens to these young people with some revelations to spice things up!
This is one of my favorite BBC period dramas and Andrew Davies' screenplay is fantastic, bringing to life the intricacies of human relationships set within a Victorian setting.
Conclusion - this DVD set is a value buy for fans of period dramas. I have worn out my older DVDs of North and South and Wives and Daughters and this set is an excellent choice to replace my worn-out discs. Also, fans of period dramas and Elizabeth Gaskell will truly delight in the superior quality of these productions, with great attention to period details, authentic and beautiful costumes, great casting, excellent score for each of the productions and the beautiful depictions of the lush English countrysde.
11 of 11 found the following review helpful:
 Slower than Pride and Prejudice but the acting is wonderfulMar 22, 2009
By E. Finnerty
"smellyhiker"
I bought this set because I had heard high praises for it.. if you like period pieces. I like the A & E version of Pride and Prejudice so I thought I would treat myself. The costumes and set design was wonderful; I was delightfully wisked away from reality as I watched these wonderful movies. These are slower stories and I had to watch Wives and Daughters a second time to catch everything. North and South has an industrial era setting. I don't think I'd ever seen a piece taking this setting and these challenges into the story. Wonderful acting, great story, however, it is a bit slow moving. Which is wonderful for me but some viewers might fall asleep with the pace. Judi Dench shines with the Cranford piece which is set in a small town in England. The dynamics, gossip, costumes and minds of the women of the time seem to come to light. Change is not something that they embrace. Along that same line Wives and Daughters also involves change and it's fascinating how new technology effects people differently. As a fan of historical fiction I look forward to reading Elizabeth Gaskell's novels from which these are based.
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