Reviews

Both this film and Lean's rendition of Great Expectations are superb IMO, and both feature the great actor Alec Guinness. The opening scene of OT in particular is redolent of despair, poverty and anguish that were the lives of many working people in the 1800s and beyond. A couple of minor quibbles: the actor playing the eponymous hero was brought up in a workhouse yet his accent belies such an upbringing. That said, accent aside he does a wonderful job. The second quibble is the anti-Semitic overtones of Guinness' portrayal of Fagin. Superbly constructed and portrayed - the lisp and inability to pronounce his 'Rs' are particularly noteworthy - however, the portrayal also seems in retrospect to be at best insensitive, particularly given what was happening to Jewish people in Europe at the time the film was made.

As others have noted the work of artists on this show can make for compelling viewing. However, this effect is seriously undermined by the 'judges' whose aesthetic values seem to be based on a bias against good technique and the prioritisation of works that least resemble the sitter. The outcome of the 2018 competition was a joke IMO. Two further critical comments: the choice of sitter is often quite bizarre, based on the alleged fame, and the youth of the sitter rather than whether they will make good subjects with interesting faces. Last point: Joan Bakewell's diction is bizarre and irritating, the result perhaps of too many elocution lessons when young so that she has lost her original accent. The effect of this is that she seems unable to replicate her pronunciation of some words so 'one' isn't quite sure what she is referring to, e.g. Her pronunciation of London on one episode which sounded something like Lonn-Don.

Eleven series now the good episodes are now increasingly rare with David increasingly repeating himself and relying on cliched scenarios where he behaves or says something incongruous followed by often sweary pile ons by Jeff's wife, Richard Lewis et al. Disappointing given the quality of several episodes in the first two to three series.

This is a very poor rendition of an interesting set of police procedural novels and a cogent previous TV series from the late seventies to the early nineties, starring Barry Foster. Devoid of atmosphere and tension the casting is poor - e.g. The eponymous lead character/actor's acting repertoire seems to consist almost exclusively of a 'death stare' or mumbled laconic dialogue suggestive of someone that has had a recent head trauma and hasn't recovered yet - and the writing is infantile and incongruous. For example, one character is labelled 'a melt', while in another scene VDW is invited to 'take in a movie', as if he were in the City of Angels rather than North Western Europe. The only thing to admire about this dull and lazy rehash is the charm of Amsterdam. Another lost TV opportunity.

I can't fathom what the fuss is all about with this show given the long list of annoying characters - especially the eponymous lead; Roy Kent and his girlfriend; and the owner - and predictable, sub Roy of the Rovers plots. The swearing is also moronic. Last point: English cities are not arranged in 'blocks' as far as I am aware so why would the preposterously named Jamie Tartt refer to such?