foxtoy
I am a huge movie buff, and Women of Substance is my all time favorite. I taped it originally as a mini series- have both the VHS and DVD versions. I watch it in its entirety at least twice a year (just watched a few weeks ago). Jenny Seagrove and Liam N's acting are great. I especially like Jenny's character as she confronts the family she worked for and Deborah Kerr's fantastic will reading scenes with her family are the epitome of watching this 6 hour mini series. It truly shows the strength of women in business. My wife and I happened to be a Disneyworld and walked into a small book store, only to be delighted by Barbara Taylor Bradford being there signing books...it was great. Enjoy the movie...for me it ranks with the Wizard of Oz, Casablanca and other greats of our time!
reneta89
The plot of the film is very good!Jenny Seagrove is perfect as Emma Harte.!The films' music is wonderful!The actors are perfect! I haven't read the Barbara Bradford's book but I'd like to read it! I like the sequence-"Hold the dream",too.I will never forget this film!
linga_97
A very good and entertaining story. Great performances by Jenny Seagrove and Deborah Kerr.I must, however, remain skeptical of how such things could take place in conservative Victorian Britain. After all, in more liberal U.S. the women's lib movement didn't come until the 1960s and 1970s
cinq
Having first seen this mini series when it originally aired I purchased my own copy and watch it over and over. Obviously, I like it very much, however there are flaws that I find increasingly irritating. Just before the severe thunderstorm and downpour of rain in Part I they show a perfectly cloudless blue sky. The "Hollywood Rain" that follows is so phony looking it's embarrassing. Edwina's voice dubbing (as a child) sounds awful. Barry Bostwick was a "sore thumb" miscast in the role of Paul McGill. Concerning Emma's children: The viewer is "pulling" for Emma throughout the saga, wronged by the Fairlys, working hard for a better life but how can the viewer take joy or feel supportive of her "actions" at that last "family meeting" at her Yorkshire house? Those children turned out the way they did for a reason. It's called neglect and emotional abuse and it WILL do that to a person. In this case 4 people! At that point in the story I felt sympathy for them not support for Emma. Daisy's daughter Paula was clearly Emma's favorite, but what of Daisy herself ? It was odd that she was not more prominent. The most annoying thing to me was the very last scene. Back in Yorkshire, just moments after having "rocked the world" of those select family members she and Blackie are outside reviewing the years as she sums up her life in an "unaffected" nonchalant manor. How can she appear "unaffected" after what has just occurred ? The last line was so contrived; she actually tells the viewer the "motive" of the story. The viewer doesn't want to be TOLD what the "motive" is. If it's well written we'll figure it out. The ending of a story is all important !!! They blew this one.
