TotalTelly.co.uk
Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV
Capturing Mary (including A Real Summer) (BBC)
Joe’s Palace, A Real Summer and Capturing Mary are three linked dramas by Poliakoff that centre on a large Georgian house in London. Sumptuous pieces, beautifully shot to feature-film standards for the BBC. A Real Summer, (commissioned by BBC Two’s Culture Show), is a 45-minute bridging piece, a monologue for the actress Ruth Wilson who, as Mary, stars again in Capturing Mary. Capturing Mary stars Maggie Smith, David Walliams, Ruth Wilson and Danny Lee Wynter. Like Joe's Palace it is set in the same exquisite empty house, and takes the young caretaker, Joe, and new characters into a dark and terrifying exploration of the past and how it can quite literally capture and destroy a person's life. It focuses on a formerly very successful woman, Mary (Maggie Smith in a rare television appearance), a once-brilliant writer and critic, reflecting on her younger self (Ruth Wilson). As she looks back on her prime, remembering parties and functions with the cultural elite played out as echoes and shadows in the empty palazzo, Mary is haunted by the memory of a supremely charming but subtly evil man, Greville (David Walliams), who feigned friendship, but actually brought destruction.
RRP: £15.99
Our Price: £8.70 (subject to change)
Editorial
DVD Description
This DVD includes both Poliakoff's A Real Summer (the one-off monologue prequel to Capturing Mary and Capturing Mary, the companion film to Joe's Palace.
Editorial
Synopsis
In this spin-off from another popular Stephen Poliakoff drama, Joe's Palace, Dame Maggie Smith stars as Mary, a once-great writer who reminisces over her elite social life and the man—Greville (David Walliams)—who left a devastating impression on it.
Dame Maggie Smith - a superb performance in a deep drama
Review date: 2007-12-04 Rating: 10 out of 10
Maggie Smith always has been one of my favourite actresses as she can really act. In Stephen Poliakoff's moving drama she slips into the role of Mary and her failed life which seems to have got off balance by one single encounter with Greville, ending in loneliness - again a Poliakoff theme - and alcohol abuse, but she retains a certain dignity. This one encounter captures Mary for life, enslaves her for life. It is pretty difficult to figure out what really happened to her or whether she just blamed Greville for her ultimately failed life. Maggie Smith's performance is just superb. One can understand why she accepted his role as it gives her a rare opportunity in the TV screen to show that she really is one of Britain and the world's finest actresses. The whole drama is deeply psychological, moving, as usual a bit confusing and in the end utterly fascinating. "Little Britain" star David Walliams portraits Greville in a great performance. I was quite surprised that he is not just a comedy star but a very good actor. All in all a great drama which I greatly enjoyed
Similar Products
- Joe's Palace (BBC)
- Gideon's Daughter
- The Stephen Poliakoff BBC Collection: Caught On A Train / Perfect Strangers / Shooting The Past
- Shooting The Past (BBC) [1999]
- Perfect Strangers [2001]
Reviews
Great!!!!!
Review date: 2007-11-23 Rating: 10 out of 10
On paper if you read the plot of this film, you might think there wasn't much substance to it - but give it a chance, watch it, and think again. It holds you with its mesmorising, atmospheric story of lost youth and missed opportunities and such superb acting from all involved but particularly Maggie Smith - who digs deep and certainly delivers, moving the audience to tears and pulling you into her world as she unravels the story of her life to Joe. Thought provoking stuff. Highly recommended.
Stunning drama
Review date: 2007-11-13 Rating: 10 out of 10
"Subtly evil"? "Feigning friendship"? Well, probably, but it's not that simple. This is complex, subtle drama with real psychological depth and dimension, as well as enigma and mystery (yes, both) that don't leave you feeling cheated by lack of answers.
A story so dependent on charisma and obsession should be difficult to write and film convincingly, but "Capturing Mary" succeeds in spades. A key element is, of course, the actors, and Ruth Wilson and David Walliams are both astonishing. The creepy power of Walliams is reminiscent of James Mason.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Maggie Smith
David Walliams
Ruth Wilson
Danny Lee Wynter
Creators:
Danny Lee Wynter (Primary Contributor)
Maggie Smith (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: 2 Entertain Video
Manufacturer: 2 Entertain Video
EAN: 5014503252021
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2007-11-12
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 100 minutes
Language: English (Original Language)