Lillie

Flawless
Quite simply, one of the best BBC Classic TV Miniseries ever produced. Filmed in 1978 and to be released in a four-disc DVD set, the miniseries stars the brilliant Francesca Annis (Tommy and Tuppence, etc.) as Lillie Langtry, one of the most famous and infamous courtesans/ladies of the Victorian age.

In an era when women were to be seen and not heard, the unforgettable Lillie broke every taboo without a backward glance. The series chronicles her long life, and in so doing presents one of the best portraits of Victorian England ever filmed.

We watch Lillie as a young tomboy, grow to an awkward adolescent, a stunning woman, and a beautiful old woman. Each stage of her life is portrayed perfectly by Annis, the makeup transforming her body while her awesome talent transforms her character development as Lillie.

Lillie is one-of-a-kind, a calculating woman of immense presence, grace and substance. Unfortunately, she becomes trapped in a loveless marriage,...

Brilliant characterizations give life to a great miniseries
"Masterpiece Theatre" was originally designed to show dramatized versions of great classics or of historical periods from England's past. "The First Churchills" led the way and many a great adaptation of a novel or a biography has followed. (Alas, a lot of junk was soon considered "masterpieces" and the glory of the series faded.) Among the best of them was the 13-part miniseries titled "Lillie," and it is now available in a boxed set of Acorn Media DVDs. Grab it!

Part of the plot of the 1940 film "The Westerner" is concerned with Judge Roy Bean's infatuation with an English actress named Lillie Langtry. That character shows up in "Lillie" just once but memorably, but the scene does raise the question of how just another pretty face could so become the rage of England and America without its owner having any other particular talents (they say her acting was amateurish at best)--except an iron will to get what she wants and a high degree of intelligence.

As...

Delightful History And Romance
Lillie is another fine British mini-series from the 1970s, which seems to have been the heyday of the genre. It depicts the story of Lillie Langtry, the Jersey Lily, most famous beauty of the age. Francesca Annis was born to play the part, with her flawless complexion and beautiful hair evoking Langtry at her magnificent peak. The series traces Lillie's life from girlhood on the island of Jersey, when she was already a beauty, through her unfortunate marriage to Edward Langtry, a weak man whose dissipations destroyed him, to her days as a Professional Beauty in London Society and mistress to the Prince of Wales. If the series stopped there it would be enjoyable enough, but the story gains additional depth by going on to depict Lillie as an actress in Britain and America, showing her to have been a sharp businesswoman. The final episodes show her in decline and end with her literal last few breaths. Throughout the series we see not only Lillie's career but those of many other...

Click to Editorial Reviews