Being a bit of a Purcell fanatic, it was only happenstance that I encountered this film. Channel surfing the local cable net, I noticed a listing for the film, which I recorded.
This film brilliantly captures the essence of the man and his music (as well as the tenor of the times). The acting, a bit downplayed, works well to give the story a positive spin, despite the various tragedies in Purcell's life.
I understand that the original version has some contemporary thread running through it. The version which was run on the BRAVO network in the US eliminated this component (for some reason which goes unexplained).
Overall, this film is an overlooked masterpiece....
This film brilliantly captures the essence of the man and his music (as well as the tenor of the times). The acting, a bit downplayed, works well to give the story a positive spin, despite the various tragedies in Purcell's life.
I understand that the original version has some contemporary thread running through it. The version which was run on the BRAVO network in the US eliminated this component (for some reason which goes unexplained).
Overall, this film is an overlooked masterpiece....