Customer Reviews

The Bastard: Part 1 of the Kent Family Chronicles [VHS]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Well, thats it. The first mini series of one of John Jake`s best selling sagas ever: The Kent Family Chronicles. For a German viewer like me, it was an experience because this series was never shown on German television. Spoiled by the fascinating North and South Trilogy and the marvellous and price-winning mini series it was a little disappointment at first. Young Andrew Stevens as Philip Kent seemed a bit overtaxed in the first scenes but became better and better. The whole setting seemed pale and the dialogues were little more than just "small talk". But I think they got round to it by the middle of the film. When Philip arrived in America beautiful and convincing Kim Cattral appeared and Andrew Stevens seemed to act more out of his stomach than out of his head (forgetting what he learned at acting school). It became a pleasure to watch, see how everything fit together (and everyone:Olivia Hussey esp.). All in all it is worth to watch and makes you want to watch the other two sequels, too. And: you must not forget that North and South was filmed nearly seven years later with a much bigger budget perhaps. Watch it!!

i saw this mini-series when it first air in the 70's on a late night channel when they had to call it the kent family chronicles because you couldn't say the word bastard on t.v.! how times have changed. well i felt it was a very good show and i bought the books and read them. now on that level the mini-series isn't near as good as the book, but it is very entertaing and fun to watch. there are very few movies or t.v. shows about this time in american history for some reason but i felt it did catch the idea behind the books very well. we see the birth of america through theeyes of philip kent former french boy with titled english father who kepet him hidden from his family. after the duke of kent dies the family sends people out to kill philip and forces him to flee to america where he takes the name philip kent and starts a new life as a printer in boston in the early 1770's. before long the man is swept into the colonies atemp to break free from england. it is more a soap than anything but it is great fun and sets up the second mini-series the rebels. worth a look

After reading all of the books in the series by John Jakes, I was very eager to watch this movie...I was not disappointed!! Of course this movie is not up to today's standard of made for t.v. movies but considering the time it was made it is very good and gets BETTER after the first hour!!
IF YOU LOVE the John Jakes books, you should watch this movie!!!

andrew stevens (son of stella stevens) stars as philip kent in this first mini-series based on the john jakes kent family novels.
stevens is a french boy who learns that he is the title person after finding out that his real father is an english nobelman and heads to england to claim his birthright. his fathers family doesn't intend to let him have anything and tries to have him killed. this causes philip to flee to america,under the name philip kent , and gets him involved in the fight for liberty.
this is a very good show,even if it mainly plays like a soap opera,and stevens is quite good as philip. give this one a chance and you may like it.

I love this miniseries and I taped it myself years ago from the TV. I keep checking to see if it is available yet on DVD but - alas - not yet. Sure, it's a little campy and predictable at times (Philip Kent, the protagonist, manages to meet just about every major personage of the American Revolution) but it's a great story and it has a stellar cast. I wish some enterprising company would put it out on DVD!!

If you want a good film that will not only teach the history of America it will teach you what our freedom means and the true price that has been paid, and is still being paid. I recommend it along with the the sequels that follow, The Young Rebels, and The Seekers. It should be required viewing in school and subject of a report or even a term paper with additional research.

THE BASTARD (1978) Directed by Lee Katzin. Based on the novel by John Jakes.
Starring Andrew Stevens(as The Bastard), Tom Bosley (as Benjamin Franklin), Kim Cattrall, Buddy Ebsen, Lorne Greene, Olivia Hussey, Cameron Mitchel, Harry Morgan, Patricia Neal, Eleanor Parker, Donald Pleasance, William Shatner (as Paul Revere), Barry Sullivan, Noah Beery Jr, John Colicos (as Lord North) William Daniels (as Samuel Adams) James Gregory, Herbert Jefferson Jr, Keenan Wynn, George Chandler, John De Lancie, Ike Eisenmann( as the Marquis de LaFayette), Charles Haid, Russell Johnson, James Whitmore Jr, Alan Napier, Elizabeth Shepherd, Stephen Furst and Raymond Burr.
A generally hideous miniseries about Philip Kent, a French bastard, who tortured over his inner bastardness---thus making his mother a French whore---has sex with several big breasted European women and then, after having sex with a flat chested American girl, has an epiphany and, grabbing hold of his long rifle, goes off to shoot it. Meanwhile the American Revolution keeps intruding on his personal life.
De Lancie and Daniels( becoming the only actor to play John, John Quincy and Samuel Adams) are very good and I am happy that everyone else got a paycheck but Lordie is this bad.
I understand that this was intended to be the first in a trilogy including THE SON OF A BITCH and THE SCHMUCK but they decided to go with THE BITCH starring Joan Collins instead.

I bought this because I am reading all 8 volumes. What a waste (the video, that is ....) The acting is embarrassing and over the top, the music is intrusive, and some of the casting, such as Tom Bosley, is laughable. Don't waste your time with this made-for-TV drivel from the 70's.