Product Details

• Actors: Derek Jacobi, Terrence Hardiman, Michael Culver, Julian Firth, Mark Charnock
• Directors: Herbert Wise
• Writers: Edith Pargeter, Russell Lewis
• Producers: Neville C. Thompson, Stephen Smallwood, Ted Childs
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Acorn Media
• VHS Release Date: September 11, 1999
• Run Time: 75 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303969658
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #382,178 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Americans have never seen a TV sleuth like Brother Cadfael, the medieval mystery-solving monk indelibly portrayed by Derek Jacobi (I, Claudius, Gladiator) in the wildly popular series of British films based on the books by Ellis Peters. This self-contained Cadfael mystery may be a bit of a muddle to novices not familiar with 12th-century English history, but mystery buffs will enjoy watching Cadfael in action. The former Crusader is, as one character describes, "an odd kind of monk." St. Peter's Fair promises a respite from the ongoing civil war between forces loyal to King Stephen and those to Empress Maud. But the festivities are quickly marred by the murder of a visiting merchant. When it is suggested the victim "must" have been murdered by a common thief, Cadfael replies, "We must always be wary of 'must.' Nothing is certain." Indeed, why would a common thief ransack the victim's cart and wares and leave all valuables behind? With one hot-headed villager falsely arrested, the answer may lie with the merchant's beautiful and feisty niece Emma, whom Cadfael takes under his wing. For Cadfael watchers, a highlight of this episode is a tense climactic standoff between the monk and his friend, undersheriff Hugh Beringar (Eoin McCarthy, replacing Sean Pertwee), who fleetingly lets greed get the better of him. --Donald Liebenson

From the Back Cover

The murder of a cantankerous visiting merchant upsets the festivities of the Shrewsbury Fair. Local tradesmen have plenty of motive for murder, but Cadfael thinks there is something more than greed and jealousy at play. When a second merchant is murdered, the hunt intensifies and a young girl put at great risk is sheltered by the abbey. Cadfael's investigation is further complicated when his suspect is killed while trying to escape questioning! The girl is abducted and the chase to retrieve her puts Cadfael at the end of a sword with his old friend, Beringar, when the true cause of the murders is exposed... Twelfth century Shrewsbury comes dramatically to life in Ellis Peters' story of Brother Cadfael - a good man in an evil world.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars An OK Cadfael movie, but not the best I've seen., December 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Brother Cadfael - St. Peter's Fair [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I was disappointed in this particular Cadfael video. I suppose if I hadn't read the book before seeing the video, I would have enjoyed the video more. But as it was, some of the better scenes in the book were either taken out from the movie or changed. The plotline is almost completely changed except for the villian remaining the same in both the book and the movie. The movie portrays a growing tension between Cadfael and his friend Hugh Beringar, which results in Cadfael at sword's point with the man who in the books was willing to be tolerant of Cadfael's assistance to people who chose the opposing cause in the civil war. The romance between the person Cadfael is trying to help, Emma Vernold, and the young man suspected of the murder of her uncle, Phillip Corviser, was also cut from the movie. In short, Cadfael is uncomfortably nosey, Emma's American accent is out of place, as is the tension between Cadfael and Hugh. However, this movie would probably be more appealing if you didn't know the original story.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Cadfael on Acorn Media a "bummer.", August 27, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Cadfael - St. Peter's Fair (DVD)

The video and audio qualities of this DVD are appalling! Yes, the main menu is crisp and compelling, but what follows will send you scrambling for your home-taped VHS copy of the production. I have noticed similar lapses of quality in other DVD copies of great British productions (e.g., Sherlock Holmes w/Jeremy Brett). A great performance deserves at the very least a good technical effort. (Note: The A&E issues of Poirot are excellent.)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Would the REAL Hugh Beringar please come forward?, January 19, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Cadfael - St. Peter's Fair (DVD)

Everything about this episode was done well, with one exception (and I can almost see their reasoning behind the change). To take a 200+ page book and coherently squash it into 75 minutes is not easy, and the producers of Cadfael have always done a remarkable job. Of the ones I've seen, I would give them all, except this, five stars.

First the good points - Emma was portrayed well and accurately, and with sympathy; the plot moved along nicely; the 'bad guy' wasn't nearly so obvious as he was in the book; the atmosphere of the fair was precisely perfect; and although we lament the lack of Aline and Brother Mark, Brother Oswin is sweet and endearing enough to pull it off and manages to get in some great moments. And of course, as always, Sir Derek Jacobi is brilliant, flawless, as Brother Cadfael.

But WHAT have they done with Hugh?? I really preferred Sean Pertwee in this role (sigh), but I think McCarthy does the best he can with what's given him. This Hugh is NOTHING like the Hugh of the books - not the same character in any way. The Hugh we know and love (dearly) from the books is inveterately good-natured, good-humored, a lover of justice and grace, with a strong affection and respect for Cadfael. Even in disagreements, they would never share harsh words. Furthermore, Hugh was only 'the king's man' as a technicality - basically he was much more loyal to justice and right than he ever was to King Stephen. The Hugh of this episode is, rather, the Gilbert Prestcote of the books. But Cadfael and Sir Gilbert never became friends, nor would they, and the end result is very incongruous with both their personalities.

(Also, it seems kind of odd to call somebody an 'old friend' when you've only known him for a year.)

However, the dramatic tension between the two did add some excitement, and I suppose that was their reason for doing it. But the book was exciting enough without it.