Customer Reviews

Danielle Steel's The Ring

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

All cast members are outstanding in this movie. A truely touching movie about family, friendship and survival. The movie is set during the time of the war. Family members are seperated and possessions are left behind, except for a hand painted picture and a mothers ring. The story of how the picture and the Ring reunite family members is very touching.....A gripping story that will keep you at the edge of your seat....

**SPOILERS**
With his smokey and softly-accented voice, Carsten Norgaard made a wonderfully romantic and bittersweet Manfred -- Ariana's protector, husband and father of her only child. Norgaard created a character that is even more haunting and tragic than the novel's. This hero is easy to fall in love with, as Ariana did. Manfred's death scene is almost too realistic and painful. His eyes truly look dead under the half-closed lids.

The destruction of Berlin in the last days of WWII is so convincing, you will be ducking and dodging with the citizenry from your comfy chair. This production is excellent all the way through. The movie is actually more accurate than the book, having the Russians capture the city and making Manfred's rank a Captain, which by his age and the progress of the war, makes more sense than Lieutenant. You will feel like you are there, and sometimes the involvement will have you squirming as well as drying the tears.

Lifetime Channel aired the miniseries in one piece as a 3:30 hr movie with commercial breaks recently (Nov 2003); and if the original was 240 minutes, as I have heard elsewhere, then that is why I am buying the tape. There may be additional scenes. I have read that Region 2 (Europe, etc.) already has "The Ring" on DVD, and so I will be hoping and looking for that to come out.

As you can tell, the first part of the story is more interesting to me, but I certainly recommend the whole video. I hope you enjoy "The Ring" as much as I have!

One of the better Danielle Steel telemovies, THE RING is the romantic and tragic story of Ariana von Gotthard, a young German woman in WWII who is separated from her brother and father while they are trying to escape to Switzerland. Interned as a traitor, Ariana is subjected to cruel horrors, when she meets and falls in love with sympathetic German soldier Manfred. Just as the city of Berlin falls to the Allies, they get married and he is later killed. Ariana leaves for America under a Jewish alias and begins a new life, never giving up hope of finding her beloved brother.

Natassja Kinski is perfect in the role of Ariana. I can't imagine another actress delivering a better performance. Excellent recreation of the period with great photography. The cast also includes Rupert Penry-Jones, Linda Lavin, Leslie Caron, Jean Marsh, John Tenney, Leigh Lawson, Tim DeKay and Michael York.

I just happened to catch this on TV - seeing the name Nastassja Kinski always makes me stop, but seeing the name Danielle Steel always makes me worry... There was nothing to worry about. This was a wonderful miniseries, brought to life by a good story and fabulous actors. Nastassja Kinski is wonderful, and she is the perfect choice for Ariana. I'm sure the role rang very true for her, owing to the fact that her parents were this age in Berlin during World War II. In fact in the story, her brother flees the country afraid of being drafted into the Nazi army, and in real life Nastassja's father, (actor Klaus Kinski) WAS drafted into the Nazi army. Nastassja brings real depth to the character and the casting director should thank their lucky stars that she accepted the role. The casting was wonderful the whole way around: Michael York, Jon Tenney, and Elizabeth Barondes are all fantastic.

The story is corny - but it's Danielle Steel, what do you expect? ;) But what I have to tell you is I sat down, meaning to check out the first ten minutes - and after five minutes I was completely hooked. By the end of the first episode I was shocked to see that I didn't know what the heck was going to happen, and that I actually cared! I was back there the next day, with my kleenex, and loved every minute of it.

There are a few things lacking in this miniseries. The actress that played Gerhard's wife just made me want to bang my head against a wall, and I thought that subplot carried on much longer than was necessary. Other than that though, this is a movie you will get involved in. The whole situation with Ariana's second husband is just heartbreaking, and even a month after seeing it I'm still ticked off at Paul for divorcing her! I can't believe I'm admitting it, but this is a movie that you can really get into. Great cast, great acting, a bit of a cheesy script, but such terrific performances that you don't care!

Like Sensibility25, I am not usually a fan of Danielle Steele, but boy did I love this miniseries, it had really top-notch acting which carries it along; Ms. Kinski is the linchpin of the story; historical details are pretty accurate, and oh yes, the actor who plays Manfred is excellent & nice eye candy as well. I wish the WE television network would run this one on their Monday Miniseries, instead of repeating "Til We Meet Again" ad nauseum.

I'm not really a Steel fan, however, several years ago I bought the VHS edition (duplicated in horrible EP speed)and sat down to watch it on a rainy Saturday afternoon. I really got engrossed in the story and though I'm not a "romance movie" buff this movie was the exception. It's a very good story and it does grab your attention.

For those of you looking for it in Region 1 DVD it is available. It's not listed as being available on DVD in the Imdb but it is. I have it - paid all of $6.99 for it and the quality is superb.

I notified Imdb of this omission a couple of days ago. I supplied them the information needed and hopefully they'll change it on their service.

I was watching this moviei while I was home for Christmas break and I fell in love with the whole story about Ariana and I loved the way that they found Gerhard in the end. The only problem I had was Paul divorcing Ariana when he found out she wasn't Jewish all I have to say is BOO, I am glad though that they did stay pretty close to what Danielle Steel wrote.

This story is one of the best I've read, so I was thrilled when the book was turned into a movie. My favorite actor, Carsten Norgaard, played the hero, which added greatly to my pleasure. The acting was superb and the adaptation was well done. A must-see film for everyone of all ages.

This story held me captive until I watched the whole thing and I loved it!!! I am a huge fan of D. Steele, and this one really was great. A terrific story for any age, and history lesson to boot, which is always a trademark of Danielle's!!! She tells it so well!!

I waited for 3 years to obtain this DVD.It's a heart-rending story of a wrongly judged genteel German woman whose only"mistake" was to protect her offspring without meaning to deceive of which she was wrongly accused. A woman who
loved deeply and dearly was finally vindicated when the ending justified her anguish and emotional suffering upon reunion with her long lost sibling and the marriage of her son to a Jewish girl. Although her Jewish husband and his family prejudged her harshly, she was an innocent victim of the realities of a cruel
war. Kudos to the author for the magnificent treatment of an extremely sensitive subject.