Product Details

• Actors: Ian Richardson, Diane Fletcher, Paul Freeman, Isla Blair, Nickolas Grace
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: BBC Warner
• DVD Release Date: August 26, 2003
• Run Time: 200 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00009MGH1
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #46,392 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "House of Cards Trilogy, Vol. 3 - The Final Cut" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Ian Richardson (From Hell M. Butterfly) returns as malevolent statesman Francis Urquhart in this acclaimed finale to the Masterpiece Theater trilogy that began with House of Cards and continued in To Play the King. Now Prime Minister and nearing the end of his term Urquhart plans to let international events help him to a luxurious retirement. But he finds himself caught in someone else's power play and for the first time he is unable to see a way out. Will he outwit his enemies one last time or will his long career end in disgrace and defeat? Brilliantly adapted by Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice Bridget Jones's Diary) from Michael Dobbs's best-selling novel this satirical trilogy took home a primetime Emmy a Peabody two BAFTAs and a Writers' Guild Award.Running Time: 200 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA UPC: 794051176820

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thrilling end to the saga., May 6, 2000

By 

Helen Mitford - See all my reviews

This review is from: Final Cut [VHS] (VHS Tape)

A thrilling end to the saga. It's all beginning to slip away from Francis Urquhart, but the 'star' of this one is, for me, the Lady Macbeth-like Elizabeth Urquhart played by the brilliant and beautiful Diane Fletcher. In many ways I'd wish there had been even more of her than there already is. She is so delightfully ruthless in her determination to protect her husband, whom she clearly worships, that even though she has colluded with him in the most fearful crimes, I could not help feeling a pang of sympathy for her, and of course, one does want to know what happens to her relationship with Corder. Her passion for Wagner only adds to her charm. There are some other fine performances in this work. Not least from two tiny cameo roles, Muriel Pavlow as an Age Concern Lady [compare this with her performance as Douglas Bader's wife in "Reach for the Sky"] and Bunny May as a clerk in the Public Records Office. Mr May was one of the first [if not the first] to play "Noddy" onstage under the supervision of Enid Blyton. [Now that's real trivia.]

I must be a dreadful person, beacuse I actually wanted the Urquharts to live happily ever after, and to see Francis Urquhart get away with it one last time. Age does not wither him nor custom stale his infinite variety. Yes, I know I may very well think that, but you couldn't possibly comment!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful! Awful! Terrifying!, January 20, 2001

By 

J. Kramer (Santa Clara, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: House of Cards Trilogy, Vol. 3 - The Final Cut [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Fasten your seatbelts. This series is the most chilling political thriller I have ever seen. There is not a single misstep anywhere. Ian's Prime Minister is the most evil creature ever to walk the earth, and he just keeps knocking down the good guys without even breaking a sweat; they never know what hit them or even how. It's like watching a terrible accident happen in slow motion, knowing there's nothing you can do to stop it. Stellar performances, superb directing, this is just plain perfect. I just wish it was a happy movie...but then it wouldn't be The Final Cut.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Most Satisfactory Conclusion To The Trilogy, August 17, 2001

By 

Peter Fennessy (Bloomfield Hills, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: House of Cards Trilogy, Vol. 3 - The Final Cut [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The final days of our once loveable villain, FU, are, it would seem, rapidly approaching. He is quite prepared to foment an international incident to stay in power and to keep his not so little retirement nest egg intact. But time wounds all heels, and in the end even he cannot quite pull it off. His wife, though, the most cunnning of all the shrewd and political women that have surrounded him, finds a way to pull his chestnuts out of the fire, as it were - and what a surprising and most satisfactory ending it all makes. Top notch acting all round, especially by Richardson, and exciting and devious twists of plot make this (as well as the rest of the trilogy) an excellent performance and an enjoyable evening. See them all if you can.