Product Details

• Actors: Hugh Bonneville, Stephen Dillane, Paul Rhys, Lesley Manville, Joanna Page
• Format: Box set, 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: 2
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: PBS
• DVD Release Date: November 23, 2004
• Run Time: 360 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0002XVS6A
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,086 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Masterpiece Theatre - The Cazalets" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

In the shadows of WWII, one family is blessed with privilege, prestige and unspeakable secrets.

It’s 1937 and the storm clouds of World War II gather across Europe. Tensions also simmer beneath the seemingly charmed lives of the Cazalet family. While this grand family saga commences during an idyllic summer at the Cazalet’s Sussex country estate, the years that follow will see birth, death, marriage, adultery, dementia, intrigue, and war play significant roles.

Acclaimed for its richly detailed production, talented cast and brilliant character depictions, this vivid and poignant family portrait revolves around the wives, lovers, and children of the four Cazalet siblings: hard-working Hugh, womanizing Edward, spinster Rachel, and the artistic Rupert.

Soon after Hitler enters Poland and England enters the war, the lives of three generations intertwine as devastating secrets explode like a blitzkrieg. Hardships invade with brutal reality, and slowly, the Cazalet’s decorum can no longer mask their problems. As both the country and family are splintered by war, the Cazalets must prove they have the strength to endure.

Based on Elizabeth Jane Howard’s captivating family epic, The Cazalets stars Tony Award®-winner Stephen Dillane (The Real Thing), Hugh Bonneville (Madame Bovary), Paul Rhys (From Hell) and Emma Griffiths Malin (Mary Reilly)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

114 of 116 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a really superb World War II period piece!, December 9, 2004

By 

ophelia99 (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Masterpiece Theatre - The Cazalets (DVD)

This is the story of a large extended, relatively well-off British family from just before WWII up through the early years of the war. The film breaks off about half way through the war while the novels continue through until the end of the war. The way the film ends it feels as if the people making this intended to continue in another season, so it finishes with a lot of loose ends. Despite that fairly serious flaw, the superb character development and the rich range of very real individuals who range from young children to very elderly, from sleazy to incredibly noble and self-sacrificing, makes this something not to be missed. This is about the home front and is a bit more about the women than the men, but the male characters, I thought, were as well developed as the females. In the interest of not offending those who are more puritanical than I, I should mention that there is a very tender, very closeted lesbian relationship involving one family member. In addition, there is a male family member who is less than faithful to his wife. In neither case does much happen on camera. The Cazalet's are in the main generous and loving people. You will be glad you met them. If they had continued with the rest of the story line from the novels, I would have given this 5 stars as a first installment.

52 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A cliffhanger of massive proportions!, February 17, 2003

By 

Michelle B. Braverman (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Masterpiece Theatre - The Cazalets [VHS] (VHS Tape)

After gleefully investing six hours in the fabulous and riveting "The Cazelets", I was woefully disappointed that the video ends mid-story (let alone in the middle of WWII!), with so many plotlines in full throttle: will Rupert make it home from the war; will the Brig make it THROUGH the war; will Zoe and Roddy...? Well, I don't want to spoil it for you, dear viewer. Acting and production values are full-on, in the best Masterpiece Theatre traditions. The camera lingers on those details ( i.e. a bucket catching drips from a leaky skylight in the cozy-but-grand family compound) that add so much to believing you are a fly on the wall as the drama unfolds. I wish I knew whether there is a Part 2 that PBS just neglected to import or whether I will, of necessity, read the last two books. I HAVE to find out what happens!

43 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully photographed and acted!, August 2, 2006

By 

Sara Brideson "A Melancholy Idealist" (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Masterpiece Theatre - The Cazalets (DVD)

This mini-series certainly helped to pass the long days of summer vacation for me! Usually anything from Masterpiece Theatre is excellent--but this one surpassed many other mini-series they've done. The intertwining stories of all the members of the Cazalet family are artfully put together in such a way that it keeps the viewer constantly interested. The costumes were very true to the era and the jazzy theme music sounded like a real tune right out of the 1940's. Among the engrossing characters there were two who stood out the most. Louise, one of the young Cazalet daughters, had to struggle with a perverted father while trying to move up in the theatre. The other was Christopher, a Cazalet counsin who objected to the war. His father wanted him to join up, but he eventually has a breakdown because of it. If you love character sketches and period pieces, this one is for you!