Product Details

• Actors: James Wilby, Xavier Deluc, Serena Gordon, John Mills, Jean-Pierre Aumont
• Directors: Philippe Monnier
• Writers: Arthur Hopcraft, Charles Dickens
• Producers: Roy Roberts
• Format: Box set, 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
• Rating: Unrated
• Studio: Bfs Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: October 2, 2001
• Run Time: 197 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005N5RH
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #6,087 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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• For more information about "A Tale of Two Cities (Masterpiece Theatre, 1989)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

How far will one man go for true love? Charles Dickens' epic love story comes alive in this exciting Masterpiece Theatre presentation, filmed on location in Bordeaux and Manchester.
In the dock of a British courtroom, French aristocrat Charles Darnay stands accused of spying for the King of France. The outlook appears grim until some last-minute help comes from his astonishing lookalike, Sydney Carton. As Darnay goes free and makes plans to marry Lucie Manette, Carton keeps his secret desire for her to himself, yet assures her that he would make the ultimate sacrifice for her, "or for anyone you love." As Lucie and Charles settle into blissful married life in London, the French Revolution is exploding. Carton is in Paris on his own mysterious business just as the Darnays return to rescue a faithful servant from the chaos, only to be captured by a crowd thirsty for the blood of aristocrats. The guillotine beckons as does the promise Sydney made to his beloved Lucie years earlier. Amidst the turmoil of one of history's most barbaric eras, will one man's simple devotion be enough to quell the madness?

Product Description

Studio: Bfs Ent & Multimedia Limi Release Date: 10/02/2001 Run time: 208 minutes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Accurate and touching film adaptation, March 11, 2005

By	Sasha (Oregon) - See all my reviews

This film version of A Tale of Two Cities is a masterpiece -- it faithful adapts Dickens' classic novel while holding out as a worthwhile movie in its own right through incredible performances from its lead actors. The plot of the novel has not been touched -- in filming Dickens' most tightly-plotted novel, a good decision. The acting is uncommonly good. Sydney Carton is fabulously done; James Wilby is to be commended for a wonderful and nuanced performance. I also found Madame Defarge particularly well-done; the actress playing her is SCARY! Considering Mme. Defarge's character in the book, I think her almost insane bitterness and sharp purpose is well-portrayed.

A couple of unique things about this film include its use of French actors to play French characters and British actors to play British characters. No contrived accents, and people actually look their nationality -- both important in such a highly political story. I also strongly support the decision to have Carton and Darnay played by different people; yes, they're supposed to look alike, but not identical. And having different actors play them facilitates the portrayal of their very contrasted characters.

I am admittedly coming from the perspective of one who read and loved the book years before seeing the movie; I can't judge what this film would be like to someone who has never read the novel. But I found it an accurate and sensitive adaptation of the book I know and love, and I imagine that the beauty of the story would appeal just as easily to someone experiencing the story for the first time.

70 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.", March 5, 2003

By	Z. Yang (Hockessin, DE USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Never have the noble humanities and horrible dehumanization been revealed to such extremes as in Dickens' "A Tale Of Two Cities". Just exactly to what extreme the human hatred could go, just exactly to what extreme the human love could go, and just exactly to what extreme the human sacrifice could go, you will get answers from this novel.

It tells ineffably touching stories of love and sacrifice, striking stories of hatred and revenge, in the turmoil of French Revolution. This was the time that hunger would drive poor people to sip the wine spilled on the street stones, this was the time that an innocent man (Dr. Manette, Lucie's father) was imprisoned in the Bastille for eighteen years not for any crimes but for saving people's lives, this was the time that conscience made a noble person (Charles Darnay) to relinquish his aristocratic title and pursue life of simplicity and dignity, this was the time that a gentleman (Charles Darnay) would take the risk his own life to save the life of his servant, and this was the time that a young man (Sydney Carton) would take another man's place on the guillotine and realize his promise to his beloved (Lucie), to whom he treasured as "the last dream of my soul"......

This Masterpiece Theatre miniseries did a fairly good job in crafting the stories, although less successfully in bringing out the grandeur of the Revolution. But thanks to the wonderful actors and actresses, their brilliant acting has, to some extent, made up the weaknesses. Sydney Carton is a fascinating character. Young actor James Wilby has excellently sustained Carton's emotional complexities: his cynicism, his indifference, his impulsive yearning for life, and his devoted love to Lucie. Carton, who is Darnay's lookalike and bears the same great affection towards Lucie, is, however, Darnay's inner alter ego. In contrast with Darnay's ideal, Carton is real, and, when fleshed out by James Wilby with immense delicacies, this is the character that couldn't be more captivating. Most of the other characters are also well rendered, with maybe a weak line with Madame Defarge, whose hatred and thirsty for revenge is somewhat stiffly and superficially depicted.
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"It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known", the drama ended with Carton walking towards the axe, while Lucie, Darnay, and their daughter riding towards their safe home. This is a most heroic and epic moment, a moment of glory in the midst of grief, and a moment of eternity in the midst of extermination.

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful story!, March 22, 2002

By A Customer

First let me say that i haven't read the book,so I don't know if this adaptation is acurate to the Dickens's classic book;I won't go into that.Let me just say that i found this miniseries wonderful.It does have great acting,( handosme James Wilby as Sydney Carton-he's in Altman's Gosford Park;the Oscar-winning John Mills as Jarvis Lorry;Jean-Pierre Aumont as Dr. Manette,and on..),the costumes,the beautiful music score.The ending left me in tears.
I disagree with some reviewers that are saying that this movie is boring.It is not,but if you don't have enough patience and/or only watch action flicks,you won't like this.