| Episode cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Katharine Schlesinger | ... | ||
| Peter Firth | ... | ||
| Robert Hardy | ... | ||
| Googie Withers | ... | ||
|
|
Geoffrey Chater | ... | |
| Cassie Stuart | ... | ||
| Jonathan Coy | ... | ||
|
|
Ingrid Lacey | ... | |
| Greg Hicks | ... | ||
|
|
Philip Bird | ... | |
|
|
Elvi Hale | ... | |
|
|
Helen Fraser | ... | |
|
|
David Rolfe | ... | |
|
|
Elaine Ives-Cameron | ... |
Marchioness
|
|
|
Angela Curran | ... |
Alice
|
Catherine Morland is a young woman who enjoys reading Gothic Novels. She is invited to Bath by a family friend, Mrs. Allen, and there she meets Henry Tilney and his sister Eleanor. Upon returning to her home with her family, Eleanor invites Catherine to come along as her guest and companion. There Catherine's imagination continues to flourish and she begins to suspect a dark secret at Northanger Abbey. Written by Cara-chan
The errors of this film have been pointed out a myriad of times in previous reviews: The Marchioness is an added character with little apparent use. The Abbey was NOT supposed to be the creepy castle of Gothic lore, but a disappointingly normal and modern building that Catherine's imagination tries to make frightening, but cannot. Most of the actors are hamming it up left and right (I actually found that amusing in a not-so-negative way. Isabella Thorpe is not one whit more obvious than Lucy Steele in the celebrated Emma Thompson version.) The music is weird and entirely too present had they toned it down a bit it wouldn't have been so intrusive.
What saved it for me was Peter Firth. Yes, he was affected and simpering, but personally, I found him sexy as all get out. When he first appeared, I had never seen him before, and didn't think he was handsome at all, nor right for the part of Henry Tilney. But when he smiles at Catherine, it looks so warm, so genuine, that I stopped chewing my popcorn for a moment and thought "Oh, I take it back. He's cute!" He's got wonderful lips, too.
And despite what others have said, he portrayed Tilney pretty much as the book does, in my opinion. Tilney is a strange fellow, folks. He's rarely serious, says bizarre things one right after another, quips and smirks, and masks his feelings utterly. I am certain he grows up to be Mr. Bennet. I never liked him till I saw this adaptation, but now, he's rather my favorite. But only if he looks like Peter Firth.