Little Dorrit

Beginning last night and continuing through the end of April, I’ll be spending Sunday nights watching the Dickens miniseries Little Dorrit on PBS. It has all of the key Dickensian elements- a wide cast of characters from a variety of social classes, a mysterious family downfall, and a betrayal involving money (though no orphans in workhouses yet!). The film gives an interesting portrayal of what British debtor’s prison was like- inmates brought their entire families with them and were even able to receive guests in their homes within the prison. Like the Bleak House miniseries from a few years ago, Little Dorrit is a slow-paced and darkly shot movie. I had a bit of a hard time getting into the plot initially and I know that I’m still missing something, as I haven’t been able to understand a word that’s been said in several scenes between two Frenchmen! One of the male leads is played by Matthew Macfadyen a.k.a. Mr. Darcy from the most recent remake of Pride and Prejudice. Here he seems to have shed his Darcy-esque brooding and seems more like Jim from The Office dressed in period clothing. So far, Little Dorrit isn’t the best BBC miniseries I’ve seen, but it has me interested enough to keep watching…and possibly to start reading the book.