Product Description

Classic tales of love and loss based on the fiction of Henry James

All the dramas and desires of late Victorian high society are on display in these vintage adaptations of the writings of Henry James. Romantic tales of love and loss unfold from the country houses of England to the drawing rooms of New York, from the palazzos of Venice to the art studios of London. Scoundrels and schemers collide with ingénues and admirers in the terribly intricate affairs of the heart.

This enchanting anthology features a treasure trove of British actors, including Diana Rigg (The Avengers), Margaret Tyzack (Cousin Bette), Pamela Brown (Becket), Patricia Routledge (Hetty Wainthropp Investigates), Ian Ogilvy (I, Claudius), Anton Rodgers (Scrooge), and Jeremy Brett (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes). The hour-long dramas plumb the exquisite tensions of Henry James’s best-loved stories, including Washington Square, The Aspern Papers, and The Wings of the Dove, with a subtlety and nuance unmatched by more recent adaptations.

DVD FEATURES INCLUDE Henry James biography and cast filmographies.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34804 in DVD
• Brand: RIGG,DIANA
• Released on: 2008-10-28
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 351 minutes

Blogcritics Magazine
Addictive episodes.

Video Librarian
None of these works have received better treatment cinematically.

MemorableTV.com
Enchantingly good... Sumptuous and not to be missed.

Customer Reviews

SEVEN EPISODES OF ROMANTIC LITERATURE TURNED VIDEO
Five stars for American born (1843), turned British subject prior to death, author Henry James and his tales of romantic conquest in an English setting. Stories are primarily Victorian era, as Henry James himself died in 1916. He left behind many very interesting stories and in this DVD set, seven of them have been brought to life in a fun way.

Each of the episodes is based on a separate book. Author James has a way of leaving the ending a surprise. Not always does boy get girl, or girl get boy, or all's-well-that-ends-well. You CAN expect the unexpected. That is the delight of this set. Some are romantic tragedy, some comedy, some suspense, a full smorgasbord of high living played out with a wide range of accomplished British actors and actresses.

Episode 1: "Catherine" based on "Washington Square"
Episode 2: "Adela" based on "The Marriages"
Episode 3: "Miss Tita" based on "The Aspern Papers"
Episode 4: "Grace" based on "Covering End"
Episode 5: "Milly" based on The Wings of the Dove"
Episode 6: "Flora" based on "Glasses"
Episode 7: "Mary and Louisa" based on "The Tone of Time" and "The Real Thing"

If you don't know of Henry James and his writing, the included biography on the DVD set will help. After seeing this group of his stories, you'll be looking for more from his books. With "Affairs of the Heart" you could enjoy him for a week, one DVD segment per day. More likely, however, you'll not be able to put 23 hours between watching each episode.

With Henry James having written over 50 published works, let us hope there will be an "Affairs of the Heart Series Two" in the future.

Series 2 is Coming!
I can't add much to the previous review, I agree completely with the excellence of this set. I can only say that I contacted the company that put this out and they tell me the Second series will be out in September 09 and I'll definitely have it on preorder!