The Good Soldier (1981)

One of my all time favorites.

Just what I expected

How sad is this?

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

I had this sat on my dvd shelf for years and decided to give it a go, after five minutes I was captivated, totally drawn in. The story is fantastic, I've not read the book so can't compare, but there are multiple layers, love, betrayal, longing, and a true sense of character. Spellbinding performances all round, although it must be said Jeremy Brett captivates every single time he appears, he is phenominal, so charismatic. I found myself also loving Pauline Moran here, she made Maisie such a tragic character.Lovely production values, at times it felt like I was watching The Great Sherlock Holmes, it only needed a murder. Fabulous costumes and period detail, it truly is a lavish drama.Glorious viewing. 9/10

Not sure what they other reviewers were watching but the editing was bad; the acting was boring and the screenplay itself was confusing; actually restarted about 5 minutes into the film because scenes suddenly started to repeat... it was tough to figure out if it was present or past... do not waste time... There was one interesting person who was pretty good... for the most part the scenes were very contrived and the actors did little to make me believe that they believed in the storyline... not sure where the title came from... Have no idea why the American male lead even wanted to remain friends with the English wackos... stay away

This made-for-TV film gets high marks all around: lucid and intelligent cinematography, breathtaking performances, and visually strong direction. It's a great film, based on great source material. The film addresses how a man, by re-examining several years in his life, realizes that he was totally clueless regarding what was happening around him, as his wife and friends schemed and had affairs while he thought they were all happy and content. The novel moves back and forth in time, and so does this film: a complex yet totally engrossing narrative that leaves other time-shift ideas such as *Pulp Fiction* in the dust.Among all the great performances in here, special mention must be made of Susan Fleetwood, whose layered performance is both sensual and calculating.I've turned on many friends to this film. Definitely one of my desert-island videos.Highest accolades!!

I would make a set of underrated, though wonderful movies or series that ended up on Masterpiece Theatre. This movie is one that would surely end up on disc. One of many beautiful period pieces, it is distinguished by the emotional impact the storyline has. Neither of the two couples involved in the story are young, and yet still their love stories are spellbinding. Sex is not the issue here, it is what happens when one person in a marriage loves but the other does not. Yet these are passionate people, and their passions bring about their downfalls. Some of Britain's greats (the late Jeremy Brett and the late Susan Fleetwood and Robin Ellis from Poldark) give deeply emotional performances. That this movie, and most other Masterpiece Theatre's little gems (like Memento Mori) will never be available on disc is a true loss to lovers of this PBS show.Edited to add: Wonder of wonders--this movie is now scheduled for a DVD release on April 24, 2007. It is truly worth a rental, if not a blind buy. One of Jeremy Brett's best performances. Enjoy.