Matthew Macfadyen- Actor of the Week

Matthew Macfadyen

Matthew Macfadyen has been fun to watch as a period actor over the last decade. He has played bad boys, awkward geeks, milquetoasts and leading men. He is certainly not afraid to stretch his acting chops. So...lets see what he has been in, and lets do it chronologically.

Matthew Macfadyen as Sir Felix Carbury

In the Andrew Davies adaptation of Anthony Trollope's masterpiece The Way We Live Now, Macfadyen plays the bad boy Sir Felix Carbury. He is marvelous in this role as he rides a roller-coaster of emotion. I hated and loved his character at the same time. And I must say, he does look wonderful in those boots!

Matthew Macfadyen in Spooks or MI5

I know MI5 isn't period, but Matthew's character of Tom Quinn was so instrumental in his career, I had to mention it. I am not normally a spy show kind of girl, but this show is so well done and with such great actors (Peter Firth, Rupert Penry-Jones, Richard Armitage, Hermione Norris, Keeley Hawes and many more)!

Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy

As a Mr. Darcy for a whole new generation, Matthew Macfadyen managed to get a shy awkward spin on Mr. Darcy that made us unable to stay angry with him for his proposal speech in the rain. So cute! Pride and Prejudice- the muddy hems version is what I call this one.

Matthew Macfadyen as John Birt in Frost/Nixon

As John Birt in Frost/Nixon (well known in the UK as the Director General of the BBC in the 1990s) Matthew Macfadyen shows that he is not afraid of doing some character work and looking...well...a little less handsome than usual. He also bares his bottom in this film. I may have to rent this one again!

Matthew Macfadyen as Arthur Clennam in Little Dorrit

As nice guy Arthur Clennam in Little Dorrit he really gets to show us what a great actor he is. Lots of screen time in this, one of my favourite period miniseries ever! I love him in this one.

Matthew Macfadyen as the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood

As the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood 2010 he was almost unrecognizable. I liked this film, although it's not really my preferred historical period. Personally, I'm more into the Georgian to the Edwardian period. I wish I was more into the 13th century and then I would watch more of Richard Armitage as Guy of Gisborne in BBCs Robin Hood. If anything could get me to watch Robin Hood, it's RA! Sorry Matthew.

Matthew Macfadyen as Philip in Pillars of the Earth

Matthew plays a monk in Pillars of the Earth, Prior Philip of Kingsbridge, where a cathedral is being built in the 12th century. This dramatization of Ken Follett's historical novel set in the era of King Stephen is quite good and Macfadyen's portrayal of the earnest and naive Philip is notable.

Matthew Macfadyen as the middle aged Logan Mountstuart

In Any Human Heart, Matthew Macfadyen plays the middle aged version of Logan Mountstuart. There is no lack of drama in this alternately heart breaking and uplifting miniseries. Macfadyen does a marvelous job of playing the main character drifting through the 20th century.

Matthew Madfadyen as Athos in The Three Musketeers

The Three Musketeers unfortunately bombed at the movie theater. I think it was trying to be too many things. Very difficult to update this classic with all kinds of special effects and not to lose the heart of the story. Oh, well.

I look forward to Matthew's performance as Oblonsky in Anna Karenina later this year opposite Keira Knightley again and directed by Joe Wright.

Well, here's to more wonderful roles for this talented actor. Looking at these photos, you can see the variety of roles he has played in the past and I'm sure he has many more to come. I'd love to see him do more films with his wife Keeley Hawes as well. I thought they were great together in Death at a Funeral.

Gillian Anderson- Actor of the Week

Gillian Anderson

Gillian Anderson is a wonderful chameleon actress. She switches effortlessly from English to American accent, as she was brought up on both sides of the pond. She is not afraid to make herself look less than glamorous, although she has been voted one of the sexiest women on the planet a few times. And refreshingly, she just doesn't seem to care what anyone thinks of her. I have to say that I admire her a lot!

Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully in The X-Files

Although I wasn't a big fan of the show, you could not have lived through the 1990s without appreciating the fact that a huge audience were hooked on Scully and Mulder of The X-Files. Gillian was only 24 years old and a total unknown when she got the part of Dana Scully in 1993. Winner of an Emmy, a Golden Globe and 2 SAG awards for this role, she was a great strong role model for young women.

Gillian Anderson as Lily Bart in The House of Mirth

In her first period role, she rocked the part of Lily Bart in Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth. This is sitting in my DVD collection waiting to be watched again. This winter just hasn't been long or cold enough to watch all the films I need to see. This one will move to the top of the pile however. It is wonderful!

Gillian Anderson with Rob Brydon in Tristam Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story

I have not yet seen Tristam Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story. I understand it is a bit unusual to say the least. A vehicle for the comic duo of Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, it's a film-within-a-film about the essentially unfilmable novel Tristam Shandy (the 18th century "metafictional" novel). Anyone out there seen this one? People seem to either love it or hate it! I'll bet Gillian was good however.

Gillian Anderson as Lady Dedlock in Bleak House

I can however, wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend Bleak House, in large part because of Gillian Andersons amazing portrayal of Lady Dedlock. "Bored to death..."  If you haven't seen this stellar BBC production of Charles Dickens' Bleak House, you MUST see it. As it is a miniseries, you have to break it up over a few evenings, but you will have a hard time tearing yourself away from this one. Here is the link for my review of Bleak House.

Gillian Anderson and Tom Hollander as The Duke and Duchess of Windsor in Any Human Heart

In the relatively small role of The Duchess of Windsor (Wallis Simpson) in Any Human Heart she was, again, amazing. The miniseries was pretty good but not anything I really have to watch again soon.

Gillian Anderson as Mrs. Castaway in The Crimson Petal and the White

As a brothel owner in Victorian London, Anderson is almost unrecognizable. It looks like she had a bit of fun with this role and why not? This is a wonderful series but a bit gritty (OK, a lot gritty) so if that's not your cup of tea, take a swerve on this one. If you don't mind a bit of grit (and nudity) this one is awesome!

Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham in the latest BBC Great Expectations

As she was so good as Lady Dedlock, she was a natural for the role of Miss Havisham in Great Expectations. The Brits have seen this one already (and loved it) but we get it soon on PBS Masterpiece. Click here to read my teaser about The Battle of the Miss Havishams.

So there is a little look at Gillian Anderson and her forays into period drama. I'll bet there is lots more to come from this talented lady. Yay!

Any Human Heart Episode 2 on PBS/Masterpiece

Any Human Heart- The Duke and Duchess of Windsor (Gillian Anderson and Tom Hollander)

I didn't want to miss the second installment of the fascinating series Any Human Heart. I've seen a lot of Matthew Macfadyen lately, as I have just finished the lovely Little Dorrit (review coming soon) and my guys have been watching him (and his love Keeley Hawes) on Spooks/MI5. We're on Macfadyen overload but it's all good. I'm getting to know every scar on his face in HD!

Matthew Macfadyen as Logan Mountstuart

This is a very entertaining series. Logan certainly has a good sex life, even though PBS apparently cut a good 40 minutes or so of skin etc. for the more conservative North American audience.  His encounters with the rich and famous are rather amusing, especially with Tom Hollander and Gillian Anderson as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.  I rather enjoyed the Duke and Duchess's comeuppance tonight especially as I am now quite partial to King George VI and his bride Elizabeth, due in part to my affection for the film The King's Speech.

Kim Cattrall as Gloria Scabius (causes a few scabs!)

I have truly enjoyed this series, although I don't think it is one that I really wish to purchase and watch again soon.  At times heartbreaking, (no spoilers here) and at other times uplifting, I have to say interesting is probably the best adjective I can pull out to describe this one.  I do have one small beef however.

This is a personal thing which others may disagree with.  I watch most of these shows with my husband.  He is acutely aware of the presence of suicides in movies and television as he had a close member of his family commit suicide.  There is oftentimes a suicide in the films I watch with him, even though I try to avoid downer type films.  It seems to be an all too common way to move a plot these days.  In this episode of Any Human Heart there were no less than 4 (we counted them...4!) suicides or attempted suicides shown.  I think there must be some defect with the story telling ability of this author if he requires 4 instances in one episode, although admittedly one of them was historical and not fictional.  Although I realize that this subject should not be avoided if it is necessary to tell the story, it is too often, I am afraid, shorthand for "this person is unhappy" and I think that is what has happened in this series.

Next week we get more of Jim Broadbent as Logan Mountstuart Senior!

OK, rant over but I just had to have my say on this topic.  Feel free to leave a comment if you agree or if you disagree. I'd love to know what others think.

But don't let this turn you off of this wonderful series.  I am truly looking forward to next week when Jim Broadbent takes over as Logan.  I adore Jim Broadbent who will forever hold a special place in my heart as Bridget Jones's dad.  See you next week!

Any Human Heart on PBS Masterpiece this Sunday!

Matthew Macfadyen and Hayley Atwell in Any Human Heart

I have been lucky enough to see a preview of the first of three episodes of Any Human Heart, premiering on PBS this coming Sunday night, Feb 13, 2011. It is very good!

This adaptation of a fairly recent novel by William Boyd can probably best be explained as a life in flashbacks. It starts out showing the main character, writer Logan Mountstuart, as an old man (the lovely Jim Broadbent). He is living in a villa in the South of France with piles of books, photos and boxes of journals detailing his very interesting life all around him. As he sorts through these memories, we get to relive his life with him.

Matthew Macfadyen, Jim Broadbent and Sam Claflin as the three phases of Logan Mountstuart

As he travels through his past, starting not at his birth in the exotic sounding Montevideo Uruguay, but as a student at Oxford in 1926, we get to know him through his journal. "I, Logan Mountstuart, do solemnly declare that in this my final year at Oxford, I will lose my virginity." Needless to say, this one has a warning about explicit content right at the beginning. We get to see the loves of his life (in and out of bed) and as well as having the great good fortune to encounter many stunningly gorgeous women, he also stumbles across many famous people. Made me really think of a smarter, English Forest Gump to be honest. Not that that is a bad thing. It certainly adds spice to the story to have Logan hanging out with Ernest Hemingway, Ian Fleming and The Duke and Duchess of Windsor (played to a tee by Tom Hollander and Gillian Anderson).

Well, I won't say any more other than that I think this is a wonderful addition to the Masterpiece lineup this winter and I look forward to seeing the next two episodes to see what else Logan Gump gets up to in his travels through the 20th century.