Brideshead Revisited (2008)

From NetFlix:

Matthew Goode, alongside Michael Gambon and Oscar winner Emma Thompson,
stars as Capt. Charles Ryder, an officer stationed at England’s Brideshead
Castle during World War II, in this big-screen adaptation of the classic
novel by Evelyn Waugh. The suspenseful drama builds as Captain Ryder
becomes infatuated with the castle’s owners, the aristocratic Marchmain
family — particularly their grown son, Sebastian Flyte, and his elegant
sister, Julia.

This film version of “Brideshead Revisited” is excellent. However, the gold standard for “Brideshead” is the 4-CD version of the 1981 British TV miniseries. Matthew Goode rings true as Charles Rider. I finally got used to Emma Thompson as Lady Marchmain. But Ben Whishaw as Sebastian Flyte is just too diminutive compared to Anthony Andrews in the TV series. Of course it takes less time to watch 2 hours than to dedicate yourself to 4 CDs. I guess you get what you pay for.

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