Customer Reviews
Still waiting for a good version of Mill on the Floss - By: S. Finch, 28 Jul 2008 
The Mill on the Floss has to be my favourite book, & possibly for this reason I have high expectations of any adaptation. The earlier BBC Sunday teatime version was poor with Mrs Tulliver's sisters more suited to pantomime. In this latest version the humour was lost altogether. Worse still the smartly dressed Mr Tulliver, sounds as though he had had 'the good eddication' he wanted for his son. Add to this the silly opening sequence & I would recommend anyone to wait for an Andrew Davies adaptation. I spoke to him recently on this subject & he indicated an interest.
Actors are let down by lamentable directing - By: Quinapalus, 05 Mar 2008 
What is so infuriating about this film is that Emily Watson is herself a capable actress, ditto Bernard Hill. But both sink deep deep down into the abyss of mediocrity as the film progresses, debilitated by a director who apparently slept through his 'blocking' lectures at film school, & doodled over his notes on speech. The dialogue here is so stilted, & the dialect so inconsistent, that it is difficult to believe it's being performed by a professional cast.
In the novel one of the most essential features of Maggie, the protagonist, is her wild, dark beauty - the catalyst for her suitors' love, & thus (along with Mr. Tulliver's 'pigheadedness') the greatest cause of tragedyin the novel. However it's hard to believe, whatever her acting capacities may be (not exhibitedin this film), that Emily Watson's looks would lure a handsome man like Stephen (dismal actor), even if Philip's attraction to her is not altogether incredible. Worst of all is the fact that her eyes are blue, despite the fact that almost every time she describes Maggie, Eliot stresses the beguiling blackness of her eyes...
The plot is a thoroughly weeded down version of that of the novel, & contains several minor changes, which will jarin the mind of a purist, but doubtless pass by unnoticed to those unfamiliar with the novel. However it is essentialin a film translation of Mill on the Floss, perhaps more than for any other Eliot novel, to portrayin depth the psyche of the characters & the events that alter their lives, since without all this, the eminently depressing ending comes across as a grandiose & sentimental finale to an insubstantial story. Such is the case with this production.
My advice would be to spend your money instead on Polanski's magnificent production of Tess of the D'Urbevilles, a simillar, but considerably more profound & moving tale.
decent, workaday, enjoyable ; not outstanding - By: Mr. Ian A. Macfarlane, 24 Feb 2008 
This is an enjoyable version of George Eliot's warm-hearted & melancholy novel. Visually it's good, with a lovely Dorlecote Mill & pleasant English rural scenes. Emily Watson is well cast as Maggie, Bernard Hill as her father, & all other characters are competently rendered. There is a very good visual likeness between the actors who play Maggie, Tom & Philip as children & their adult counterparts. The music is very appropriate - English, rural, yearning. But for all that, it never really seems to get off the ground. I don't really know why this is, because it is never bad, but it never seems to be really good either. Anyway, I enjoyed it, it held my interest, but I cannot give it a strong recommendation.
A Classic and Beautiful Story... - By: Stealth Sculler, 11 Aug 2007 
I saw this when it was first shown on the BBC 10 years ago, & although I am not usually attracted by 'period pieces' this one had me hooked. The story has haunted me ever since & I have been waiting for years to see this again. Then just a few months ago (Spring 2007) it was shown again on the BBC, but I missed the first half of it. Am I glad to see it is now available on DVD.
And as for our friend from France who was disappointed by the ending - you have obviously never known true love...
very disappointing - By: C. Flora, 04 Jan 2007 i wanted to write a review of the film because i think the third piece of advice is still the best.
yes, most of this film is beautiful. But what was the pointin making a film with such an end. it's gripping till the end & then you are disappointed & feel like the film was not worth buying.
