The Pursuit of Love

The Pursuit of Love - review

I read the book and liked it better than Mitford's more famous (and sequel to this), Lone in a Cold Climate, and very much enjoyed it, so I was very much looking forward to this BBC adaptation. The buzz has been very positive too but I find myself having reservations. If you can bear to sit through the first episode and a half, or perhaps even the first two, episode, and make it to the third, you will, I think, see what the reviews are raving about.

The story is one of women's lib before the time and the production looks absolutely stunning, with a great cast (including Assaad Bouab, of Call My Agent fame).

Unfortunately, you have to sit through the first episode and a half, or perhaps even the first two, episode, and make it to the third to get the full effect.

I can see what the producers are trying to do in that first half and a bit: translate the rebellious anarchic spirit of the main characters in a modern, pop-video idiom. They only end up with a coarse and clumsy caricature, that's not amusing and often tedious.

This is paying a great disservice to this otherwise engaging story of friendship spiced up with fierce and social satire (something that doesn't really come across in the series), so perhaps it's better to go for the book. Or at least to lower your expectations before plunging into this three-hour romp.

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