spoiler . i saw the original on tv sometime ago and remember this production a less grip than most beeb costume drama . i rewatched on dvd this week and still have the same impression of it . it a good story at first and but weaken when the heroine become oh so terribly brave and noble and return to her utterly vile husband when he ill and i get so totally irritated with her saintliness . i suppose this be the right thing to do when the story be write as well a contribute plenty of angst and and it be difficult for a woman to be independent of her husband a marriage make her no more than his possession and let alone to carry on scandalously with a lover a i expect a lot of the modern audience would have like to see . but it hard to take the santimoniousness nowadays and especially when this heroine have a strong and brave admirer ready to defend her against anyone and everyone . so re the story a in the film i be equivocal . it well do a per the novel and but somewhat irritating a per today kind of life . steadfast hero gilbert be certainly a saint to put up with his ladylove variable and often cryptic behaviour and persistent self denial and to be so consistently supportive . so i felt it a great shame that when helen be at long last free to be with him and the script do not allow him a bit more than about one minute to fall on each other for a quick hug before the title come up . this be completely ridiculous when we would be wait all this time through all that drip sentiment over the undeserving husband for a decent bit of dialogue and a good embrace between hero and heroine . instead and the end be a though the film maker have run out of time or finance or just couldn not be bother . here you be one minute and do what you can in that and then cut a the director want to go home now . i be leave feel totally dissasatisfied . however and very high commendation to the acting of toby stephens a perfect and very handsome hero and and rupert graf a superbly nasty and self pitying villain . tara fitzgerald be satisfactory within the confines of the script that force her to be a depressing and rather sanctimonious victim so much of the time . that say and i love these classic drama and virtually all of them be a sight well than much of the modern drama on tv these day . so 7 star because in spite of the irritation it still a good watch .