To The Manor Born – The Complete Collection: Silver
Anniversary Edition (BBC DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Episodes: C+
Peter
Bowles began as a distinct character actor in the 1960s and played everything
from drama, to comedy to action villains on The Avengers, but in the 1970s, he began to see more consistent hit
TV show work including Brett, Napoleon & Love, The Crezz, Only When I Laugh, Only When
I Laugh and all this led up to The
Bounder and To The Manor Born. Now, Manor
is back in a complete DVD collection from BBC Home Video in one of their nice
DigiPak slidecases with “pages” for each DVD and this set offers all 20
episodes and specials over 5 discs.
This is
one of his comedies where he plays DeVere, a newly rich man who buys a bankrupt
estate and gets more than he bargained for.
He runs head first into a former Lady of status (Penelope Keith) which
makes him wish for a refund or fight for what he has purchased. This is a comedy of subtlety and was a big
hit beginning in 1979, but it has never been my favorite Bowles show and the
fact that even they knew they could only get 20 initial shows out of this shows
the limits of the material.
Still,
this is a comprehensive collection and taking it all in at once is more
interesting than in pieces. Of course,
class politics play a big role, but they are not always the basis for the
comedy like Keeping Up Appearances
used, trying to mix humor and character study.
There is even the growth of each character, but for a hit, these characters
are more like an acquired taste and the show does not always show Bowles at his
best. It is good work, but To The Manor Born is also about leisure
and how it is a trap as much as freedom or a joy, though it never makes
ultimately makes any big statements about any of that. Too bad I did not laugh more to not notice,
but it is intelligent and amusing just the same.
The 1.33
X 1 color image is shot on analog PAL videotape and looks just fine in these
transfers, while the Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo throughout is simple and audible
enough to enjoy without much strain. Extras
include the Christmas Special, making of the Silver Anniversary Special, Funny Turns - Profile of Penelope Keith,
Turning Points interview with Bowles
and four radio episodes of the show.
- Nicholas Sheffo
