This may be my favorite BBC Dickens adaptation, full-stop.

I'm finding the current adaptation of Bleak House absolutely fan-f*ing-tastic. Really, really, incrediably good. Near-perfect casting. Soap-opera-style setup (half an hour twice a week). Love Lady Scully and don't find it sluggish at all (they're setting up loads and loads of stuff which you know is going to get payoff soon). Wish it were on more often.

I second all of Vonnie's recommendations and add the original version of The Singing Detective, which, if you haven't seen, you must.

Oh, yeah, wrod. The Singing Detective rocked my world.

add the original version of The Singing Detective, which, if you haven't seen, you must.

Yes yes yes!

I'll have what she's having...(except in this case, I have, thanks to Hottie Editor friend.)

For Nutty, some non-slapstick fun movies:

Vonnie wins prizes for seeming to know pretty much what I like and don't. Not many misses on that list, although several I have seen and/or just returned to Netflix 2 weeks ago and/or own.

Clearly, there is such a genre as "Nutty kind of movie".

Clearly, there is such a genre as "Nutty kind of movie".

Ha. Guess "Talented Mr. Ripley" was a hit, then? I was thing of things that are lacerating yet restrained, melodramas in minimalistic strokes.

Hmmm, that reminds me. Netflix doesn't have a lot of early James Mason, but they do have Carol Reed's "Odd Man Out", which is essentially James Mason dying in slo-mo for two hours. Strikes me as something you might dig. *g*

It's a pity Netflix doesn't have a lot of Carol Reed. Well, it has "Agony and Ecstasy", which I don't like much. And of course, "The Third Man".

On a completely different note, apparently Anna Friel (who played Bella in the aforementioned Beeb adaptation of "Out Mutual Friend" and is living with David Thewlis, who plays Lupin) made some noises about wanting to play Tonks in the next Harry Potter flick, which the director was quick to nix. I wonder why? I've only seen her as Bella and in this other flick with Michelle Williams called "Me Without You" (about toxic female friendships, and rather well done, I thought) and I think she'd make a fine Tonks.

Well, she is about ten years too old for the part (Tonks is around 21, IIRC). Then again, that never stopped them from casting too old for other parts (heck, Rickman is only one year younger than Gleeson, even though their characters in the book are at least a generation apart).

And of course, "The Third Man".

Love, love, LOVE this movie. I saw it first when I was still in grade school, and the casual cynicism of it was a huge revelation. That and the fact that people weren't acting like they did in the movies I was used to (i.e. the hero was clueless and out of his depth, and didn't get the girl, plus an outrageously charismatic "villain"). Also, best entrance evah!

Then again, that never stopped them from casting too old for other parts

Yeah. God knows I adore Rickman-as-Snape, but seriously, he's 17 years older than Thewlis, who's playing his contemporary. I can't imagine anyone else in the role though.

Friel is 29 but can easily play early 20's, so the age probably isn't the issue. Her screen presence is very... effervescent. Although more in a pouty way than I'd imagine Tonks to be, although that's probably the roles I've seen her in.

I hear Imelda Staunton has been tapped as Umbridge. That's a terrific bit of casting there.

Also, best entrance evah!

Ooooh yeah. The cat and the shadow and man, the whole bit was masterful. And who can forget the cuckoo clock speech? And it has one of my top five last scenes of any movie EVER, that long, silent walk, with that utterly crushing contempt--nay, worse than that, indifference--in every line of her body. So fucking pitiless. I love it.