Lillie Langtry’s life was filled with drama, so it’s no surprise that her story inspired a 13-part series on MasterpieceTheater, now available on DVD. If you remember this TV event when originally broadcast in the 1970s, you will enjoy rediscovering this superb production. First time around? You are in for a treat. Reserve a long afternoon, invite over some friends, pop some corn, and settle in for a first class British soap opera.
Lillie Langtry was considered a great beauty, a femme fatale, whose admirers included Belgium’s King Leopold, the Prince of Wales, and the American judge Roy Bean. Gay playwright Oscar Wilde was also caught in Lillie’s net, writing Lady Windemere’s Fan for her. When she portrayed Lillie, Francesca Annis was at the peak of her career, lauded for her work on stage and in film. And some would also describe her as a femme fatale, capturing the heart of a film star 18 years younger. Ralph Fiennes divorced Alex Kingston of ER fame, after he and Annis met during a production of Hamlet. They were together for 11 years.
Lillie is a feast for the eyes with the costumes and scenery worthy of a Merchant and Ivory production. Annis’s dresses and gowns throughout the series are sumptuous and faithful to the period. Her jewels dazzle. After all, she was frequently on the arm of a royal and so needed to dress accordingly. With Lillie, it was a red carpet appearance every night.
But the series is more than just visual candy (although, nothing wrong with that!) The performances, by Annis and the rest of the cast are Oscar worthy. Particularly outstanding is Peter Egan as the tortured Wilde. His scenes with Lillie are alternately humorous, dramatic, and, sometimes, heartbreaking. Also worth noting is Anton Rodgers as Lillie’s first husband, Edward Langtry, the only male, it seems, immune to Lillie’s charms.
Because of her relationship with the future King of England, Lillie Langtry has oftentimes been called names not repeated in polite company. (This was, after all, Victorian England). Annis’s portrayal, however, is multi-layered and mesmerizing. You cannot take your eyes off Annis as so many others were unable to tear their attention away from the real Lillie. Somehow one thinks that Lillie herself would laud this production.
Lillie
4 Disc DVD
Available on Barnes & Noble
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Originally telecast on PBS from March 11 through June 3, 1979
A `Masterpiece Theatre’ presentation traces the life and loves of English actress Lillie Langtry (1853-1929), who shocked Victorian society by becoming the mistress of the future Edward VII.
