Any Human Heart

[Guest]

Are you enjoying this?

I missed part 1 but what Ive seen has been great. Nice to see the Duke of Windsor getting skewered, just a shame there was nothing about his Nazi associations to complete the picture

[Russ]

I think Part 1 is still available to view on 4ondemand (http://www.channel4.com/programmes/4od). Great viewing, and I agree about the venomous Windsors!

Russ

[Norfolk Born]

Hooked as I am on Jimmy McGovern's 'Accused', I'm recording each episode of 'Any Human Heart' with a view to watching the whole thing at some point in the future (fast-forwarding through the adverts). Anything with Jim Broadbent in it has got to be worth a look.

[Bax-of-Delights]

A first-rate production. The Windsors were a really unpleasant couple and I can see why the late Queen Mother detested them. I remember all the media hype surrounding the auction of their goods and chattels a few years ago - presumably stuff that had been purchased in the first instance out of the public purse over the years? I'm guessing that since they were resident of France the British government didn't get a penny back in CGT from the estate?

[Uncle Monty]

I'm enjoying it, and (or should it be but) I note the unusual cartoon-like style of narrative. I suppose we are to regard this as a postmodernist device. It's pacy, and no viewer could become bored, as the scenes intercut so swiftly. The only problem I can see with that is that even moments of terrible tragedy may be shruggable-off pretty quickly, as something brighter will be along very soon. But as I say, it's a good watch.

I'm reluctant to take sides in the Windsors v The Queen Mother face-off. None of them comes out of it all looking very good really

[Ferretfancy]

There's a scene in the film of Ben Hur when the hero is invited to a Roman reception, His host says " Come over here and meet my friend Pontius Pilate"
I'm afraid that's the effect that this series makes, none of the characters are believable, and the famous characters are indeed cartoon figures. All very glossy, but Mountstuart is a complete cipher. I gave up.

[Stanley Stewart]

I'm quite absorbed by the series although irritated by the frequent commercial breaks every 12-15 mins. I'm DVD recording each programme with the sound turned down and - so far - have managed to do other things, yet keeping an eye on the clock for a sudden dash on the pause button. I then view it without interruption later in the evening. My appreciation is also enhanced because I got a hardback copy of Wm Boyd's novel, "as new" for a few pounds from Amazon; a good investment as the novel is written as a series of journals using a linear narrative, from 1923 to 1991, rather than the flashbacks in Boyd's own TV adaptation. The nuances and the minutiae is all and the TV series would have gained hugely from a 13 series schedule which used to be the norm at the BBC and Granada TV.

Hello, Ferretfancy. We haven't "spoken" since I last posted on the R3 boards some years ago when we reminisced about the Monteverdi Vespers at York Minster, in 1957.

"My memory unfurls its lengthy scroll before me -
I shudder, and I curse, but I do not efface the wistful lines." Pushkin

[Richard Tarleton]

I'm afraid Ferret sums up my reaction to the book - I finished it (just) by coincidence shortly before the TV series. I'd read a couple of others of his. The involvement of the fictional Logan with the real characters and events - in a seeming effort to drag in as many famous 20th century people as possible, kicking and screaming - seemed entirely spurious. I didn't bother with the series.

[BetweenTheStaves]

I'm afraid Ferret sums up my reaction to the book - I finished it (just) by coincidence shortly before the TV series. I'd read a couple of others of his. The involvement of the fictional Logan with the real characters and events - in a seeming effort to drag in as many famous 20th century people as possible, kicking and screaming - seemed entirely spurious. I didn't bother with the series.

Different strokes....!

I first read the book in paperback and liked it so much went out and bought it in hardback! One of my favourite books.

[Richard Tarleton]

Strange isn't it! I haven't seen the film of Forrest Gump, but understand it uses a similar device - placing the protagonist at the scene of every big historical event in his lifetime. LS a sort of thinking man's Forrest Gump?

It left me feeling it was a massive exercise in name-dropping. But perhaps I should have watched the series. It's not the first novel - Chocolat another that springs to mind - that works better on the screen, where the novel reads more like a screenplay.

Sorry I've probably trampled on your corns all over again

[Idamante]

Having praised it I'm now starting to think it may be trash after all. Well acted and fun to watch, but the 'hero' just seems to be a victim of circumstance and almost all the stories are about him getting some woman into bed.

Not exactly thought-provoking material

[BetweenTheStaves]

There's much much more to it than meets the eye. There is the emptiness in his life after the death of Freya and Stella, for example. I am thoroughly enjoying it. Perhaps I sub-consciously identify to a certain extent with the character...or with his emotions and feelings, maybe. Or then again maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part