The Dark Angel The Complete Series   Starring: Peter O'Toole Network DVD RRP: £14.99 7953681 Certificate: 15 Available 30 May 2011

Maud Ruthyn’s life is a lonely one, shut up in the country estate with her aging father, whose behaviour is becoming increasingly erratic. Events take a poor turn for Maud when her father engages the services of a French governess, Madame de la Rougierre, who seems intent on tormenting her. When la Rougierre is caught going through Maud's father’s papers, she is dismissed, but the stress is too much for Maud’s father who passes away. Maud is sent away to live with her uncle Silas, a man who she has only known by reputation. A scoundrel and gambler, to Maud’s young mind he is an object of romance. Only when she meets him does she discover that the reality may be far more dangerous...

The Dark Angel (1987, 180 min) is an adaptation of J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s novel Uncle Silas, in a three episode, made-for-television, drama. The show was directed by Peter Hammond, who has been directing since the early sixties.

The aspects of the serial which are both its strong points and its weaknesses are a result of the period in which it was made. Undoubtedly, the story shows high production levels in both the interior and exterior scenes, however, the style of acting may not be to everybody’s taste, especially in the first episode, where melodrama seems to have subsumed any other dramatic aspects.

The actors gesticulate and speak in theatrical voices as if trying to reach the upper circle, this does transform by the second episode when we finally get to meet Uncle Silas (Peter O'Toole) who does a magnificent job of creating a monster of a man. True he also gesticulates and his speech is a little over the top, but this is in keeping with his character.

I thought that Beatie Edney’s portrayal, of Maud, was particularly weak, which is surprising given that she had produced a very naturalistically memorable performance as Heather MacLeod in Highlander (1986). Jane Lapotaire as Madame de la Rougierre, produces a convincing grotesque, soaked in opium and alcohol - a perfect foil for Silas.

Being a melodrama, things do not end well for many of the cast, though even this inevitability does not detract from some effective direction. There is a particular use of reflection and the diffuseness of curtains to create, at times, almost dreamlike sequences which work well for both the light side of the story as well as the dark. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, the atmosphere created is not unlike that of Tales of the Unexpected, another show which Hammond had worked on.

The three part series is presented on a single DVD. It is difficult to know whether the soft picture is born out of an artistic decision at the time or the age of the print, either way it suits the story well, increasing its dreamlike quality. There are subtitles, but no extras.

Although this was not to my taste, I felt that an hour could have been lost from the middle without harming the story. There will be many who will enjoy a slice of old style, gothic, mystery.

6

Charles Packer