Original interpretation — not a still from the production
Eleven hours of Oxford, Venice, faith and regret. Take your time.
The Continental Verdict
Essential
Television has never been this patient since. Sturridge lets Waugh's sentences breathe, and Irons's narration turns the whole thing into an elegy delivered by a man who knows exactly what he lost and when.
The Venice episode is the single most seductive hour of English television, and the last two hours are among the saddest. It should be watched slowly, one episode a week, ideally in autumn.
Why Watch It
The Gentleman Factor
Undergraduate excess, followed by the bill. Both halves are instructive.
Look Out For
- The luncheon of plovers' eggs
- Venice with Lord Marchmain
- The chapel at the end
The Locations
Castle Howard, Oxford, Venice and Malta standing in for Morocco.
More from the travel pages →The Cars
A Morris Cowley and a beautiful Hispano-Suiza.
More from motoring →The Wardrobe
1920s Oxford: flannels, blazers, boaters, and the correct way to wear a scarf indoors.
More on style →The Soundtrack
Geoffrey Burgon's theme — instantly, permanently melancholy.
Into the music room →Watch Next
Where to Watch
ITVX and the restored Blu-ray box.
For the Collection
Also in The Gentleman's Canon
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