lje6904 Reviews

Soldier Soldier (1991–1997)

Poignant, sad and funny

[28 May 2005]

"Soldier, Soldier" is the story of Company A of the United Kingdom's regiment, the "King's Fusiliers". The story revolves around a small group of men and their wives in the regiment. We have Sgt. Wilton who is married to Joy. Joy has adjusted to Army life and taken on the job of creating activities for the wives and children of the regiment, so they won't feel isolated from their husbands and fathers. Then there is Corporal Garvey, who is lonely for a wife. He develops a relationship with Corporal Nancy Thorpe, who is a member of the military police. The relationship was doomed from the start. Both want to advance in the military, but Garvey wants what Wilton has, a stable family with a wife and children. Nancy would be happy to give these things to Garvey, but not in the middle of her sargents training. The relationship of Fusilier Dave Tucker and his wife Donna is very stormy. Both were born and raised in Newcastle. Both had troubled childhoods. Tucker joined the army to get away from the poverty. In the end, the Army became his only family. Donna, his wife, was a "party girl". When she saw Tucker flash his new Army pay, she set her eyes for him. He fell in love, she didn't. From that point, she hated Army life. Through out his troubled Army life, Tucker fought to stay in, but Donna did everything she could to try to get him out. After finding Donna with another man, Tucker went "Absent Without Leave" and faced a court martial. Donna was ecstatic, but when he was sentenced to 6 months detention instead of being kicked out, she left him. After hitch-hiking several rides back to Newcastle, Donna realized she had no where to go. She returned to the regiment and with the help of Joy Wilton learned to adapt, though it was still a rough road. The entire series is filled with wonderful and diverse characters; some the viewer learn to love, ie: Col. Dan Fortune and Major Tom Cadmean. Others; like Capt. Davison; the viewer will learn to hate.

This is wonderful series and I recommend it to everyone who wants strong acting and great stories.

Reckless: The Sequel (1998 TV Movie)

Unnecessary

[6/10 · 8 March 2005]

I love Robson Green and Michael Kitchen. I've never been very fond of Francesca Annis' work, though. She was very good in "Parnell and the Englishwoman". At the end of "Reckless", we have the lovers together and love conquers all even if Richard doesn't like it.

Michael Kitchen is so at ease as Richard and Robson Green is so strong and confident as Owen. The only performance I had trouble with was Annis'. Maybe the character was meant to be an adult scatter brain going through the change of life, but all I saw was a pathetic woman who wanted to live her life over with her doctor husband. She was just replacing Richard with Owen. The character or actress was grating on my nerves. Personally, if I were a man and Anna had done those things to me, I would have chucked her out the door ages ago. The most moving scene is at the end. And yes, I cried. There is just something about a man like Michael Kitchen crying that grabs me in the throat.

I guess if you are a completely maniacal romantic you might enjoy Reckless and then the Sequel right after the other. I usually just watch the first one. All wonderful drama and romance is in the first movie. The sequel was just, in my opinion, completely unnecessary.

Touching Evil (1997–1999)

Wonderfully Tight Homicide Drama

[9/10 · 5 February 2005]

There are 3 episodes in Series 1 of Touching Evil. The first is called "The Lost Boys" starring Robson Green, Nicola Bryant and Michael Feast. The special guest star was Ian McDiarmid(Emperor Palatine) from the Star War's movies. Mr. McDiarmid has that evil look and yet an innocent, "Why are you persecuting me?" look on his face. With tenacity, DI David Creegan(Robson Green) faces McDiarmid and in the end decides there is no other way to stop him, but to kill him. Creegan stalks into Ronald Hink's house(McDiarmid) and finds him dead with his head on his desk, apparently of a suicide. But was it suicide or murder? This question is left unanswered until a later episode.

There are 3 series in this series. I recommend this one for gritty, tense stories and wonderful acting. My only question, "Why did DCI Enwright(Michael Feast), knowing that Creegan was mentally ill, bring him back to the squad?

The Gambling Man (1995)

Very Different

[8/10 · 5 February 2005]

I liked this movie and recommend it to others. It was a bit different than what I normally watch. It was so interesting to watch Rory grow up in the short time of the span of the movie. At first he is much like a 17 year old boy wanting to get under his girlfriend's skirt, but then doing the "honorable" thing and marrying her. His life is destroyed by the death of his childhood love and rebuilt by a strong woman who knew what a grown up love was like.

In the end his life is turned up side down and in a terrifying moment he reaches for the one woman who he knew loved him and that he had grown to love.