Review of DVD: Charles Dickens’ Bleak House

Reviewed by Gerti

The BBC is well known for its productions of the works of famous British authors like Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. This 1985 production of Dickens’ “Bleak House” fits into that category, and is at its heart a condemnation of the legal profession and the people who make their living in it.

The story is a simple one. Two young heirs to the case of Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce come to light, and while the case goes through Chancery (the court system in Britain) the pair go to live with a distant relation, John Jarndyce. Ada and Richard, although distant cousins, fall in love there, but are eventually torn apart by Richard’s obsession with the outcome of the case, as he is hoping when it is settled (in his favor) it will make him a wealthy man. The older Jarndyce warns him that obsessing about the case will only lead to madness and ruin, but young Richard can’t listen, and when the case is finally settled, it is discovered that all the money has been used up by the lawyers. Richard falls ill and dies, leaving his young widow, Ada, pregnant.

But the love birds are not the only one’s caught in the legal trappings of the case of Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce. Also interested in its outcome are Lord and Lady Dedlock, who are already fabulously wealthy. Their lawyer is the evil attorney Tulkinghorn, who when he’s not pursuing the case, is trying to find out why Lady Dedlock fainted when reading the handwriting on a particular legal document. He eventually is able to show that she had a child out of wedlock with the writer of the document, a former army officer who has since died because of his obsession with her (and illegal substances.) He was, however, a kind man, and gave his money away to a street urchin named Jo, who is hounded to death by lawyers and police trying to find out what he knows about the dead man.

The title is ironic, because although John Jarndyce’s house isn’t bleak, the story is incredibly so. The only shining light is Esther Summerson, who much as her name indicates, brings light into the lives of those around her. She is the natural daughter of Lady Dedlock and this army officer, but only finds out her heritage right before Lady Dedlock runs away to avoid bringing shame to her husband and his noble house. The only shades of comedy in this piece come from the ridiculous names, like the landlord Mr. Krook, the Neckett family, and of course Inspector Bucket. The BBC production is also bleak and lacks color in many scenes, but it is the picture of London at this time in history that is the bleakest of all.