Friends & Neighbors

Studio 360's Kurt Anderson had an interesting conversation with Susan Cheever about the soap opera-like relationships between Thoreau, Emerson, Hawthorne, Louisa May Alcott and Margaret Fuller. (Cheever's written a book about this literary rat pack called American Bloomsbury). Having visited their homes and stomping grounds in Concord, Massachusetts (a highly recommended stop on the map, by the way), I'm interested in checking out the book. Wouldn't it be great if they'd turn this one into a movie? -- Amy

Song of the South

Hugh Jackman is being eyed for the role of Rhett Butler in a Broadwaty musical version of Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind, slated for a 2008 premiere. Read the full story. -- Amy

"Lady Chatterley's Lover" Wins Best Adaptation

PARIS- An adaptation of D.H. Lawrence's "Lady Chatterley's Lover" was named France's best film of 2006 and landed four other honors at the Cesar awards Saturday, the French equivalent of the Oscars.

Marina Hands, as the lady in question, won best actress and the film also won awards for best adaptation, best costumes and best cinematography.

Mareweed? Mareweed!

As Ioan's #2 fan, I was upset when he--as Horatio Hornblower--married Saffron from Absolutely Fabulous, so you can imagine how I'm taking this news (buried at the bottom of an article about Ioan's work on Amazing Grace). And as for Amy (#1 fan, natch), well, better she hear it from me than a complete stranger...

Meanwhile, Gruffudd and Evans have decided to tie the knot in September, either in Los Angeles or Mexico.

"Alice has this idea of being married on the beach," he said, smiling. They thought about marrying in England or Wales but decided it was important to "celebrate our new life here."

Before he gets married, Gruffudd would like to do another film — "not only for the satisfaction but also to get the money in order to have a lovely wedding."

Masterpiece Theater's Greatest Hits

Have you been watching PBS's Masterpiece Theater since the Poldark and I, Claudius days? Do you remember the original Forstye Saga, or are you a more recent convert, having enjoyed last year's production of Bleak House? On Sunday, March 4, Masterpiece Theater takes a walk down memory lane, recalling the best villains, stars and scene-stealers, as voted upon by Masterpiece Theater viewers. This anniversary special should be a fun one to watch! -- Amy

Is He Havin' a Laugh?

On Extras Sunday night, Robert deNiro was the much-hyped special guest. For my part, I was equally excited to see Robert Lindsay (aka Captain Edward Pellew from the Hornblower series) make an appearance on the show as an uber-vain version of himself. I barely recognized him without the ginormous Captain Crunch hat and epaulets, but rather enjoyed the silly song-and-dance number he did at the foot of an ailing child's hospital bed. He even made a reference to another RTT favorite, Richard E. Grant (better known to us as The Scarlet Pimpernel). -- Amy

Dear, Magnanimous Ioan....

Yes, it's idol worship time again....

Our boy has offered to help show his pal, Los Angeles transplant David Beckham, a thing or two about Hollywood life, as posted in the soccer site Goal.com

Ignore the fact that two-thirds of this article is spent ragging on our beloved Hornblower and calling him a B-list nobody...(damn their impudence yet again!)

A final note: If I ever celebrity-spot Gruffudd and Beckham in tandem in Los Angeles, there'd better be some smelling salts nearby to revive me. -- Amy

A Fiennes Mess

If you hate celebrity gossip: skip to the next post. In our continuing effort to keep you up-to-date on the activities of your favorite adaptation actors, we bring you this special breaking news report on English Patient hottie Ralph Fiennes. Apparently Fiennes took time out from filming the latest Harry Potter movie to allegedly attempt the seduction of a Quantas airline flight attendant, getting her suspended. That's when he's not "performing naked yoga" to win over his Irish Interior Designer girlfriend. Also, did you know that Ralph once dated Jennifer Lopez (according to Page Six anyway)?

For "real" news on your favorite actors, see the "Whereabouts" in the left sidebar. --Kim

Dracula Adaptation a Bloody Mess

Seems everyone agrees that last night's Masterpiece Theater production of Dracula was a bust. Luckily I arrived home late and missed it anyway. Can you imagine anything worse than the beautiful but dreadful Francis Ford Coppola adaptation? --Kim

Tivo Alert!

Dracula. Sunday night. Masterpiece Theater. Need I say more? Well, except maybe this: Based on this picture, I'm not yet sold on the Count. -- Amy

Possible Dark Tower Adaptation?

Steven King collaborator Frank Darabont discusses The Mist, The Long Walk, and a possible Dark Tower adaptation on cinematical. --Kim

Sally Lockhart's Guide to Life...

Okay, so I finally got around to watching The Ruby in the Smoke last night. Here's what I learned. -- Amy

1. Be careful what you say to people lest they fall over dead from shock.
2. Proficiency in Hindustani is cool, but doesn't do much for one's c.v.
3. Serving one's mistress "stewed tea" can land a girl in trouble.
4. Don't try to hide a ruby by eating it.
5. Sally Lockhart is a hard gal to flirt with.
6. Never trust "the help."
7. When an old bat is trying to kill you and you have no one left to turn to, show up on the doorstep of an attractive dude you spent all of two mintues with once.
8. An outing to purchase opium can be a fun and romantic first date! (Just don't inhale.)
9. Clergymen can kick ass.
10. Always keep your powder dry.
11. Doing illicit drugs can actually be a tremendous memory aid for a nice, upstanding young Victorian woman.
12. If your dad starts calling you a name that bears no likeness whatsover to the name you were given at birth, perhaps he's not really your dad.

Welcome to Pooter-ville

Hugh Bonneville will star as the self-delusional Charles Pooter in a BBC four-part television adaptation of George and Weedon Grossmith's Victorian classic, The Diary of a Nobody. The film has been adapted by Andrew Davies and will be directed by Susanna White, the woman behind the recently-aired version of Jane Eyre.

The book is charming, hilarious, and well-worth picking up if you've never read it. Should make a cute movie. -- Amy

Austen City Limits

The Daily Telegraph offers up an analysis of why Jane Austen has become 2007's new "Lit" girl.

Romancing the Tome's patron saint of directors, Andrew Davies, weighs in as well.

Speaking of Mr. Davies, his re-do of Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited is currently in pre-production, slated for a 2008 release. It will supposedly star Jude Law, Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connolly.

Remember how much scandal erupted when I said I didn't like the original minseries starring Jeremy Irons and Anthony Andrews? Good times. -- Amy

"The Rock Star of His Time"

Thanks to Meg for passing along this link to JustJared.com, which offers loads of new details, pics and an insightful (and racy) video promo of Jonathan Rhys-Meyers playing Henry VIII in The Tudors for Showtime, starting April 1. I only wish I had Showtime!!! -- Amy

Then and Now...

Watched HBO's Rome last night (saving Masterpiece Theater for Tivo -- will weigh in on that later this week) and notiticed that our dear Mr. Bingley from Pride & Prejudice (the actor Simon Woods) is now playing Octavian (a.k.a. Caesar Augustus) following a bout of TV rapid-aging syndrome. I barely recognized him at first because he's missing Mr. Bingley's goofball grin, but he's still pretty captivating. -- Amy

An Epic Unfolding

On Sunday, the Los Angeles Times had an article about the filming of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love In The Time of Cholera. -- Amy