MovieChat Forums > The Jewel in the Crown (1984) Discussion > Book vs. Series Adaptation

Book vs. Series Adaptation

posted 18 years ago by bjayoh
2 replies | jump to latest

I've been working SO hard lately that I've not looked at anything on imdb for ages. How encouraging to check JITC and see what I've always thought of as the absolute best series ever made has so many newer posts!

Thought I'd add one of my own:

A couple of mentions in previous posts of how the series inspired one to seek out the Paul Scott books. So for those who've enjoyed both versions I was wondering, what was most surprising or relevatory when you read the books?

For me, it was what happened to Daphne and Hari's daughter -- that she went to live with Lady Chatterjee when Lady Manners died, and was an intense student of raga singing. Lady Manners never tried to contact Hari Kumar about his daughter, thinking that his life was probably difficult enough and a child might make it more so.

Interesting.

Does anyone remember any other remarkable additions or discrepencies between the book and the series?

[–] Ron406 18 years ago

Yea, I read the book after I saw the latest DVDs. How the "sister's" Sanctuary was turned into a home for kids with some of Daphne's money. And thought Merrik in the book was a little less menacing, Piggot-Smith did a lot that added to the character.

[–] melj 18 years ago

One of the things I was most surprised to discover when reading the books -- after having watched the adaptation (wrong way round, I know!) -- was that Sister Ludmila became blind. Apart from that, Edwina Crane was a major character; we knew a lot more about Hari Kumar's background; we got a glimpse of what India had become at the time the books were written; there were many fresh insights into all the characters' thoughts and I ended up seeing some of them in a completely different light. The structure was very different; events were not presented in chronological order and were gradually revealed like a mystery, with the reader left to slot the pieces together. It is also made clearer that Merrick is interested in Hari, not Daphne.

Then there were also a few discrepencies: Sarah and Daphne could have swapped places in terms of appearance as Daphne was supposed to be plump and Sarah skinny; Susan had dark hair in the books; and Daphne, Sarah, Guy, Barbie and Hari should all have been about ten years younger.

Well, that is all I can think of at the moment, but I would like to add that I think this adaptation captures the spirit of the books, in a way that I cannot imagine will ever be matched.