All I can say is; this stinks!

totally agree with you. I loved the series, but was sooo disappointed he didn't end up with gwendolene- i really thought they'd get together

I disliked Gwen. She was spoiled and married mean old Grandcourt just so that she wouldn't have to be a governess--even after she promised Grandcourt's former flame that she wouldn't marry him. She was more or less selfish. I just didn't like her at all, and I'm glad that Daniel chose Mirah. He was a sweet person and it's right that he ended up with someone who wasn't a spoiled brat.


------------------------------
http://www.myspace.com/monicax89

I just wanted Romola Garai and Hugh Dancy to get it on. As shallow as this may sound, that would've been hot.

I can see how the book may have made everything much more clear. I was also so disappointed when I realized who he had chosen. Whatever the reasons are that make total sense to character and everything else, I don't think this adaptation, as a film, did it's job of making the movie a build up to its ending, at least in the sense that the ending felt natural. From what I watched, he obviously cared for Mirah, and his dislike of Hans' affection was a signal, but he never showed the same chemistry as what he had with Gwen. All the almost kisses never coming to fruition, while the one kiss we get is between two people who have only had one scene which appeared to have any sexual tension, it was just such a let down as a viewer.

I'm perfectly prepared to believe that the story is ultimately about Daniel and Mirah belonging together, but I'm not prepared to believe that the film is. We invest so much into Gwen's character, but she isn't given any real cathartic conclusion. I don't believe we are made to care half as much for Mirah, other than the hope of her finding her family. I appreciate her as a secondary character, but I'm not nearly as intimately aware of her personality and virtues and flaws as Gwen or Daniel. She's not truly fleshed out to me, so I don't feel very much for her when Daniel proposes to her. I haven't seen enough of her to. The paths of Daniel and Gwen are told in parallel (they practically have equal billing for most of the film), as the dual leads of the story, and if the ultimate union in the story is not going to be the two of them, then some ground work needs to be made to make the last 20 minutes cohesive to the rest of the plot, particularly for someone who has not read the novel. Again, I criticize not so much the story as the way the filmmakers portrayed it. I felt totally misled, as if I had been asked to make emotional investments into characters that would never be returned (and I'm a very emotional viewer), all the tension on Gwen and Daniel was never released. It just felt like this unexploded bomb, and that was the end of the story. My gut reaction is that I'm left wanting.

Part of it is that, even though the movie is called Daniel Deronda, the main character seemed to be Gwen. It felt as if the Jewish part and Mirah and all was a subplot next to Gwen's story. We're used to, as movie audiences, seeing the two main characters get together, and therefore here, it should have been Gwen and Dan.
Perhaps they were trying to make the outcome uncertain up until the end, but we don't watch romances for mystery; we watch them for the romance. Like in Pride and Prejudice, yes, there's an edge of mystery to it, but we all know in the end Lizzie and Darcy are meant for each other. Didn't feel that for Mira and Dan. They should have made THEIR story the main plot, Gwen's the subplot, to where you always know Dan and Mira are gonna end up together, but there's still that edge of mystery.
And also, they shouldn't have started the movie with the interaction between Gwen and Dan, that makes you feel from the beginning that they're connected, and you hold onto that throughout the movie. No, they should have begun the movie with just Dan, went into HIS story, as he is the title character after all.

Haha, I'm totally the opposite. I was so happy to see Daniel pick Mirah. Gwen never seemed to truly love him--she just wanted him as a person who gives advice and who she talks solely about herself with.

I thought the eye contact that Daniel and Mirah made when he first sees her was incredible; right then I knew he felt something for her. Sure Daniel was much better looking than her, but since when did looks justify who you should/should not love?

Gwen was just too selfish. I think Daniel refusing her finally made her realize that she can't get everything she wants.
But I do agree that Daniel did have affections for Gwen as well. It's very much like Mansfield Park in a way-- Edmund has feelings for Ms. Crawford(who is very much like Gwen as well), but realizes that Fanny is the one he has loved all along.

http://cashcrate.com/661930
You don't need money to make money.

Yeah, I came on the board to find a thread like this and vent.
I just watched this series for the first time, and it's soooo stupid how it ends! I understand that it's trying to stay true to the original novel by Eliot, but wtf, then CREATE MORE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN MIRAH AND DANIEL!!! I felt that during the scenes between Gwen and Daniel, there was sooo much intensity...when they almost kiss...you get the vibe that they are hot for each other.
But Mirah and Daniel are almost standoffish prior to him deciding to marry her, which seemed very implausible when judging the feelings that he had displayed.
Yes, Gwen was annoying, and I doubt Daniel could have stay with her after she told him about the drowning, but I still liked her more than Mirah, and felt sufficiently ripped off with the way things ended.



Baby, I am tied to a tree in a jungle of mystery...

I really liked it. I was glad he did not end up with Gwen; there was nothing appealing about her other than her outward appearance. Plus I found Romola Garai's acting to be pretty bad. Everything seemed calculated and she couldn’t keep her mouth closed when she was frightened or crying, it was really annoying. I think Daniel ended up with the right woman, one who was more like himself. Quiet humble, and lived a simple life. I actually liked his side of the story more than Gwen's, I probably would have liked her side better had someone else played Gwen, Romola was awful. She was better in Emma, but her acting comes across very calculated & average IMO.

Also I think everyone was singing their parts in the movie. Romola was awful as well in that scene lol. Not sure if that was purposely done considering her talent was called “common” later in the movie, but it was bad.