Cousin Bette

This 1971 Masterpiece Theatre presentation of Honoré de Balzac's acidic 1846 novel, about a spinster who methodically takes revenge on all of the rich relatives she feels have wronged her, is a bit tattered by today's standards (even with good digital transfers, the shot-on-video look is washed out, and the paucity of outside scenes lend the five-part miniseries a claustrophobic feel). But this Cousin Bette is very enjoyable nonetheless. Margaret Tyzack, a long-faced character actress known mostly for supporting parts, is ferociously right as Bette, juggling affected friendliness and menacing machination with consummate skill, and it's a joy to watch the young Helen Mirren flounce about as the ambitious Valerie, whom Bette employs as an instrument to bring down men of all ages and conditions. One can imagine a better adaptation of Balzac's nasty masterpiece, but this presentation is preferable to the interesting but flawed 1998 feature film, in which Jessica Lange—too pretty by half—is never fully convincing in the title role. DVD extras include a text bio of the novelist and cast filmographies. Recommended. (F. Swietek)