Dickens of London

Originally aired in 1978 on PBS' Masterpiece Theatre, this superb miniseries dramatized the life of famous author Charles Dickens (vividly played by highly regarded British character actor Roy Dotrice) over the course of 13 memorable installments. Each episode used the framing device of having Dickens on his 1867 American tour recalling some extraordinary event from his past: elaborate flashback sequences that ranged from his impoverished childhood (memories of which informed much of his work) through his later years when he enjoyed unprecedented success both in England and the U.S. Produced and shot on location, directors Marc Miller and Michael Ferguson's Dickens of London boasted the top-drawer production values common to Masterpiece Theatre presentations (although the 30-year-old video and audio here is, of course, hardly pristine), while also sporting an excellent supporting cast with Ben Kingsley and Patsy Kensit. DVD extras include the excellent bonus program An Audience with Charles Dickens, featuring a recreation of Dickens' public performance of A Christmas Carol with Simon Callow playing the author. Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)