If you watch Masterpiece Theatre with any frequency, you will long since have noticed that the BBC, which provides Masterpiece Theatre with its best material, seems to have access to an inexhaustible supply of superior actors -- mostly, though not all, British stage performers and mostly British trained. "The Way We Live Now" gives more proof of how deep BBC's acting bench is. David Suchet, the star of this series is familiar to American audiences for his portrayal of the fussy and fastidious Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, created by Agatha Christie. The character he plays here could not possibly be more different than Poirot. He is a crude, unethical financier who seems large physically though Suchet is on the small side. Supporting Suchet is a sizable cast of actors, most of whom are complete unknowns to American audiences. They are all good and several of them are excellent. Where were Helen Mirren and Judi Dench before they became stars in Hollywood? Learning and applying their craft in Britain. Perhaps it is the acting schools and the repertory companies that turn these actors out in such profusion. Perhaps it is the quantity and quality of theaters and stage companies that give them opportunities unavailable in the U.S. Whatever the reason, the overall strength of the cast is what distinguishes this British TV series as it generally distinguishes British-made films from their American counterparts. American films may be superior in other respects but not for acting that merges effortlessly into the role.
Review of The Way We Live Now
