Brother Cadfael, Set 2 (The Virgin in the Ice, The Devil's Novice, St. Peter's Fair)

Amazon.com

Never tell Brother Cadfael, the medieval mystery-solving monk, your theory of how a crime "must" have been committed. "We must always be wary of 'must,'" he states. "Nothing is certain." And so attest these three divine mysteries based on the books by Ellis Peters and originally broadcast in the U.S. on the PBS series Mystery! Each feature-length episode in this boxed set is self-contained but plays against the backdrop of England's civil war between forces loyal to King Stephen and those to Empress Maud. Derek Jacobi (I, Claudius, Gladiator) stars as Cadfael, who at one point is aptly described as "an odd kind of monk." The former "soldier, sailor, sinner, and Crusader" has his faith tested by crimes of royal intrigue and baffling murders that seem to plague the neutral ground of 12th-century Shrewsbury. The best of the three, "The Virgin in the Ice," is a good introduction for Cadfael initiates. This story of "violence and cruelty" involves the near-fatal beating of a young monk, the murder of a nun, and the disappearance of two children. Viewers' advisory: one of the chapters in the scene selection menu on the DVD contains a major spoiler. The "strange difficulties" continue in "The Devil's Novice," in which Cadfael's suspicions about a recently arrived novice are heightened by the murder of the bishop's chaplain. Finally, the local merchants are revolting, and the murder of two tradesmen further mar the festivities in "St. Peter's Fair." All three episodes costar Eoin McCarthy as local undersheriff Hugh Beringar, who relies on Cadfael when murder subverts his efforts to keep the peace. A tense standoff between these two friends heightens the climax of "St. Peter's Fair." Americans have never seen a sleuth such as Cadfael, a fascinating character who is at once a man of God, of science, and even of action. You'll find few Benedictine monks so skilled at using a quarterstaff. --Donald Liebenson

Customer Reviews:

Sir Derek and the Chronicles of a Truly Rare Benedictine........2006-09-08

When the decision was made to produce for TV several episodes from her mystery series about Brother Cadfael, that 12th century crusader turned monk turned detective who has been, ever since his creation, one of the most compassionate and unusual sleuths of literary history, novelist Ellis Peters (Edith Pargeter) was not entirely happy. In fact, as the series' star, Sir Derek Jacobi, explains in the extra footage provided on the now-released DVDs, Ms. Peters had very mixed feelings about giving up her brain child and entrusting it to other people who went about cutting and adjusting everything, from the storylines themselves to the way the protagonists speak and even the Chronicles' sequence, to the necessities and limitations set by the new medium. But she eventually acquiesced and at one point promised that "the next one I write, I'll make sure it's easier for you all to film."

While the thirteen episodes that were eventually produced are, thus, not entirely true to the individual Chronicles they are based on, they are closer than many other movie or TV versions of famous works of literature. Most importantly, they maintain not only the core story lines but also the historical authenticity, atmosphere and spirit set by Ms. Peters's books in a marvelous fashion. And Sir Derek Jacobi brings both the wealth of his experience and skill and all of his own shrewdness, intelligence, sense of humor and empathy to the role of the medieval Benedictine sleuth and thus truly becomes Cadfael -- for the thousands of new fans who are discovering the series through its enactment for TV just as much as for us who loved the books before they were ever transposed to a visual medium. A tremendous cast of supporting actors rounds out an overall excellent production; to mention just a few, Julian Firth as the ambitious and narrow-minded Brother Jerome, Terrence Hardiman as Abbot Radolfus and Sean Pertwee (and later Eoin McCarthy) as Under-Sheriff Hugh Beringar, who joins Cadfael in his investigations whenever, as is so often the case, these transcend the world of monastic life and require the administration of secular justice as well as clerical insight. Several episodes also feature noted guest stars.

The episodes are not entirely in the same order as the books; however, as most of the cross-references between the books have been eliminated in the screen versions, this is no great harm (although the lacking cross-references are probably one of the things avid readers of the books will find missing). The DVDs also provide background information on Ellis Peters, Sir Derek Jacobi and a number of the individual episodes' other actors.

Summary of the episodes contained in this set:

"St. Peter's Fair" (the fourth Chronicle): While traders arrive from near and far, townsfolk claim a share of the Abbey's dues from the annual fair. Then a merchant is found murdered -- but there's more to this than meets the eye!

"The Virgin in the Ice" (the sixth Chronicle): After the sack of Worcester by Empress Maud, a nun, a young nobleman and his sister get lost in the Marshes. Cadfael rushes to the rescue ... and meets a messenger from his own past.

"The Devil's Novice" (the eighth Chronicle): The Abbey accepts a novice with a troubling zeal for monastic life (but not its virtues), who may or may not be connected to the death of a cleric traveling through his home village.

Episodes contained in other sets:

First set:
"One Corpse Too Many" (the second Chronicle).
"Monk's Hood" (the third Chronicle).
"The Leper of St. Giles" (the fifth Chronicle).
"The Sanctuary Sparrow" (the seventh Chronicle).

Third Set:
"A Morbid Taste for Bones" (the first Chronicle);
"The Raven in the Foregate" (the twelfth Chronicle);
"The Rose Rent" (the thirteenth Chronicle).

Fourth Set:
"The Pilgrim of Hate" (the tenth Chronicle);
"The Potter's Field" (the seventeenth Chronicle);
"The Holy Thief" (the nineteenth Chronicle).

Brother Cadfael, Set 2.......2004-12-03

The Virgin in the Ice

"Between friends there is no owing."
Once again there is a mystery with many threads overlapping. Father Cadfael uses intuition and a great deal of forensics to sort out what really happened.
You guest it; Sister Hilaria is found in the ice and the last time she was seen was with Brother Oswain of who is delirious from an encounter with bandits. Two kids are missing and a mysterious woodsman (with a sward) is creeping around. Things only get more complicated. In the process of sorting this out Father Cadfael leaves words of wisdom as "There is no shame in tears when they are worth shedding."
The identity of the mysterious woodsman holds great significance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Devil's Novice
"Even in the worst deed there is some good."
You know this is going to be a good one when it starts out with a bloody face staring at you. Later there is the bragging priest and you know if he is not the one to die that he should be. And what is with the soon to be bride playing on both sides of the fence?
A new novice that speaks strangely in his sleep, a missing king's chaplain who should have staid in the cars or rather not go out alone, and a mystery wild man is just the right mix for a murder mystery.
Once again Cadfael uses forensics, logic and intuition (with a little last minute information) to smoke out the truth and bring the culprit/s to justice.
You will suspect everyone up to the end.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
St. Peter's Fair

In the final reckoning we are all traitors to our hearts.

There is to be the annual St. Peter's Fair in which vendors from all over come to hawk their wears. The town merchants are required by law to close for this time. Not satisfied with this law the merchants threaten Abbot Radulfus (Terrence Hardiman) and get told that he has no choice in the matter.
This leads to a scuffle between the merchants and the visiting vendors. In the morning a wine merchant's body seems to be watered down with a hole and no tong. Abbot Radulfus charges Cadfael to find out if it was the Abbots fault for refusing to share with the towns people.
Naturally things get complex. There are crosses and double crosses, beautiful girls and suspicious sheriffs. This may even lead to a rift between the Sheriff Hugh Beringar and Cadfael (old friends.)Cadfael uses forensics, intrusion and logic to help solve the mystery.

Cadfael my Son.......2004-03-01

This is one of the best sets in the series. Although I think Sean Pertwee in the first set was a better sheriff, this group of stories is incredible. We see consoling, love, intrigue, lechery, murder, highway bandits, rape, kidnapping, and a host of other acts of love and violence. Some true chivalry, an evil monk but not the one that is accused, and mysterious disappearances of people make this set great to watch. The set contains many sub stories in each story that makes them all the more interesting. We find out a piece of the puzzle in Cadfael's love life while he was on the Crusades. The set does not contain much as far as extra's but the series alone is well worth the price. The quality is comparable with the rest in the series and quite adequate.

Fun, but some bad decisions here.......2003-09-16

This set has gone a bit downhill from the first series. These are still enjoyable, but not nearly as close to the world of the books. The first big problem is the very unfortunate decision to merge the characters of the two sheriffs. The actor in the first series was a great Hugh Berringer and this one is a great Sheriff Prestcote, but the two were such totally different personalities that their lines can't be combined into a coherent role. Which raises the question, why weren't the books done in the order they were written so that the two characters could be handled properly? Secondly, Cadfael loves the world and its creatures, but has a certain detachment, befitting a monk, viewing worldly folly more with sorrow and compassion than anger. He seems here to be sliding more towards the Last Angry Man with a contempt for the fools around him. He isn't set so far apart from the rest of the cast in the books. The quality of costuming varies wildly, with some of the women looking more like attendees at a late 20th century prom than medieval women. Some of the other supporting characters, notably Brother Jerome and Prior Roberts and the two abbotts are great!

So what if this Hugh isn't the *real* Hugh (Sean Pertwee)?.......2003-02-19

... Brother Cadfael is *still* the most unique, complex, fascinating detective out there. Add to that the endlessly treacherous and intriguing setting, and you've found a winner.

The production standard is incredible; visually, it's an impressive effort and very realistic. It manages to be grand and gritty at once.

The acting is likewise superb. I could never have pictured a better Cadfael than the sterling Sir Derek Jacobi.

Amazon.com

Americans have never seen a TV sleuth like Brother Cadfael, the medieval mystery-solving monk indelibly portrayed by Derek Jacobi (I, Claudius, Gladiator) in the wildly popular series of British films based on the books by Ellis Peters. This self-contained Cadfael mystery may be a bit of a muddle to novices not familiar with 12th-century English history, but mystery buffs will enjoy watching Cadfael in action. The former Crusader is, as one character describes, "an odd kind of monk." St. Peter's Fair promises a respite from the ongoing civil war between forces loyal to King Stephen and those to Empress Maud. But the festivities are quickly marred by the murder of a visiting merchant. When it is suggested the victim "must" have been murdered by a common thief, Cadfael replies, "We must always be wary of 'must.' Nothing is certain." Indeed, why would a common thief ransack the victim's cart and wares and leave all valuables behind? With one hot-headed villager falsely arrested, the answer may lie with the merchant's beautiful and feisty niece Emma, whom Cadfael takes under his wing. For Cadfael watchers, a highlight of this episode is a tense climactic standoff between the monk and his friend, undersheriff Hugh Beringar (Eoin McCarthy, replacing Sean Pertwee), who fleetingly lets greed get the better of him. --Donald Liebenson

Customer Reviews:

A look at life in early England.......2007-01-04

Derek Jacobi is, perhaps, one of todays finest actors. His portrayal of Cadfael is brilliant. This is a fine mystery and an amazing look into early England.

Yikes!!!! What happened?.......2004-08-31

I enjoyed the ending of the book- I didn't enjoy the ending of the movie-
Cadfael (though well acted) does not have to be the hero ALL the time!
I also missed the real Hugh and his wife-
Read the book!

Would the REAL Hugh Beringar please come forward?.......2003-01-19

Everything about this episode was done well, with one exception (and I can almost see their reasoning behind the change). To take a 200+ page book and coherently squash it into 75 minutes is not easy, and the producers of Cadfael have always done a remarkable job. Of the ones I've seen, I would give them all, except this, five stars.

First the good points - Emma was portrayed well and accurately, and with sympathy; the plot moved along nicely; the 'bad guy' wasn't nearly so obvious as he was in the book; the atmosphere of the fair was precisely perfect; and although we lament the lack of Aline and Brother Mark, Brother Oswin is sweet and endearing enough to pull it off and manages to get in some great moments. And of course, as always, Sir Derek Jacobi is brilliant, flawless, as Brother Cadfael.

But WHAT have they done with Hugh?? I really preferred Sean Pertwee in this role (sigh), but I think McCarthy does the best he can with what's given him. This Hugh is NOTHING like the Hugh of the books - not the same character in any way. The Hugh we know and love (dearly) from the books is inveterately good-natured, good-humored, a lover of justice and grace, with a strong affection and respect for Cadfael. Even in disagreements, they would never share harsh words. Furthermore, Hugh was only 'the king's man' as a technicality - basically he was much more loyal to justice and right than he ever was to King Stephen. The Hugh of this episode is, rather, the Gilbert Prestcote of the books. But Cadfael and Sir Gilbert never became friends, nor would they, and the end result is very incongruous with both their personalities.

(Also, it seems kind of odd to call somebody an 'old friend' when you've only known him for a year.)

However, the dramatic tension between the two did add some excitement, and I suppose that was their reason for doing it. But the book was exciting enough without it.

Mixed feelings!.......2001-09-06

Perhaps if I had not read the book first, I wouldn't have been a little disappointed. Sir Derek Jacobi is wonderful as always as Cadfael, but I didn't like the lack of rapport between Hugh Beringar and Cadfael, the almost adversarial stance between them. I also didn't like the guy playing Hugh as well as I would have expected. They also took more liberties with the story than I liked. I really liked the book of this name, and so I was a little disappointed with it's treatment in film. It's still good and worth seeing, but it left out the romance, which is always a sweet little aspect of the novels, and didn't have as dramatic a climax to the story as the novel did. See this episode before you read the book, and you'll probably like it just fine.

It has a complex plot that keeps you guessing, starting with a dispute between the town and the abbey, and leading right into a whole series of murders, with a series of suspects that keep you guessing too. A fine story overall!

Cadfael on Acorn Media a "bummer.".......2001-08-27

The video and audio qualities of this DVD are appalling! Yes, the main menu is crisp and compelling, but what follows will send you scrambling for your home-taped VHS copy of the production. I have noticed similar lapses of quality in other DVD copies of great British productions (e.g., Sherlock Holmes w/Jeremy Brett). A great performance deserves at the very least a good technical effort. (Note: The A&E issues of Poirot are excellent.)

DVD:

DVD

DVD