Question:
This classic 1945 book by Evelyn Waugh made him an immediate 'star' and was, of course, superbly adapted for television in the early 1980s by Granada Television.
I know there are many fans here and I thought we might amuse ourselves by discussing some of the style (and other) issues that appeal to us.
I'll start with one of my favourite bits. In the TV version when Anthony Blanche had Charles alone for the evening and invited him to dinner at Thame, Anthony downed 4 cocktails in the bar. As they left for the waiting taxi Charles removed his button-hole and left it on the bar - perhaps recalling the recent Grand Remonstrance of his cousin Jasper ;D
I know Waugh made changes to the book in the late 50s when he amended some of the grosser passages (his words) and wonder if anyone has read the original?
Trot

Answer:
Trot, if you're American, then the version you read is the original. *The revised version was never published in this country and good for us, I have to say. *I've read both and the original is far superior. *The revised one seems coarser in style and content. * If you're British, well, hunt up a old copy!
I loved the television show; just the same I'll never quite forgive it for having Jeremy Irons and Anthony Andrews switch parts. *It was vital to the story line that Sebastian resemble his siblings. *Sebastian was intended to be the forerunner to Julia, for Charles, but the tv show made a mockery of that.
ETA: I'm an idiot, I just noticed your spelling of "favourite." Yup, hunt up an old copy, or order the version in print in the USA.

Answer:
Thanks grau - I'll try to track one down.
On the casting point, I understand what you mean. However, in the book and in the TV version Charles ponders 'It was odd, I thought, how the same ingredients, differently dispersed, could produce Brideshead, Sebastian, Julia and her (Cordelia). So perhaps the casting was intentional? Although in terms of colouring Sebastian is much fairer than his three siblings.
Going back to the style issue, one thing I did not like was the length of many of Charles's jackets - they often seemed a bit short to me.

Answer:
From a stylistic point of view, the television series (if it was a series) "Brideshead Revisited" (along with the movie "Chariots of Fire") had a tremedous impact on the fashion of the early-to-mid 80s, particularly in regard to the work of Ralph Lauren, who employed the cuts, colors, patterns and hues of BR for his jackets, sweater/vests and ties, and he brought back the three-piece suit and pocket watch with heavy chain and inserted everthing into THE English manor house we all wanted to live in. Ralph Lauren has always been a big fan of 30s-40s retro, but Brideshead R. set the colors and mood of Ralph Lauren clothing that virtually copied what Charles, Sebastian, et.al. were wearing. Come to think of it, maybe Ralph did the clothes for the series!
Joe

Answer:
Originally Posted by Joe_Frances From a stylistic point of view, the television series (if it was a series) "Brideshead Revisited" (along with the movie "Chariots of Fire") had a tremedous impact on the fashion of the early-to-mid 80s, particularly in regard to the work of Ralph Lauren, who employed the cuts, colors, patterns and hues of BR for his jackets, sweater/vests and ties, and he brought back the three-piece suit and pocket watch with heavy chain and inserted everthing into THE English manor house we all wanted to live in. Ralph Lauren has always been a big fan of 30s-40s retro, but Brideshead R. set the colors and mood of Ralph Lauren clothing that virtually copied what Charles, Sebastian, et.al. were wearing. Come to think of it, maybe Ralph did the clothes for the series!
Joe I would have read if Ralph Lauren designed the costumes for Brideshead Revisited. I don't think he designed it. Although he gets a lot of his inspiration from that era. Here's a link: The costume designer is Jane Robinson.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083390/awards