Harsh Vardhan
A television adaptation of John Galsworthy’s acclaimed book series ‘The Forsyte Saga’ is currently in development at BBC. The filming of the series is set to begin in Bristol, England, in May.
The series unfolds as an epic drama, chronicling three generations of the influential Forsyte family during the early 20th century. Beneath their imposing facade, the family harbors a tumultuous core of unhappy and brutal relationships. Soames Forsyte, a formidable London solicitor and a key figure in the influential family, accustomed to securing his desires, becomes fixated on marrying the beautiful but indifferent Irene. Despite her initial resistance and passion for art and beauty, Irene succumbs to a life of affluence with Soames but remains adamant about not becoming his possession. As the absence of love becomes apparent and Irene falls for a young architect, Soames, determined to assert control, resorts to coercive measures he couldn’t buy with wealth alone.
Galsworthy’s ‘The Forsyte Saga’ comprises three novels and two interludes, released between 1906 and 1921. The series earned the author the 1932 Nobel Prize in Literature as well. Various adaptations have brought different facets of the book series to both cinema and television. The initial book, ‘The Man of Property,’ made its Hollywood debut in 1949 as ‘That Forsyte Woman,’ featuring Errol Flynn, Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, and Robert Young.
A notable 1967 BBC production unfolds as a 26-part series, bringing to life ‘The Forsyte Saga’ and a subsequent trilogy titled ‘A Modern Comedy.’ Further contributions came in 2002 when Granada Television presented two series for ITV: ‘The Forsyte Saga’ and ‘The Forsyte Saga: To Let,’ both making their mark on U.S. television as segments of Masterpiece Theatre. In 2003, the literary series secured the 123rd spot in BBC’s “best-loved novel” list as part of “The Big Read” poll in the United Kingdom.
Bristol, a principal filming location of the series, has previously hosted the shooting of some renowned productions in recent times, such as ‘His Dark Materials‘ and ‘Sanditon.’
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