3/5 not trollpe's trademark humor
  by R. Crane (Washington, DC United States)
This BBC series, "He Knew He Was Right" is based on an Anthony Trollope novel. As usual the BBC's production is exquisite, the cinematography is magnificent and the performances outstanding.

The story centers on a young couple and their son. Emily, the wife, persists in maintaining a friendly relationship with her Godfather and her father's best friend, Colonel Osborne, a man who is disreputable and who caused the dissolution of other marriages. Emily, however, innocently believes that she has every right to continue seeing the Colonel, played by the brilliant Bill Nighy.

As Louie, her husband, discovers her defiance in still seeing and flirting with Osborne, he believes she has committed adultery. The story is never clear why she does this. Is she really guilty of adultery? The situation literally drives him insane.

The plot has four other romantic relationships: Louie's best friend and Emily's sister Nora; a rather boring couple who are niece and nephew on opposite sides of a family; a Lord Glasgow and an American Socialite that is intriguing and undeveloped; and the hilarious Reverend Gibson caught between the claws and fangs of two bitterly rivalrous sisters.

This may be a period piece but the angst and obsession would be as relevant in today's modern drama. The story leads to an inevitable tragic conclusion. To sample Trollope's inimitable humor, read "Barchester Towers".



2/5 good screenplaying;terrible plots
  by Dawn King
I am fully agree with Anthony Trollope that this "He knew he was right" was totally a failure. Andrew Davies is sort of a genius, he couldn't do better screenplay works, and the actresses are elegant and charming;the actors debonair and spruce. Only the plots spoiled it all. I have squandered hours on such a tv series and in the end I don't understand a thing. The only thing I know is that this Trevelyan is the blokehead among all the blokeheads on this planet. The plots are based, if not entirely, at least mostly, on absurdity. How can such things be true? And what big stuff can the reader learn from this story? The characteres are vividly depicted, and there is humour interwoven with the plots too. But I cannot learn something remarkable about ways of living, about morality etc. This story, generally speaking, is about three marriages. Emily's, Nora's, and Dorothy's. Middlemarch, Pride and Prejudice are about marriages too. But they can be claimed as great works but this "right" cannot be classified as classic. Definitely Andrew chose one of the worse work of this literary giant's to dramatise.
I will give five stars for music, acting, screening. But I will give no star at all for the plots. if you want to appreciate Andrew Davies's genius, this tv series may be a good chance-I think he did a better job in screenplaying than in Bleak House. But if you want to watch it to appreciate Anthony's genius, or to learn something useful, you'd better never touch this one.

5/5 Excellent story!
  by Linda H. Bellmyer (Joppa, MD USA)
He Knew He Was Right is a very enjoyable dvd to watch. Albeit the story was melancholy because he was so very paranoid, and the gentleman causing the paranoia knew he was stirring the pot! Bittersweet but with a definite moral point to lovers everywhere.

I love period pieces, the costumes, and the locations in which they are set. This is worth watching!

4/5 He "Believed" he was right - an Intrigue to watch
  by Melissa Williams (Belmont, NC)
I found this film to be immensely entertaining. For those who have not read Trollope's works - the film is yet another adaptation with multiple sub plots that link ever so slightly, to create a masterpiece well acted by both major and minor characters.

The film is sweepingly produced with detailed costuming and diverse characters: You cannot help but suspect the skulking Colonel Osborne [Bill Nighy], loathe the petulant preacher or the French sisters, and feel pity for Louis & Emily [Oliver Dimsdale & Laura Fraser](our star couple) in their scandalous dilemma, for which the main story revolves.

The film deals so much with trust and devotion in EACH of its storylines - The mistrusting ones making unhappy lives with their wives, daughters and livelihoods.....the devoted ones sacrificing their possible happiness for the ones they love.

Occasionally the characters break the "fourth wall" by conversing with the audience - at first I found this an awkward intrusion, but soon came to realize it was part of the story's charm - revealing either humorous or sad confidences.

Overall, it should not matter whether the ending is sad or happy - the meat of the matter is what is applause worthy or not....and it surely was a great story retold for me!


1/5 Not worth owning
  by Tehila (Israel)
For those of you who fill your shelves with BBC period films because the plots are more complex and cleaner than today's fare, don't bother with this one.
There is nothing redeeming about this film aside from excellent production values. The main character is intent on misjudging his bride throughout the movie and the whole production winds down into a depressing and uninspiring death scene. There is no moral high-ground here, no lessons to be learned to make the hours worth spending, not even the mildly endearing subplot can rescue this dismal storyline.
I love period films, but I wish I hadn't bothered to pay for this one. I agree with the reviewer who suggested you rent it if you MUST watch every period film out there, but if the responses of those who have borrowed this film from me are any proof, they hated it as much as I do. I've stopped offering it to those who come by to borrow films.