Brother Cadfael - The Devil's Novice

Starring:Eoin McCarthy, Anthony Green (II), Albie Woodington
Director: Graham Theakston, Sebastian Graham Jones
Studio: Acorn Media Publishing
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Derek Jacobi's Brother Cadfael is a different kind of detective: a 12th-century monk, a healer and herbalist, and former soldier of fortune. His résumé gives him an interesting perspective on the puzzling murders that seem to plague the rural county of Shrewsbury. In "The Devil's Novice," from the second season of the television series, Cadfael defends the order's newest novice, an intense young man who harbors a haunting secret, against a murder charge. Once again he fights dogmatic superstition in the monastery's ranks and even battles the church hierarchy willing to sacrifice an innocent man to bring closure to the murder of a cleric. The generic mystery relies on familiar family melodramatics and romantic complications and even echoes elements of the more compelling Cadfael mystery "The Virgin in the Ice," but the backdrop of cloak-and-dagger intrigue and church politics infiltrating provincial Shrewsbury is compelling. Cadfael's mix of spiritual wisdom and worldly experience makes him a riveting character, and Jacobi invests him with empathy, passion, and a perceptive, clear-eyed vision of the secular world.

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.
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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

Derek Jacobi's Brother Cadfael is a different kind of detective: a 12th-century monk, a healer and herbalist, and former soldier of fortune. His résumé gives him an interesting perspective on the puzzling murders that seem to plague the rural county of Shrewsbury. In "The Devil's Novice," from the second season of the television series, Cadfael defends the order's newest novice, an intense young man who harbors a haunting secret, against a murder charge. Once again he fights dogmatic superstition in the monastery's ranks and even battles the church hierarchy willing to sacrifice an innocent man to bring closure to the murder of a cleric. The generic mystery relies on familiar family melodramatics and romantic complications and even echoes elements of the more compelling Cadfael mystery "The Virgin in the Ice," but the backdrop of cloak-and-dagger intrigue and church politics infiltrating provincial Shrewsbury is compelling. Cadfael's mix of spiritual wisdom and worldly experience makes him a riveting character, and Jacobi invests him with empathy, passion, and a perceptive, clear-eyed vision of the secular world.

Customer Reviews:

Mostly in light of the faithfulness of the adaptation.......2003-05-17

Screenwriter Christopher Russell also adapted A MORBID TASTE FOR BONES and THE ROSE RENT. Here Russell has left the main framework of the story intact, but the characterization has been watered down, and as in the above named adaptations potential motives of passion are blown out of proportion. Little changes have been made in many background details, such as renaming several characters and compressing/combining scenes (easier on the budget and on short attention spans, but oversimplifying the story). Since the characters and the subtleties of their relationships are the key to the novel's quality, the fact that the actual events of the story have been faithfully adapted isn't enough to carry the adaptation for me.

Rather than trimming the beginning of the story, Russell has added material, starting with Peter Clemence's arrival at "Ashby Manor" (Aspley in the book). Of the household, the father (Leoric) is interpreted fairly accurately, as is his younger son Meriet (soon to be the title character), although their stormy relationship is something we hear about rather than see. The elder son, "Tristan" (Nigel) looks too old for his part, and fails to convey the character's supposed charm. His betrothed, "Rosanna" (Roswitha) has been reinterpreted from a vain but harmless flirt to a mercenary seductress who went far past propriety with Clemence. "Isobel" (Isouda) isn't the clear-eyed pillar of strength of the novel, and the adaptation doesn't even try to convince us that she dismisses "Rosanna" as of no account. As for Janyn, "Rosanna"'s brother, he's actually present at the dinner, and he's later used to introduce the possibility that Clemence might have disappeared voluntarily.

Harald, the runaway serf-suspect, has an expanded role, now shown snooping about "Ashby" and an independent witness to Clemence's movements as the bishop's envoy to the earl of Chester spends an evening with the "Ashbys", distant relatives. As in the original, Clemence is something of a ladies' man, despite his priesthood. His annoying arrogance toward his country cousins can be justified from the book, although it's far less explicit there; he's well-played, apart from being too casual about his vows of chastity.

Soon after Clemence continues on his way to resume his diplomatic mission, Leoric brings Meriet to the abbey as a novice. Brother Paul, the perceptive novice master, has as usual been eliminated, as have the other novices and the secular students - along with the character development that in the novel gradually shows us Meriet's virtues together with his cross-grained nature, admirable but ill-suited to the cloister. A lot of scene compression takes place, so that Meriet's noisy nightmares and his outraged counterattack on Brother Jerome for burning his keepsake of "Rosanna" follow very closely on one another. (Meriet's punishment under the lash, of course, is shown on camera at the hands of a brother rather than off-camera via a lay servant, as in the book - Russell doesn't miss a trick that way for dramatic scenes.)

Clemence's superior, Canon Eluard, differs from the book on two important points: blatant immediate suspicion of Meriet's sudden vocation, and a desire to see a quick rather than correct resolution to the Clemence problem. As for the secular investigation, Beringar has been written out of the story apart from 1 scene at the beginning; Will Warden is in charge while Beringar's away at court. (Warden did indeed appear in the novel MONK'S-HOOD as a man too quick to jump to easy conclusions, but the adaptations over-use him; the novels have more respect for the brains on the side of the law.)

The adaptation moves much faster than the original story. Meriet's assignment to the leper hospital at St. Giles happens on the very day the corpse is found; he has no time to put his sufferings in perspective with those of the patients. (Since the adaptation uses Brother Oswin rather than Mark, Meriet lacks a perceptive mentor at St. Giles, of course.) Harald is arrested just as the body is found, over Cadfael's protests - and with Warden rather than Beringar in charge, the threat of an unjust conviction is much more serious than in the original story. (I grant that this strengthens the motivation of various honorable characters who finally begin producing testimony - I won't say how much is *true* testimony, though.)

The final confrontation's dramatic climax in the original story has been exchanged for a tidier tying up of loose ends, although it removes some of the necessary historical background that set the scene for the next novel, DEAD MAN'S RANSOM. However, the adaptations were not made in chronological order, so from that point of view continuity is less of an issue.

Broadly correct adaptation, but lacking the subtleties of the original novel, and moving at a faster pace removing some of the finer points of the puzzle.

All the films are worth seeing........2002-08-02

I truly enjoy a murder mystery of the classic who-done-it type, and the Brother Cadfael series is absolutely perfect. The author Ellis Peters (Edith Pargiter, 1913-1995), like Agatha Christie, Nagio Marsh and Dorothy Sayers, was popular during the early to mid-20th Century and wrote prolifically during that time. There are some 20 Cadfael books. Athough the writer is not an historian, she is remarkably well researched and has a genuine feeling for life during her character's time period.

The setting of these stories is 12th Century England, a period of particular turmoil. Henry I had died without a legitimate male heir, and he had designated his daughter Matilda as his successor, binding his nobles by oath to support her. Although many of them did, including her very able half brother, an illegitimate son of Henry made an Earl by his father, many of them threw their support behind her cousin, Steven. Matilda, or Maud as she is referred to, was a granddaughter of William the Conqueror and no push over herself. She fought her cousin from a base in coastal France, where the family held land in fief of the King of France and where marriage alliances had placed her as wife of Geoffery, the Duke of Anjou. With her Norman support in France and her loyal factions in England, she made enough of a threat to Steven's rule to ultimately obtain a guarantee of succession to the English throne for her son Henry, ultimately Henry II. Until that time, warfare turned most of England into a battle ground and life for everyone a matter of ceaseless uncertainty. Added to this was the rancour still apparent in the social divisions between the largely Saxon population and their Norman rulers. The fall of the Saxon monarchy was only a hundred years previous and hostility still existed. The different orders of society: nobleman, servant, military man, tradesman, artisan, abbott, monk, and priest are carefully wrought to produce a period piece with more detail and clearer dialogue than a Shakespearean play. It would be a wonderful way of introducing young people to history.

Cadfael, the central character of the series, is a Dominican monk and herbalist, and Dereck Jacobi is the perfect personification of him. He has a presence which suggests strength, wisdom, and compassion. Unlike most of the other brothers, Cadfael had spent most of his life in the secular world where he participated in the crusades, had adventures, fell in and out of love, and took his order after finding the ways of the world wanting. He comes from a different culture, that of Wales, and sees that of England through an outsiders more objective eyes. His experience with life and the motives of men and his keen awareness of detail makes him the perfect sleuth, and when murder is committed, the civil authorities are more than willing to have him clear things up for them.

In the Devil's Novice an unpleasant cleric is murdered en route to a meeting with the Earl of Chester-a distant relative of my own which makes the story come even more alive for me-with whom King Steven wishes to come to an understanding in his on going discord with Empress Maude. When a homeless man is accused of the murder, a young novice who is a kinsman of the victim, admits to the crime. Brother Cadfael, with his shrewd judge of character and observation of the facts comes to the youth's aide, bringing harmony back to a tortured family.

The film is authentic, Brother Cadfael engaging, and the mystery captivating. An enjoyable way to spend a little time.

Even in the worst deed there is some good.......2001-08-01

This tape is also part of Brother Cadfael Series 2 Box Set: The Devil's Novice, St. Peter's Fair and The Virgin in the Ice (1996) ASIN: 6303969631

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 Cadfile 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.

A HELLION IN MONK'S CLOTHING.......2000-09-28

Shrewsbury Abbey is blessed to receive a new novice into its brotherhood. He's young, determined, passionate and willing to risk anything to serve Christ. Or at least it seems that way. His mad ravings in the night wakes up the entire household. Oswin believes him possessed by demons. Brother Jerome confiscates personal items from him and nearly gets choked to death. Cadfael witnesses the scene and begins to wonder if this young man is truly sincere in joining the order.

Added onto the bedlam in the Abbey is the disappearance of the king's chaplain ( a son of a gun)who just happens to be a kinsmen of our new novice. His disappearance reaches the ears of the church's canon who readily comes down to find out what happened to the king's clerical emissary. All hell breaks lose as the body of the chaplain has been found burned. Who has committed this murder? Our novice confesses the crime.

Cadfael doesn't believe it for a moment and begins the process of uncovering the truth. While doing so, he finds a father who has for years with-held his love and affection to his younger son. We see the flirtateous and ambitious bride of the elder son flaunt herself before the chaplain and show her disdain for her in-laws. Further uncovered is the corruption of the clergy who are all to willing to use the priesthood as another avenue of obtaining power. Such elements of intrigue contained in the feature makes you take a second look at family loyalty and church obedience. What happens when the two lose the love which is the foundation for all? Join Cadfael as he attempts to unravel this mystery not just of a murderer but the motives behind everything that was done. Derek Jacobi and his fine supporting players have done an excellent job in bringing these issues to the foreground.

A must for mystery fans; similar to "The Name of the Rose".......2000-08-11

If you've never read any of the Brother Cadfael books by Ellis Peters you are in for a treat. This series originaly broadcast on the BBC are faithful adaptions about a master sleuth in Monk's clothing. Brother Cadfael is a monk with a difference and never what he seems. Given a choice, he would rather work in his garden or practice his herbal remedies. But too often, events force him to use his detective skills in response to mysterious crimes happening in his community, often finding himself at odds with the medievil times in which he lives.

As the former soldier turned monk, Derek Jacobi's Cadfael is a subtle marvel, full of full of wisdom, and wit.(this performance rivals his previous masterful work on "I, Claudius".) Surrounded by an equally fine supporting cast, most notably Terrence Hardiman as Abbot Radulfus, Michael Culver as Prior Robert and Julian Firth as Brother Jerome, the mysteries are always intriguing with occasional sly humor thrown in for good measure. I'm resisting telling you anything about the story itself, as I'd rather you experience it for yourselves. Suffice it to say, if you enjoy a good mystery, you will enjoy this series. A must for mystery fans and those who appreciate films like "The Name of the Rose."

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