Rent The Love School (1975)

A Great Insight into the Lives and Careers of the PRB - The Love School review by CV

I was not aware of this series when it was first broadcast in 1975 but I was very impressed with it seeing it decades later and there was no need for an apology for the mechanical quality of production. Despite its twee-sounding title, the series follows the careers, including their, at times rather incestuous romantic relationships, of members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood which include men and associated women who excelled in often more than one art form. They set out to oppose the current academic dogma of contemporary art and instead champion truth and nature which meant painting scenes conveying emotion with realistic detail of background settings so that the picture does not lead the viewer to read in further hidden and arcane meanings: everything is as you see it.

The series excels in having a group of highly-talented and committed actors playing the parts with such distinction and convincing aging process: no one personality dominates although I personally liked the humanity and eccentricity of William Morris. There is still the influence of theatre in the acting style: everything is orated and made big with gesture and movement though the set itself may look a bit flimsy at times. One reviewer elsewhere has lauded the enthusiasm and skill of actors in the 70s and there are many other classic historical series that still maintain the sense of live theatre in this way. No basking in opulently expensive settings, fantastic costumes and mumbling of two-word phrases in this era! The dialogue is typically rich in expression with much insight into the technical and aesthetic ambitions of the various artists.

I hope to be able to buy the series at some point.