The Moonstone
Based on the 1868 classic British detective novelThe Moonstoneby Wilkie Collins, this 1972 BBC drama is a 221-minute, five-part period piece that seems almost theatrical thanks to its thespian delivery, scarcity of background music, and intent focus on character development.  While the pace is leisurely and the dialogue sometimes difficult to discern, the story is most intriguing: A stolen Indian jewel makes its way to England and its curse threatens to destroy Rachel Verinder and her entire family even after it is stolen from the Verinder home.  The best detectives fail to resolve the case and the repercussions ripple for many years as the plot twists and turns, love ebbs and flows, anger and deceit roil, and mysticism and science vie for supremacy.  Featured talents are Robin Ellis, John Welsh, Basil Dignam, Vivien Heilbron and Peter Sallis and DVD extras include a Wilkie Collins biography and cast filmographies.--Tami Horiuchi