Danielle Steel's The Ring (1996) starring Nastassja Kinski, Michael York, Rupert Penry-Jones, Carsten Norgaard directed by Armand Mastroianni Movie Review

Danielle Steel's The Ring (1996)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Nastassja Kinski in The Ring (1996)

A Steel Ring

As a young child in 1936 Ariana von Gotthard (Nastassja Kinski) was the one who found her mother dead having committed suicide in the bath leaving Ariana, her brother Gerhard (Rupert Penry-Jones) and her father Walmar (Michael York). But in 1944 the family gets separated and Ariana ends up a prisoner of the Germans, despite this when she is released she falls in love with and marries a German Officer, Capt. Manfred Von Tripp (Carsten Norgaard). Ariana's happiness doesn't last as her husband is killed when the Russians take Berlin and Ariana with her young baby flees the country, heading for America in the hope of finding her father and brother with the aid of an heirloom, the family ring.

Whilst if you mentioned "The Ring" to many movie fans there initial thoughts will be of a horror movie there are those who will think of the two part mini-series/ TV movie "Danielle Steel's The Ring". Ironically I am sure that many of those horror fans would find the experience of watching "Danielle Steel's The Ring" a horrifying experience because there is no denying that these Danielle Steel movies and mini-series are an acquired taste and if it isn't your sort of thing it can be a painful experience.

Rupert Penry-Jones and Michael York in The Ring (1996)

Now "Danielle Steel's The Ring" is to me a typical Danielle Steel movie as the movie adaptations of her novels which I have watched have been journey stories, starting in one place and through a series of emotional and sometimes contrived events ended up somewhere completely different. Here it is no different as we start in 1936 with the first hit of emotion with Ariana discovering her dead mother, we then have the separation during the war, Ariana's imprisonment, her brother in Switzerland, Ariana's romance and marriage, the fall of Berlin and then her journey to America. It does make it contrived for the cynic but a romantic adventure for those who enjoy the typical Danielle Steel romantic rollercoaster formula.

Now technically "Danielle Steel's The Ring" could be classed as a war movie with much of the drama revolving around Ariana's experiences just before, during and after the war but in truth that would be misleading as it is just a typical romantic rollercoaster movie. Now as such it has to be said that if you are a fan of these Danielle Steel movies then "The Ring" should entertain as it is an emotional rollercoaster and for some the troubles which Ariana goes through from the loss to the punishment in the hands of the Germans will make it a tear jerker. But if you watch with the slightest bit of cynicism it becomes a cheesy experience.

As for the acting well the trio of Nastassja Kinski, Michael York and Rupert Penry-Jones play their parts well, well as in keeping with what you expect from a Danielle Steel movie which for some will be over the top delivery of lines and plenty of facial over acting as well which of course makes it less than convincing. But to be honest does anyone watch a Danielle Steel movie for convincing acting? I don't think so.

What this all boils down to is that "Danielle Steel's The Ring" is for me just a typical Danielle Steel move expect having been made as a mini-series comes in at 3 hours. It isn't for everyone but if you are a fan of Danielle Steel movies this will be a pleasure.

Tags: Danielle Steel Movies


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