I found myself torn between which of the title characters to root for. My personal tastes (and the fact that I love Peter Strauss's work) had me going for Abel, the man who had endured and built his empire up from nothing, only to be further battered by a bureaucrat. But there were moments when I switched, despising Abel for stooping so low and wronging people without just cause, instead really feeling for Kane and the problems he unfairly now struggled with. And so it goes throughout the story - You're never sure who deserves to win, while all the time hoping they will resolve their issues and become the powerful friends they could so clearly be. The conclusion is inevitable and can be seen coming a mile off, but that is the point - YOU know how this will end, but so engaging are the characters that you pray for a plot twist or surprise that will change things!!Sam Neil and Pete Strauss are phenomenal actors in their own right. Putting the two together in this was sheer genius!!Both of them took on awkward accents and delivered them faultlessly. I made a point of checking in with some friends from Boston and my Polish co-workers. All agree that the accents are very authentic and flawless. Strauss's accent in particular begins to take on subtle hints of American, as he spends more time in his new land. He also has amazing continuity, as he is never seen without the Baron's silver bracelet of authority. Any time his sleeve, accidentally or otherwise, rides up high enough you will see the glinting silver band. Better still is the stark contrast between Abel's honest and outwardly expressive personality and Kane's quiet and dignified internalisation. Both men are shrewd, yet so very different in their methods. The supporting cast also do a fantastic job. So often in a series like this, there are those who simply cannot act (or more often, they overact) and frequently spoil scenes - Not so in Kane & Abel!! The viewer is drawn in to identify with these as well, from their family and friends, to their colleagues, everyone stands out. One most important thing to note is that this mini-series is based on a novel. One of the same name, by Jeffrey Archer, in point of fact. That being, it should be noted that TV version is rarely the same as the book - Many things just do not and can never translate from page to film. Timing, pace, cinematography, interpretation, budget and many other things mean that things will differ betwixt the two. That said, Kane & Abel is a phenomenal series. It remains sufficiently faithful to the novel to engage the viewer and deliver the story in all it's glory. There are very few minor plot points excluded and none that are crucial to the tale. Others are easily implied or given enough attention for viewers to get the full background. The story itself is realistic enough that I suspect there is some factual basis.

I seen the mini series when aired on British TV and i enjoyed it very much.Sam Neill was brilliant as William Lowell Kane my mother would have to disagree as she liked Peter Strauss as Abel Rosnovski as she had a soft spot for him as an actor.I have now bought volume 1 & 2 on VHS.But i can not find the volume 3on VHS any where if anyone knows where i can obtain it i would love to hear from you.I would also like to find the 3 volumes on DVD also.As the videos are for my mum who also loved the mini series.And watch it once again.

This movie is at best a mediocre mini-series. It oftentimes leaves major holes in the plot. For instance, we never see William and Kate get married or have children, and suddenly they have a 12 year old son at St. Paul's. You never realize that many years have passed before Abel and Zaphia are divorced, but it only takes one scene for the movie to do it. Very few characters are really in line with how Archer's book portrays them. The only accurate portrayal in this movie was that of Davis Leroy. Fred Gywnn nailed that part the way Bob Vila nails studs together. Overall though, the film is a disappointing show.

It must be more than ten years ago that I saw this mini-series. Probably a period that I loved very dramatic films and books. But I can never forget this series. It was film so 'smooth' and 'rich' and especially the music was dramatic. I'm really curious what I would experience if I would see it these days. It's funny that the bible-borrowed title of the series announces that the clash between Kane and Abel will be very dramatic. That's very smart of the creators, I think.