The Buccaneers

 ((Sun. (8), 9-10:30 p.m.; Mon. (9), Tues. (10), 9-11 p.m., PBS))

By TONY SCOTT

Filmed at Newport, R.I., and in Yorkshire, Stamford, Lincolnshire and the Cotswolds, England, by WGBH Boston and BBC. Exec producers, Phillippa Giles, Rebecca Eaton; producer-director, Philip Saville; co-producer, Rosalind Wolfes; writer, Maggie Wadey, based on the uncompleted novel by Edith Wharton; camera, Remi Adefarasin; editor, Greg Miller; production designer, Tony Burrough; art directors, John Hill, Choi Ho Man; costume designer, Rosalind Ebbutt; sound, John Pritchard; music, Colin Towns. Cast: Carla Gugino, Mira Sorvino, Alison Elliott, Rya Kihlstedt, Gwen Humble, Conchata Ferrell, Cherie Lunghi, Peter Michael Goetz, Elizabeth Ashley, James Rebhorn, Ronan Vibert, E. Katherine Kerr, Dinsdale Landen, Rosemary Leach, Bev Willis, Sophie Dix, Sienna Guillory, Emily Hamilton, Jenny Agutter, Mark Tandy, Connie Booth, Greg Wise, Michael Kitchen, Richard Huw, Grisby Nash, Matt Patrisi, Stephen Billington, James Frain, Sheila Hancock, Stephen Reynolds, Diana Blackburn, Alister Cameron, Alberto Ginelli, Margery Withers, Vicky Blake, David Neilson, Richard Cubison, Karen Ascoe, William Tapley, Martin Milman, Roger Brierley, Lloyd McGuire, Christopher Owen. Host: Russell Baker. Scenarist Maggie Wadey has supplied her own windup to Edith Wharton's unfinished turn-of-the-century novel about a quartet of young American women whose nouveau riche families want them to marry well and boost their social status. With "Masterpiece Theatre" kicking off its 25th anniversary, fans hungering for a touch of Wharton may be dismayed by Wadey's filmic excesses; others may revel in pic's bonbon texture. At first a trifle arch, five-part series (airing over three nights) eventually shifts into high meller. All the pretty girls are gathered with their mamans at Newport. Nan St. George (Carla Gugino), 18, her older sister, Virginia (Allison Elliott), Brazilian Conchita Closson (Mira Sorvino) and Lizzy Elmsworth (Rya Kihlstedt) may not be bluebloods, but they're vivacious and interested in romance.
 

Nan's English governess, Laura Testvalley (Cherie Lunghi), charming and not averse to making money, suggests the girls travel to London for the social season, since they can't make a dent in New York's exclusivity. She has an American friend, Jacky March (Connie Booth), who, jilted 30 years ago in England , now is known in all the right London circles, and arranges things. She dubs the invading foursome "buccaneers."

The young women find what they think they want in the way of husbands, and if the fates seem to be playing it pat, it's variously amusing. Just about everyone smokes lavishly and lives exuberantly. Rosalind Ebbutt's lush costumes are eye-filling, and director Philip Saville wastes no time dishing out the vigorous takeoff on a Victorian tale.

Conchita finds Lord Richard (Ronan Vibert) in Newport, where he's a dissolute remission man; reserved Virginia discovers Richard's older brother, Lord Seadown (Mark Tandy), in England, where he lingers with his older mistress, Idina (the commanding Jenny Agutter); Lizzy meets the agreeable, industrious Hector (Richard Huw).

Nan, the central figure, youngest and on the plump side, encounters a reclusive duke, Julius (James Frain), who's enchanted by her. Anything can happen in the teleplay as it sometimes veers from Wharton into hijinx more at home in Harlequin romances. Homosexuality and a near-rape scene stray far from Wharton's intent; their visual whizbang presumably makes up for it.

Wharton's unfinished novel was completed according to her synopsis by Marion Mainwaring, but scriptwriter Wadey uses her own cinematic concept. Wadey's work served as basis for still another book version, this one written by British author Angela Markworth-Young.

The "Masterpiece Theatre" version blunts Wharton's delicacy, downplays the humor, loses much of the Wharton charm. No Henry James or John Galsworthy lurks here. But there's an outdoor poker scene that's a dramatic plum, gorgeous views of Cornwall in the second hour, and Tony Burrough's impressive production design.

The cast is tops, with Gugino's Nan an engrossing heroine, Frain's oddly behaving Julius a standout, Lunghi's Testvalley a particular delight. Greg Wise plays the intriguing Guy Thwaite with leading-man command, and Michael Kitchen is admirable as his father. Elizabeth Ashley appears too briefly as Conchita's flamboyant mother, and Sheila Hancock is admirable as Julius' strong mother.

Much of Saville's production was filmed in Yorkshire at Castle Howard, prominent in "Brideshead Revisited." Remi Adefarasin's camerawork is strong, Greg Miller's editing OK, Colin Towns' score useful. Program marks the 25th year Mobil's financed "Masterpiece Theatre"; at least the first entry's aimed in the right direction.