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Cold Comfort Farm

Play trailer Poster for Cold Comfort Farm TV-PG Released May 10, 1996 1h 44m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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83% Tomatometer 40 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
In this adaptation of the satirical British novel, Flora Poste (Kate Beckinsale), a plucky London society girl orphaned at age 19, finds a new home with some rough relatives, the Starkadders of Cold Comfort Farm. With a take-charge attitude and some encouragement from her mischievous friend, Mary (Joanna Lumley), Flora changes the Starkadders' lives forever when she settles into their rustic estate, bringing the backward clan up to date and finding inspiration for her novel in the process.
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Cold Comfort Farm

Cold Comfort Farm

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Critics Consensus

Cold Comfort Farm sends up high-minded classics with a wit and impressive restraint that rivals its inspirations.

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Critics Reviews

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Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly Rated: A Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Geoff Andrew Time Out Malcolm Bradbury's script and John Schlesinger's direction ... between them coarsen, soften and simply lose much of Gibbons' extraordinarily sophisticated, wonderfully funny humour ... Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Emanuel Levy Variety Schelsinger's masterfully directed eccentric satire is based on Stella Gibbons' 1933 book which spoofs the serious, soul-searching, rural-set stories of writers like D.H. Lawrence and Mary Webb. Rated: 4.5/5 Jun 2, 2006 Full Review Joe Leydon The Moving Picture Show [A] mischievous send-up of D.H. Lawrence, Thomas Hardy and assorted other high-toned practitioners of grimly serious rural romances. Rated: 3/4 Jul 18, 2014 Full Review Robert Levin Critic's Notebook Rated: 3/5 May 2, 2009 Full Review Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid Sweet, sprightly made-for-British-TV comedy. May 30, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Paul G Just about watchable as the story is reasonable but its just not funny enough. I don't think it has aged well. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/12/24 Full Review daniel r Impeccably cast and wonderfully done adaptation of a hilarious classic novel. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review isla s This is a somewhat dull looking TV film, which is relatively watchable but, as I say, rather dull. However, I liked Ian McKellen playing the over the top minister, 'Amos Starkadder' and it features some other big British names, including Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley, Rufus Sewell and Eileen Atkins. Its a bit like a theatre production - a slowish plot but with some good dialogue and characters. Its amusing at times but I didn't think it was very memorable - or if it is, it may be for the wrong reason(s) (the overly theatric performances given by one or two people while the rest of the production is a bit dowdy). I wouldn't specifically recommend this film as such, no, as its really not a 'full blown feature film' - unless, perhaps, you really want to see the cast as detailed above. As a TV budget/based period drama, its alright though but not really more than that. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review s r Eccentric and witty. My cousin said that it was the best movie she had seen in decades and it was a surprise delight. It was a Pollyanna story that didn't dwell on her misfortunes, at least until later when she was highly sought after. This was a confusing part in the plot. Regardless, the quirkiness of English farm, its accents, customs and overall feel kept my interest. It's worth seeing. It was an STG DVD. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review peter w A wonderful send-up of the earnest rural depiction of D. H. Lawrence and Thomas Hardy featuring a highly confident orphan, Flora Poste (Kate Becknsale) who manages to bring big-city initiative to the hopelessly parochial Starkadder clan. Before they know it, each of the Starkadders discovers new purpose in their lives, and Flora, now finished with empowering her long-lost relatives, is ready to fly off in the great blue yonder for the next chapter of her life. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review james e One of the funniest group of misfits and malcontents ever assembled. This is an oh-too-quotable fairy tale for adults, similar in tone to Nanny McPhee. Shenanigans keep happening until everything and everyone is sorted. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Cold Comfort Farm

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Cast & Crew

House Arrest 10% 45% House Arrest Watchlist The Man Who Knew Too Little 37% 69% The Man Who Knew Too Little Watchlist It Takes Two 8% 60% It Takes Two Watchlist TRAILER for It Takes Two The First Wives Club 50% 68% The First Wives Club Watchlist Big Bully 0% 20% Big Bully Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis In this adaptation of the satirical British novel, Flora Poste (Kate Beckinsale), a plucky London society girl orphaned at age 19, finds a new home with some rough relatives, the Starkadders of Cold Comfort Farm. With a take-charge attitude and some encouragement from her mischievous friend, Mary (Joanna Lumley), Flora changes the Starkadders' lives forever when she settles into their rustic estate, bringing the backward clan up to date and finding inspiration for her novel in the process.
Director
John Schlesinger
Producer
Alison Gilby
Screenwriter
Stella Gibbons, Malcolm Bradbury
Distributor
Gramercy Pictures
Production Co
Gramercy, Polygram
Rating
TV-PG (D|S), PG
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 10, 1996, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$5.6M
Runtime
1h 44m
Sound Mix
Stereo
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