Audience Member
I wasn't expecting this to be such an excellent movie! Perhaps it's bogged down by Ken Russell being the director but only in the sense that people's expectations seem to be kinda all over the map. It's definitely more Merchant/Ivory than Lisztomania, but honestly so is Women In Love so I'm a little confused as to why people would be let down by him doing another DH Lawrence relatively straight? It's shot rather beautifully, with plenty of Russell moments both in the camera work and the set design. Makes me wonder if what people are really grumbling about is the focus of the plot, in which case I say: fie!
This is such a glorious feminist film. A woman who, gasp, dares to think there's more in life for her than just settling for a man who loves her but expects her to still conform to the barefoot wife at home once she's married. Ursula is a complex and layered character, with an innocence and idealism that all at once drives her to accept new experiences and never settle for the bad ones.
Ignoring the semi-abrupt actual last minute of the film, I really appreciated the end of the film which, while sad in some ways, shows that her spirit truly is more important than anything else - it's the type of ending women simply are never granted!! Men do it all the damn time - self sacrificing for the greater good while the director nods in approval - so while not the most original or satisfying ending, it was just so refreshing to see it happen here with Ursula.
Ken Russell does it again, king of filmmaking. Also bonus lol seeing Dr Who naked, Downton Abbey's Mr Carson beating children and David Hemmings looking like a much-older-than-he-was-but-still-dignified senior citizen. Also just Glenda Jackson always forever.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/06/23
Full Review
Audience Member
This Flixster entry is all messed up. The BBC mini-series of 1988 and the Ken Russell film of 1989 are actually completely differenet works, but Flixster has managed to co-mingle them. My rating is of the Ken Rusell film, which although not as good a his earlier Women in Love, fills in the Ursula back story quite nicely. Having Glenda Jackson play Anna Brangwen, Ursuala and Gudrun's mother is a nice touch, linking to her portrayal of Gudrun in Women in Love.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/15/23
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Audience Member
ok film I kinda liked it but I don't think I'll watch it again, it was an ok film but could have been better, I don't want the film on DVD and it starred Imogen Stubbs and Paul McGann
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/08/23
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Audience Member
Charming period drama adaptation smartly capturing innocence and its corruption.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/06/23
Full Review
Audience Member
20 years after the release of Women of Love (1969), which had put Ken Russell on the map as a director, and won Glenda Jackson an Oscar. Russell returned to D.H. Lawrence's work, and took on his 1915 book, (published 5 years before Women in Love), The Rainbow. It is a very good film, with some good performances and visually amazing with it's locations and oddities we've all come to expect from Ken. :P It focuses on the young life of Ursula Brangwen (Sammi Davis), who lives with her father Will (Christopher Gable) and mother Anna (Glenda Jackson, playing the mother of the character she played in Women in Love) and her brothers and sisters. Ursula is courting soldier Anton Skrebensky (Paul McGann) and she has a lesbian love affair with her teacher Winifred Inger (Amanda Donohoe), who eventually marries Ursula's Uncle Henry (David Hemmings). Ursula gets a job as a schoolteacher, but finds misery from the schoolkids and headmaster (Jim Carter). It's good that Ken returned to do this as a prequel to the film that made him a household name, in terms of story and structure, it's not as good as Women in Love, but there's good performances on display here, (Davis is wonderful, as is Donohoe), and typical of Ken, there's alot of nudity on display!! :P
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/05/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Seen in tandem with Women in Love (and possibly Lady Chatterly's Lover) this film is simply a must-watch for any Ken Russell fan. Although there's probably more nudity in this than in any of the other films, it all fits within Russell's style. While not his best work, when seen as part of his body of work this one is a natural fit...particularly the choice of cast, locations and music.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/25/23
Full Review
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