Movie Reviews for The Camomile Lawn

The Camomile Lawn

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Movie Reviews of The Camomile Lawn

Movie Review: Highly engaging
Summary: 5 Stars

This miniseries delivers a stellar cast -- Felicity Kendall and Paul Eddington of "Good Neighbors" fame as Uncle Richard and Aunt Helena, a strangely mismatched married couple, as well as Jennifer Ehle, whose beautiful portrayal of the feisty Miss Elizabeth Bennet in Simon Langton's 1995 rendition of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" will be remembered by fellow British drama enthusiasts. Calypso, Ehle's character in "Camomile Lawn", was her screen (albeit small screen) debut.

Rosemary Harris, another veteran British actress, plays Calypso in her later years -- in real life, Ehle and Harris are mother and daughter. Cousin Oliver, another of the numerous Cuthbertson family relations, is played by Toby Stephens, real-life son of yet more British luminaries, the late Sir Robert Stephens and the unparalleled Dame Maggie Smith.

But to return to the family based on Mary Wesley's novel -- uncle and aunt preside over a halcyon summer estivation at their cliffside home in Cornwall in 1939. In addition to Calypso (Ehle) and Oliver (Stephens), there are brother and sister Walter (Ben Walden) and Polly (Tara Fitzgerald, whom some may recall as playing the free-spirited Topaz Mortmain in the film version of "I Capture the Castle"). The orphaned Sophie, portrayed magnificently by Rebecca Hall, features prominently in the storyline. Oliver, Calypso, Walter, Polly, and Sophie are all cousins, neices and nephews of the uptight, one-legged Richard Cuthbertson.

The lives of all the family members and their circle of friends is devastated by the onset of World War II, and each character breeds his or her own stripe of drama and delight. Calypso marries for money. Polly becomes a lascivious libertine. Sophie is dismissed to boarding school. Oliver joins the Army and Walter joins the Navy.

While some of the plot twists may offend some viewers, I found the overall strength of the stories and the wonderfully rendered characters overcame that (even if I had to suspend queasiness while Oliver constantly sought sexual congress with his cousin Calypso). Any fan of British drama should watch this, as I am sure it will not be found wanting.

Movie Review: One on the best British mini-series of the 1990s
Summary: 5 Stars

The Camomile Lawn was one of the best UK mini-series of the 1990s. It's fun and beautifully written. It's a family drama set during the early years of World War II. The friends, are mostly 18 or 19 and join the war effort when war is declared. In the last episode the characters meet at a funeral thirty years later, giving it similarities to the Big Chill. Many of the US reviewers seem concerned about the nudity and the incest. With death all around them, the lead characters live for today and take a hedonistic approach to sex and booze.

Nudity is fairly common in UK TV drama. Regarding incest, Helena and Richard Cuthbertson are childless, but every summer they invite their nieces and nephews for a holiday to their home in Cornwall. Richard's nieces: Sophy, Polly and Calypso Cuthbertson are not related by blood to the main male characters, Helena's nephew Oliver or the Floyer twins. There is no incest. The film has strong female characters who all seem wise, pragmatic and fun. The men mostly seem flawed and weak in some way. They are either dim-witted, obsessed with sex or confused about what they want. It's a great series.

Movie Review: fascinating and excellent
Summary: 5 Stars

just finished watching this, and absolutely loved it. the only flaw for me was the quicky ending which seemed a little disjointed, but the rest of the series was just wonderful, filled with complex and real characters.

yes, some puritans may balk at the frank and realistic protrayal of relationships (including sex), but this, finally, is really how people talk, rather than how we THINK folks talked 50 years ago.

great series. highly recommended.

Movie Review: the camomile lawn
Summary: 5 Stars

Marvellously acted. A very saucy story with a great deal of humour.
Jennifer Ehle was outstanding and Paul Eddington irritating but played his
part to perfection.