Lady Chatterley (TV serial)
Lady Chatterley | |
---|---|
Based on | Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence |
Written by | Ken Russell Michael Haggiag |
Directed by | Ken Russell |
Starring | Joely Richardson Sean Bean James Wilby Hetty Baynes Shirley Anne Field |
Composer | Jean-Claude Petit |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 1 |
No. of episodes | 4 |
Production | |
Executive producers | Tom Donald Robert Haggiag Barry Hanson Johan Eliasch |
Producer | Michael Haggiag |
Cinematography | Robin Vidgeon |
Editors | Mick Audsley Peter Davies Alan Mackay Xavier Russell |
Running time | 55 minutes |
Production company | London Film Productions in association with Global Arts for BBC |
Original release | |
Network | BBC1 |
Release | 6 June 27 June 1993 | –
Lady Chatterley is a 1993 BBC television serial starring Sean Bean and Joely Richardson. It is an adaptation of D. H. Lawrence's 1928 novel Lady Chatterley's Lover, first broadcast on BBC1 in four 55-minute episodes between 6 and 27 June 1993. A young woman's husband returns wounded after the First World War. Facing a life with a husband now incapable of sexual activity she begins a passionate affair with the groundskeeper. The film reflects Lawrence's focus not only on casting away sexual taboos, but also the examination of the British class system.
Cast
[edit]- Joely Richardson - Lady Chatterley[1]
- Sean Bean - Mellors
- James Wilby - Sir Clifford Chatterley
- Shirley Anne Field - Mrs Bolton
- Hetty Baynes - Hilda
- Ken Russell - Sir Michael Reid, Lady Chatterley's father[2][3]
Reception
[edit]The show had an audience of over 12 million.[4]
Donald Liebenson,[5] a Chicago-based film critic said "Those who believe British miniseries to be too proper and corseted may want to make an exception for Ken Russell's 1992, four-hour BBC adaptation of D.H. Lawrence's scandalous novel...The production is impeccably mounted--no pun intended--and the performances (particularly by the daring Ms. Richardson) impassioned."[6]
In September 1994, Adrian Martin said "Russell brings not a skerrick of art or craft to this project."[7]
Dennis Lim of The New York Times called it "a sudsy...mini-series".[8]
The Independent said "What actually happened was perilously close to cartoon."[9]
In 2005, the BBC reported that the show's dramatisation "toned down" the book's "more explicit scenes".[10]
Home media
[edit]The series has been released on VHS and DVD.[11][12]
References
[edit]- ^ "Lady Chatterley Part 1 (1993)". BFI. Archived from the original on 23 August 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ Riley, John A. (11 July 2010). "Ken Russell". Senses of Cinema. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ "Ken Russell on Television". BFI Screenonline. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ "Ken Russell: The film-maker laid bare". The Independent. 5 January 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
The Russell Lady Chatterley, in fact, gave him a too-brief respite from deepening obscurity. Sean Bean and Joely Richardson, as gamekeeper and mistress, drew 12 million-plus viewers to the four-part serial.
- ^ "Donald Liebenson: biography & movie reviews". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ "Lady Chatterley Quotes". Quotes.net. STANDS4 LLC. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ Martin, Adrian. "Lady Chatterley". filmcritic.com.au. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ Lim, Dennis (17 June 2007). "The New Lady Chatterley: Sober, Sensual, French". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ "TELEVISION: Cheers (C4) and Lady Chatterley (BBC1)". The Independent. 13 June 1993. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ "10 November 1960: Lady Chatterley's Lover sold out". ON THIS DAY. BBC. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ "Lady Chatterley". National Library, Singapore. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
London Films/Global Arts production for BBC ; screenplay by Michael Haggiag and Ken Russell ; produced by Michael Haggiag ; directed by Ken Russell.
- ^ "Lady Chatterley - Press and Festivals". Kino International (company). Retrieved 4 March 2022.
External links
[edit]- 1993 British television series debuts
- 1993 British television series endings
- 1990s British drama television series
- 1990s British romance television series
- 1990s romantic drama television series
- Television shows about adultery
- 1990s British television miniseries
- British English-language television shows
- Adaptations of works by D. H. Lawrence
- Television shows based on British novels
- Television series produced at Pinewood Studios
- Television series set in the 1920s
- Television shows set in England
- Works about social class