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Cold Comfort Farm (film)

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Cold Comfort Farm
US theatrical release poster
Directed byJohn Schlesinger
Screenplay byMalcolm Bradbury
Produced byAlison Gilby
Richard Broke
Starring
CinematographyChris Seager
Edited byMark Day
Music byRobert Lockhart
Production
company
Distributed byBBC (UK)
Gramercy Pictures (US)
Release dates
  • 1 January 1995 (1995-01-01) (United Kingdom TV)
  • 10 May 1996 (1996-05-10) (United States theatrical)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office$5,682,429[1]

Cold Comfort Farm is a 1995 British comedy film directed by John Schlesinger and produced by the BBC and Thames Television, an adaptation of Stella Gibbons' 1932 book of the same name, the film stars Kate Beckinsale, Joanna Lumley, Ian McKellen and Rufus Sewell. Originally broadcast on 1 January 1995 on the BBC, it was Schlesinger's final film shot in his home country of Britain, and was picked up for theatrical release in North America through Gramercy Pictures, where it was a small success.

Plot

Flora Poste (Kate Beckinsale), an orphan in the 1920s, moves to the country with her rustic and backward relatives, the Starkadders. The Starkadders live in a run-down farm off the beaten track in Sussex. Flora resolves to fix their situation.

After the death of her estranged parents, Flora, who is an aspiring writer, decides that the only way for her to live whilst researching her writing is to stay with relatives. Her city-based relatives show no interest, so she sends letters to her country relatives. There are a few responses, most of which are unsuitable, but one is intriguing. She decides to go and stay with these relatives. The scene is complicated, but Flora soon realises that she can resolve the situation once she has assessed and solved each character's problems. Whilst she is doing so, she is pursued by a most unsuitable suitor, a most obnoxious character, whom she would do well to avoid. In the process of her endeavours, the multitude of the complexities of the farm expose themselves and Flora excels at resolving all the issues.

All the while it seems that things are impossible, but they are resolved in the end.

Cast

Film Locations

The production visited Kent where they filmed at Kent & East Sussex Railway which provided the trains for Flora’s journey from London to her relatives at Cold Comfort Farm and Northiam station in East Sussex which is the fictional railway station of Beershorne.

The Royal Military Canal was also used for scenes where Flora and Amos walk and chat.[2]

Reception

Cold Comfort Farm received generally positive reviews; it currently holds an 84% 'fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[3] During its theatrical release in North America, the film grossed $5,682,429.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Cold Comfort Farm at Box Office Mojo
  2. ^ Kent Film Office. "Kent Film Office Cold Comfort Farm Article".
  3. ^ Cold Comfort Farm at Rotten Tomatoes
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