Cold Comfort Farm (1995) Reviews

• Amusing, or diverting...not "such fun"

  SarahNM2000-03-11

  I simply adore this movie! From beginning to end it shines with wit and hilarious depravity. Having read the book, I think it safe to say that this is one of the best transitions from page to screen. Everyone is perfectly cast in this - particularly Kate Beckinsale as Flora, Joanna Lumley as Mrs. Smiling, Eileen Atkins as Judith and Ian McKellen as Amos. Rufus Sewell makes for great eye-candy as Seth, and the virtually unknown Maria Miles is adorable as Elfine. Aunt Ada Doom, played by Sheila Burrell, constantly reminds us that "There have always been Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm," and although it's probably best to keep it that way, she's in for a few surprises. Flora's dealings with Mr. Mybug, hysterically portrayed by Stephen Fry, are alone worth the price of renting this movie. Flora's decision to go to Cold Comfort Farm after her parents die sets the tone for the rest of the movie; it sounds "Interesting and appalling...the others just sound appalling!" If you want a good chuckle, or just love good British humor, by all means, see this movie!

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• "I'd take the old woman as well -- but she's so gloomy!"

  dennisayers2004-09-06

  This film was produced for BBC television but had a theatrical release the next year -- probably to take advantage of the popularity of all those Jane Austen movies (Emma, Persuasion, et. al.) It is not a Jane Austen story, but it is a sort of genial romance/comedy of manners (set in the early 1930's?) with a plucky, bright, but penniless heroine. The book it was based on was actually a parody of Gothic romance fiction. Even though this movie is played for laughs (and has many), it still manages to make you care for the characters. Everything works here and (editing, cinematography, performances) and you really appreciate what the director, John Schlesinger, managed to do on a probably skimpy budget. This movie was the first I ever saw of Kate Beckinsale and I thought she was fantastic in it. I remained a fan for a long while, even though her subsequent movie performances (and choices) have been awful. She finally lost me with her recent laughable turn in Van Helsing. Nevertheless, she WAS good in Cold Comfort Farm, so if you're no fan of Beckinsale don't let that dissuade you from seeing this movie. Other standouts in the cast are Eileen Atkins, Rufus Sewell, and Ian McKellen who is screamingly funny as a fire and brimstone preacher. This film is definitely worth having on video or DVD in that it bears up very well to repeated viewings. I've seen it at least 5 times since its release, and my estimation of it rises with each viewing.

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• Delightfully funny and gorgeously imaginative!

  Cini342003-09-02

  Cold Comfort Farm has been and remains one of my favorite movies of all time. Why? Simple: it is hilarious, has a star-studded and perfect ensemble cast, and is a beautiful adaptation of an equally, if not more hilarious, book. When one thinks about this movie, one always returns to the cast and how well-suited they were for their roles. Kate Beckinsale fits perfectly in the role of London débutante Flora Poste who, like Jane Austen, "could not endure a mess." Ian McKellen plays his role to fire and brimstone perfection. Rufus Sewell is remarkably well suited as the smoldering Seth with his brooding eyes and husky, outdoors-y sentiments. Eileen Atkins plays the extremely depressed, reverse-Oedipal mother of Seth in all her exceptional oddness. This is but naming a few of the fabulous cast members that fills this film. The film itself is beautifully filmed and beautifully acted. I would highly recommend it to anyone who 1)enjoys subtle British humor and 2)just enjoys an all-around excellent film.

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• "There Is No Butter in Hell" but we find "Comfort" in Sussex

  peacham2000-06-22

  Praise is the only thing I can give this comedic gem of a film! Gibbon's characters come vividly to life in this perfect adaptation of her retro-Austin book. Kate Beckinsale give the best performance of her gifted career as "Robert Poste's Child",Flora who take up an invitation to Cold Comfort Farm with the motive of changing her extended family,the Starkadders, who reside there ("there have always been Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm"),and find out what the "great wrong" was that they had done her father,a wrong that they are most repentant of. By film's end she has accomplished one of these goals. The cast is sheer perfection.Beckinsale is vivacious,perky,gutsy and completly charming,Sheila Burrell is a riot as family matriarch Ada Doom who keeps a tight leash on her family and hardly leaves her room since she "saw somthing nasty in the woodshed". Sir Ian McKellen is dynamic and utterly hysterical as Cousin Amo Starkadder who preaches fire and brimstone sermons warning all that in hell there is no butter to sooth the burns. Eileen Atkins as Amos wife,cousin Judith and Freddy Jones as their hired hand are also standouts,but with such a perfect cast there are no weak links,so take sit back and take a journey to the far regions of Sussex with Flora Poste and investigate the quirky Starkadder family, with secrets aplenty at Cold Comfort Farm..once there you will want to make many more visits

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• Plenty of comfort and humor on this farm

  Mitch-382000-09-24

  Humorous film involving a spirited young woman by the name of Flora, who brings her stylish views of living, to the oppressed residents of a country farm. The humor at times is very dark and cutting, and oft times hilarious. They'll be plenty of good, quotable material from this well-crafted film, to go around. My favorite: "...Drain the well, there's a neighbor missing..." The script is very slick, and the performances are even better. If you enjoy offbeat humor mixed with a really sweet story, you'll like this movie.

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