Lady Chatterley's Lover

While not completely awful, this latest adaptation feels a bit like the suburban woman's book club version of Lady Chatterley's Lover. Connie is given a light feminist makeover, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but in most respects the writing and the direction loses the muscularity and the rawness of the novel. The scene with Connie and Oliver frolicking naked in the rain is emblematic of this director's approach. It's cute and maybe a tad naughty, rather than erotically charged or daring or liberating. And poor Mellors, while beautifully played by Jack O'Connell, feels somewhat emasculated by both the script and the tepid direction. It's also telling that they chose a boyish, svelte, hairless, almost twinkish type like O'Connell, who doesn't exactly embody Mellors as written by Laurence. So it's fair to say this movie is more Connie's story than it is Mellor's. The actors are fine though - particularly Joely Richardson as Mrs Bolton. And the cinematography is some compensation for the lack of literary cred.

It looks good. The acting of the 2 leads is convincing and yet there is no heat, no chemistry and no peril in what they may loose.

As with so much of Lawrence's adaptations, they capture the text, the story, but not the spirit of the author.

It fails to capture some of the subplots that would make this a real telling of the book. Lord Chatterley is a caring thoughtful man one moment and ridiculous stereotype the next. Hilda, caring when Connie is ill and yet cold and shrill later. Mrs Bolton was not developed in this adaptation, possibly because of time.

It's worth a watch. Netflix are starting to do more highbrow movies with Rebecca coming last year. This is better than that. Let's hope it continues.

In the aftermath of WW1 the wife of a British aristocrat embarks on an affair across the class divide.

There have been quite a few versions of DH Lawrence's famous and controversial book so we might wonder, why another? Well, most have not managed to pick up properly on the books main themes, about the damaging effects of the 'Great War', the consequent changes in society at that time, and the stifling British class system and it's continuing divides, expressed especially through the passionate affair between Lady Chatterly and her game keeper. This film does a very good job at including those themes, though it also plays with the original plot too, which might be a negative for some. I though it made a better film without sacrificing too much.

Jack O'Connell and Emma Corrin make a great couple with a real chemistry and all credit to them for superb performances. The sex scenes really are erotically charged and powerful, and I didn't think they were overdone. As we know, sex, liberation, release and openness are what Lawrence intended thematically and essentially symbolically through the central relationship. It's a good film, and perhaps the best version I've seen of the book.

I truly do not understand why this movie is so reviled. I have read all D. H. Lawrence and most people fail (or do not wish to) understand that his main purpose was the study of social inequities and their devastating effect on British Society in the early 20th Century. All is work tends to illustrate that. Lady Chatterley's Lover is a prime example of that beyond the scandal around its publication. It is the first time that I truly see this aspect in an adaptation as well as the sex not being necessarily pretty and romantic. Their relationship is the closest one to the book I have ever seen. So haters pass your way, the cast, direction, cinematography everything rings true.

Based on the notorious last and often banned novel by D. H. Lawrence this film is it's most recent adaptation. Set during WWI Lord Clifford Chatterly marries Connie Reid. He almost immediately goes back to the front where he is injured in the war. When he comes home he is unable to father children or use his legs. He moves his wife to his family's country estate, taking her out of the bustling London that she loves. Isolated and alone, Lady Chatterly becomes more of a caretaker than lover to her husband. In this version her husband discusses with her the idea that she could discreetly choose a lover to impregnate her so that they could have an heir, sine he can not father one...it only they know that. He set boundaries, that he trusted her judgment, but never wanted to know who the true father is. At first she is upset by his suggestion, but starts taking long walks by herself where she eventually meets the estate's gamekeeper and former soldier himself Oliver Mellors. Eventually Oliver and Connie start a torrid affair that does end up with her being pregnant.

The novel touches on several themes involving the class system existing in England, infidelity, and the conditions of laborers like miners. The film also touches on these theme but only in the broadest of strokes.

The setting for the film is beautifully filmed and the costumes are wonderful and period appropriate. I really appreciated that they had both male and female full frontal nudity. The film r ally makes a pitch for this story being about a great love story and a woman willing to give up everything for this great love...only in the film I was watching I never saw that love built or nurtured. I would argue that there was a woman desperate to be touched physically and that there was lust...but I failed to see any love. I am afraid having good physical timing so you can satisfy each other's desires simultaneously is not love.

There were some decent performances by the actors and in particular by the actress who played my favorite character in this film, Mrs. Bolton (Joely Richardson).

I am not sure how I would rank this in a list of adaptations of this book, but I do know it is not my favorite. It is a beautiful film that I can recommend to fans of classics and those who are fans of historical dramas. I don't think I would recommend this to a true romantic however...and if lust is your thing, I think you would be better off watching 365 DNI in my opinion.