A Village Affair

I note that IMdb lists A Village Affair at 137min, whilst the VHS/DVD version runs to only 100min.

Having seen the DVD version it does seem to me to be disjointed compared with the original TV airing.

Anyone out with any information

Ian

Ever since I read that Sophie Ward came out as a Lesbian in the British press, I have been anxious to see her in this role of a frustrated housewife-cum-lesbian lover (pun intended!) I enjoyed this movie, and I cannot say anymore about it lest I give away the ending. Rent it if you can find it. It's worth the effort.

Seen on TV: A Village Affair provides an opportunity for Kerry Fox to stalk around the pretty countryside, chewing the scenery and wailing about her thwarted love affair with Sophie Ward. Joking aside, she's pretty good in this picture that sometimes threatens to drown in good taste, like sub-Merchant-Ivory. Don't know much about Sophie Ward; she seems too restrained, too well-brought-up to be convincing as a wife and participant in a lesbian relationship. Shouldn't she show us that she has a lot on her plate? Michael Gough does a good job as Kerry's indulgent father.

I'm sure that this sort of story was juicy and scandalous back in 1995. But 20 years later the premise has been overdone. I'd have probably been fascinated by this movie in 1995, but at this point I can barely yawn.

There are no likeable characters. Clodagh and most of the women around Alice are domineering and push Alice around. Alice is a pushover with a sweet face, and her husband is a well-meaning but selfish man who cares about his wife but seems to have no insight into her. The way Clodagh bulldozes her way into Alice's family should make it clear that she has an agenda, but neither Alice nor her husband can see that.

There's some lovely shots in this film, particularly when Alice and Clodagh are swimming together in the river. But the plot is so predictable that I just couldn't be interested.

1. The Beatles Anthology 2. Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood 3. The Final Cut 4. Prime Suspect: The Scent of Darkness 5. Prime Suspect: The Lost Child 6. Mr. Bean 7. Prime Suspect: Inner Circles 8. Indictment: The McMartin Trial 9. A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies 10. Poirot: Hercule Poirot's Christmas 11. Engraçadinha... Seus Amores e Seus Pecados 12. Poirot: Hickory Dickory Dock 13. Pride and Prejudice 14. A Village Affair