The Virgin and the Gypsy (1970)

Director:

Christopher Miles

Writer:

Alan Plater (screenplay)

Release Date:

June 1970 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Film adaptation from the novel by D.H. Lawrence, discovered after the celebrated author's death in 1930...

Plot Keywords:

Gypsy | Female Nudity | Sex | Independent Film | Based On Novel

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Joanna Shimkus	...	Yvette
Franco Nero	...	The Gypsy
Honor Blackman	...	Mrs. Fawcett
Mark Burns	...	Major Eastwood
Fay Compton	...	Grandma
Maurice Denham	...	The Rector
Kay Walsh	...	Aunt Cissie
Imogen Hassall	...	The Gypsy's Wife
Harriet Harper	...	Lucille
Norman Bird	...	Uncle Fred
Jeremy Bulloch	...	Leo
Ray Holder	...	Bob
Margo Andrew	...	Ella
Jan Chappell	...	Mary (as Janet Chappell)
Helen Booth	...	Cook

Also Known As:

D.H. Lawrence's The Virgin and the Gypsy (UK) (complete title)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:AA | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Beeley Moor, Derbyshire, England, UK

Company:

Kenwood Productions

Trivia:

Fay Compton was cast as Grandma at short notice after the original choice became unwell.

Soundtrack:

My Latest Millionaire

excellent adaptation of a powerful story

This film (written by Alan Plater from the story by DH Lawrence, and directed at a slow pace by Christopher Miles) is engrossing, evocative, and boasts fine performances from Franco Nero as the Gypsy and Joanna Shimkus as the frustrated, rebellious Yvette.

Yvette has been away in France at school and returns to the stifling atmosphere of the family Rectory (father Maurice Denham is a righteous sort who resents the desertion of his wife when Yvette and her sister Lucille were children; aunt Kay Walsh is a ranting religious nut who sees the presence of the devil in Yvette's free spirited ways; Grandma Fay Compton is senile, difficult, and has a viper's tongue; Uncle Fred, Norman Bird, is laid back and given to quiet tolerance of the family ways; and sister Harriet Harper is full of guilt at the betrayal of the mother when she flew the nest).

She finds free spirited friends (Honor Blackman and Mark Burns as the shockingly living-in-sin pair Mrs Fawcett and Maj Eastwood) and becomes enamoured of the brooding gypsy (Nero) whose blue eyes look at her with true desire.

There are recurring motifs throughout the film - mainly of water, which has much to contribute to the climax of events which make up Yvette's mind conclusively. Does she stay and marry Leo (a rich man's son with little personality - played by Jeremy Bulloch) or does she take her chance in a world which accepts her? It is interesting to compare this film with the earlier 'Sky West and Crooked' which took similar themes (and the same story as a starting point of suggestion) but went in a quite different direction.