Women in Love (1969)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Ken Russell

Writers:

Larry Kramer (writer)
D.H. Lawrence (novel)

Release Date:

25 March 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

The relationship between four sensual people is limited: They must find a new way.

Plot:

The battle of the sexes and relationships among the elite of Britian's industrial Midlands in the 1920s...

Plot Keywords:

Sculptress | Naked Gladiator | Homoeroticism | Outdoor Love Scene | Male Full Frontal Nudity

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

Alan Bates	...	Rupert Birkin
Oliver Reed	...	Gerald Crich
Glenda Jackson	...	Gudrun Brangwen
Jennie Linden	...	Ursula Brangwen
Eleanor Bron	...	Hermione Roddice
Alan Webb	...	Thomas Crich
Vladek Sheybal	...	Loerke
Catherine Willmer	...	Mrs. Crich
Phoebe Nicholls	...	Winifred Crich (as Sarah Nicholls)
Sharon Gurney	...	Laura Crich
Christopher Gable	...	Tibby Lupton
Michael Gough	...	Tom Brangwen
Norma Shebbeare	...	Mrs. Brangwen
Nike Arrighi	...	Contessa
James Laurenson	...	Minister

Runtime:

131 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Norway:15 (TV rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 (2004) | Portugal:M/18 | UK:15 (video re-rating) (2004) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R | West Germany:18 (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Bedlington Colliery, Northumberland, England, UK

Company:

Brandywine Productions

Trivia:

First film of Christopher Gable.

Quotes:

Gudrun Brangwen: I am not married. Truth is best.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "X-Rated" (2004)

Time Has No Power Over Women In Love

Ken Russell's adaptation of D. H. Lawrence's novel Women in Love is one of my favorite films. It explores the hearts and minds, personalities, and philosophies of four intelligent and educated young people in the beginning of 20-th century and their romantic relationships (heterosexual and homosexual, friendship, love and desire). They are played by Alan Bates, Oliver Reed, Glenda Jackson, and Jennie Linden.

Glenda Jackson who was relatively unknown at the time won her first Oscar for a magnificent performance in a most difficult role: her Gudrun is not a likable character, she is an self-centered predator, but she is honest and very interesting. I read some comments that she was not beautiful. Well, she may not have been pretty but I believe there is more than prettiness to make a woman loved, and admired otherwise a lot of women in this world would never be able to learn the feeling. Gudrun's intelligence, strong character, and self-confidence make her very attractive and desirable.

The film has many unforgettable scenes with two that stand alone after all these years. First of them is one of the most provocative and delightful sexual scenes ever filmed. It takes place during a picnic. Alan Bates dressed in a light white suite describes to the others how to eat a fig. He carefully holds it, and then pulls it open while he compares the process to a woman and looks teasingly at shy Ursula, Gudrun's sister (Jennie Linden). This little scene is as powerful as a famous wrestling scene, even though everybody who saw the film would recall the wrestling scene as a most memorable in "Women in Love".

The wrestling in the nude was Lawrence's (and Russell's ) solution to allow two men to relieve the horror and dreadfulness of the drowning tragedy that occurred shortly before. The scene takes place for long time, 5-10 minutes, with the fire from fireplace highlighting Reed's and Bate's bodies as each struggles against the other. The scene is extremely sensual but whether they engaged in sex or not we don't know…

This is a very special film that has not lost its beauty and appeal now even though it was made over 35 years ago. Extraordinarily striking and highly sensual, it is a must see for anyone truly interested in film.