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Lady Caroline Lamb More at IMDbPro »
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| Index | 12 reviews in total |
18 out of 20 people found the following review useful:
Melodramatic & inaccurate, 17 October 2000
Author:
(z2214076@student.unsw.edu.au) from Sydney, Australia
As a work of fiction, this is an unexceptional piece of melodrama with a
familiar story: the heroine falls in love with a man who abandons her
cruelly. Then she does it again, and finally dies miserable and alone.
Unfortunately, the main characters in this story are *supposed* to be real
people. In the course of presenting Caroline Lamb (played by his wife) as
a
woman wronged, Bolt rides roughshod over historical facts and turns a
blind
eye to some of her less noble moments. In particular Lord Byron, her
sometime lover, is presented as a poorly researched caricature. (On the
bright side, the crippled leg that plagued him throughout his life has
miraculously vanished.)
It is true, as depicted in the film, that 'Caro' and Byron had an affair,
and that Byron was the one to break it off as she became more and more
obsessed with him. But the film completely fails to note that she went on
to
conduct a vicious campaign of revenge against him that lasted for
considerably longer than the original affair, and played a major part in
ruining his reputation in England with accusations of crimes up to and
including murder. Byron was certainly a flawed human being, but Bolt
magnifies and distorts those flaws while ignoring many of Lady Caroline's.
It appears that Bolt is more interested in making a good story than in
representing the life of the real Caroline Lamb, which would be forgivable
if he *had* created a good story. But there's nothing exceptional about
this
one, not even the costumes; just a run-of-the-mill "woman ruined by
heartless men" tale. If it's 19th-century fiction you're after, a Jane
Austen dramatization would be a better choice; if it's historical accuracy
you like, you won't find it here.
16 out of 22 people found the following review useful:
If only he'd cast a real actress..., 12 April 2005
Author:
TrevorAclea from London, England
Lady Caroline Lamb isn't nearly as bad as its reputation, but it's
still more troubled than any film has a right to be. Making his one and
only foray in the director's chair, writer-director Robert Bolt's take
on a famous society scandal may take as many liberties with history as
Cecil B. De Mille, but he has a good eye for visuals and a good ear for
witty dialogue. Sadly, he has little control of either his narrative or
his characters. It's hard to tell how much of the film's unevenness is
down to the heavy pre-release cutting, but it's easier to see why it
fails so often.
No matter how much her off screen antics may have made her seem an
ideal choice, Sarah Miles (then Mrs Bolt) delivers a performance of
such fearless ineptitude that it is staggering to watch – sometimes
painful, often laughable, always wrong in every way imaginable and
frequently expressing every emotion as if she was suffering an
extremely uncomfortable attack of indigestion. It's as if a monochrome
Looney Tunes cartoon version of Samantha Morton had just had a giant
rock dropped on her head and was wondering around in a daze, delivering
her lines while counting the little birdies circling her head (her big
mad scene is worthy of the East Cheam Dramatic Society on a
particularly bad day). Bolt must have been very much in love not to see
how disastrously she undoes his best efforts here. Margaret Leighton's
archly hostile mother-in-law, Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier
phoning in their performances and even John Mills' bland
professionalism cannot help but shine by comparison. As her unfortunate
husband, Jon Finch struggles in his poorly defined early scenes but
makes the most of his later opportunities, but the film's saving grace
comes from a most unlikely source – Richard Chamberlain. His Bad Lord
Byron is a remarkable star turn, a prototype sexually ambiguous 70s
glam rock star (at one point he even models his vocal delivery on
Bowie) revelling in the sexual opportunities his newfound infamy
presents. It doesn't hurt that he has the best scenes and knows how to
act the matinée idol, either.
But otherwise it's a film of incidental pleasures - Richard Rodney
Bennett's superb score and Oswald Morris' excellent widescreen
photography chief among them. If only Bolt had cast a real actress…
8 out of 10 people found the following review useful:
One of the best curtain lines ever!, 17 April 2003
Author:
Greg Couture from Portland, Oregon
After enduring Robert Bolt's rather turgid retelling of Lady Caroline Lamb's ill-fated love and finding myself, once again, unable to warm to his real-life wife (at the time), the rather tiresome Sarah Miles, the whole enterprise was redeemed by that fabulously funny curtain line. When told that Lady Caroline has died of a broken heart, one of her chief female detractors faces the camera (through the lace curtains of a window, I seem to recall) and hisses, (Alas! I'm not quoting verbatim, since I haven't seen this since its theatrical release, but here goes...) "She would!, wouldn't she?!?" I laughed all the way out to the parking lot. Not available on video, apparently, and if they do unearth this bit of cinematic costume jewellry (not really a precious gem, mind you), let us hope that it will be on DVD where the Panavision/widescreen ratio will be preserved.
3 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
It's the Music which Makes this Movie, 26 September 2007
Author:
David Butterworth from China
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
It doesn't really matter when pondering the origins of artistic
creative genius when you have the privilege of actually hearing it, and
it doesn't come much better than listening to Richard Rodney Bennet's
musical score to this film. I watched the VHS version which,
unfortunately, is still the only one available, last winter, and was
struck by the film's musical message and subject content. It also
doesn't really matter if historical accuracy is somewhat shrouded by
other matters, considered more important, such as the core, or center
of the soul, which was the essence of Caroline Lamb's relationship with
Byron, and which caused her life to break down into hopeless violence
and chaos; "it'll end badly," according to her husband's accurate
prediction. This is what Bolt wanted to portray and did so
successfully, much like his portrayal of Thomas More in 'A Man For All
Seasons.' Of course, the film isn't without flaws - very few are. Sarah
Miles was probably more successfully cast in films such as 'Those
Magnificent men in Their Flying Machines,' or 'Ryan's Daughter.' But a
historical Lady Caroline is probably difficult to act. Margaret
Leighton did a much better job portraying a shrewish hard-nosed Lady
Melbourne. You couldn't, in those days, go beyond being "a little
shady," right to her ignorant, inexpressive and unmoved response to
Caroline's bizarre 'wild' death from a broken heart: "My god...
wouldn't she!" All she ever cared about was her son's political status
and ambition, no less than her own reputation. It's perhaps ironic that
these two actresses played opposite each other in a contemporary
version of 'Great Expectations' when Leighton as Miss Havisham regrets
rearing a heart of stone, Estella. The death scene is almost
reminiscent of dark and stormy parallel film genre situations, such as
Susannah York's wandering around the Yorkshire Moors in an adaptation
of Jane Eyre, and Anna Calder Marshall's performance as the ghost of a
dead Catherine Earnshaw in a 70's adaptation of Wuthering Heights.
Byron and Heathcliff are rocks on which their heroines dash themselves
against. There are other examples of 19th Century tragic women caught
in wind or rain, such as Hardy's 'Far From the Madding Crowd,' and for
which Bennet also wrote the film score.
But to top it all, it's the music that shines forth, right from the
striking opening, hearing the symbol percussion instrument when the
film's title appears on the screen (like switching on a light) and is
much better in the original widescreen format, to the solo violin elegy
and closing credits. Miles galloping across the moors is incurably and
slaveringly romantic like the romance of the times, enhancing the
passion, wildness, eagerness, an unquenchable flame, in this music.
Being rich, ravishing, unquenchable, insatiable, I listen to it again
and again and again. It's dramatic and overwhelming; even haunting
cold, hollow. Enough said.
6 out of 9 people found the following review useful:
It's the raw humaness and beauty that holds me., 9 April 2003
Author:
dhwood-1
I loved this film the first time I watched it more than a dozen years ago.
It does not surprise me that the writer and director Mr. Robert Bolt was a
playwright-this film captures the best of what makes a film and a play,
which is a very unusual occurrence.
This film always-always captivates me with it's genius beginning-the camera
is the mind of the director and writer and this mind is a brilliant and
passionate one! The first minute of this film reveals Sarah Miles'
character, Lady Caroline Lamb, perfectly. The rest of the film is just as
honest and raw. I suppose it's the raw humaness and beauty of this film
that holds me and shall always cause me to hold this film so much higher
than others. I am willing to bet that because Mr. Bolt was a playwright that
he had a high respect for the craft of acting-perhaps this is another reason
the film is so rich-the actors are given the time to do their art. Thanks to
Mr. Bolt and Sarah Miles for coming together and bringing into the world
this beautiful, poetic and tender work.
7 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
In Praise of "Lady Caroline Lamb", 8 November 1999
Author:
harukahoneyh from Los Angeles, USA
This is a beautiful picture and makes me cry every time I watch it. Also Richard Chamberlain is fantastic as Lord Byron. Sarah Miles give a wonderful portrayal of the tragic woman. Anyone who can't appreciate this film has no knowledge of Lamb's inner feelings. I loved it and am glad there was a film made about one of history's most slandered women.
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
It is 40 years old after all..., 29 July 2011
Author:
KateC49 from Australia
I first saw this film on holiday in London c1973 when it was first
released. It was showing at the prestigious Odean Cinema in London & I
recall at the time this film was such a 'big deal' that the we were
given (or bought) a large glossy souvenir program that came with the
film. It was treated like we were attending the opera or theater. Look
at the line up of big names who were a part of this. Laurence Olivier,
John Mills, Ralph Richardson, Margaret Leighton & 'super star' Richard
Chamberlain after his 'Dr Kildare' fame.
Forty years on it all seems rather ordinary and we know that Bolt was
rather loose with the historical facts. But I still enjoyed seeing it
again remembering that first time I saw it all those years ago. In
fact, some of the best work Richard Chamberlain would do was in the 5-6
years he lived in the UK and about the time he made this. And even now
I give it an 8/10
2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
George And Caro, 17 September 2008
Author:
bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York
Screenwriter Robert Bolt who wrote such great work for David Lean in
Ryan's Daughter, Doctor Zhivago, and Lawrence of Arabia and for Fred
Zinnemann in A Man For All Seasons, tried his one and only hand at
directing in Lady Caroline Lamb. The problem was that screenwriter Bolt
was done wrong by director Bolt. Especially let down was Bolt's then
wife Sarah Miles.
Miles who when directed by David Lean in Ryan's Daughter turned in such
a spirited performance, was not given the same inspiration for Lady
Caroline Lamb. Whatever else Caroline Lamb was she was not dull to be
around. Miles does all right, but the rest of the cast just seems to
walk through the parts, even the two guys playing the men in her life,
Richard Chamberlain as Lord Byron and Jon Finch as William Lamb the
future Lord Melbourne and Prime Minister of Great Britain.
I think these guys and the rest of the cast knew this was a vehicle for
Miles the minute they walked on set and performed accordingly. Even Sir
Laurence Olivier as the Duke of Wellington is strangely lifeless. Of
course after seeing Christopher Plummer as the perfect Wellington in
Waterloo, I'm kind of spoiled.
In real life Melbourne was hardly an injured party. He had a couple of
other scandals attached to his name that had nothing to do with Lady
Caroline. He never let the grass grow under his feet. Byron was
notorious all over Europe for bedding everything in skirts within
reach. It's likely he did want to call it a day with Caro, but probably
because she was crazier than him.
Still the escapades of George and Caro titillated all of Georgian Great
Britain, but they don't move the audience a bit here.
4 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
one of the dullest British costumers ever, 9 June 2005
Author:
planktonrules from Bradenton, Florida
I tried VERY hard but could never make it through this film without falling asleep. I tried twice but the boredom level of this TOTALLY uninteresting picture was off the charts. How could you make a movie based on a 19th century sex scandal boring?! I don't know, but the studio found a way! At the time, I was very surprised, as I have loved Richard Chamberlain in so many other movies (such as the made for TV MAN IN THE IRON MASK, SHOGUN or COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO). Subsequent to seeing this awful film, I had the displeasure of going to the theater and seeing an even worse Chamberlain film (KING SOLOMON'S MINES). Apparently he is MORE than able to star in crappy films after all!
6 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
very romantic, 13 March 2002
Author:
(mcb1900@aol.com) from New Jersey, U.S.A.
I have watched this movie countless times, and always find its understanding of hopeless romance (is there any other kind?)very striking. This film is filled with vulnerability and compassion - I recommend it to anyone that would like to be swept away. It's unfortunate that it's almost impossible to find these days.
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