Lady Chatterley (2006)

Director:

Pascale Ferran

Writers:

Roger Bohbot (writer)
Pascale Ferran (writer)

Release Date:

1 November 2006 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Based on one of the most scandalous novels of our time

Plot:

A French adaptation of the second (and much less well-known) version of D.H. Lawrence's erotic tale.

Plot Keywords:

Estate | Pheasant | Hut | Lady | Daffodil

Awards:

10 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Marina Hands	...	Constance
Jean-Louis Coullo'ch	...	Parkin (as Jean-Louis Coulloc'h)
Hippolyte Girardot	...	Sir Clifford Chatterley
Hélène Alexandridis	...	Mrs. Bolton
Hélène Fillières	...	Hilda
Bernard Verley	...	Sir Malcolm
Sava Lolov	...	Tommy Dukes
Jean-Baptiste Montagut	...	Harry Winterslow
Fanny Deleuze	...	Tante Eva
Michel Vincent	...	Marshall
Colette Philippe	...	Mrs. Marshall
Christelle Hes	...	Kate
Jade Bouchard	...	La jeune bonne
Joël Vandael	...	Field, le chauffeur
Jacques De Bock	...	Le médecin (as Jacques de Bock)

Also Known As:

Lady Chatterley et l'homme des bois (France) (TV title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality and graphic nudity.

Runtime:

168 min | 220 min (TV version) (2 parts)

Country:

Belgium | France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Portugal:M/16 (Qualidade) | Norway:11 | Ireland:16 | Finland:K-13 | Australia:M | South Korea:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Taiwan:R-12 (original rating) | Brazil:16 | Sweden:15 | Japan:R-18 | Argentina:16 | Singapore:R21 | Hong Kong:III | Netherlands:16 | Germany:16 | New Zealand:R16

Filming Locations:

Château de Montmery, Ambazac, Haute-Vienne, France

Company:

Maïa Films

Trivia:

Director Pascale Ferran scheduled six weeks of intensive rehearsal to help put the actors at ease with each other in preparation for the explicit scenes.

Goofs:

Continuity: On the cabin porch, while drinking water, the two different glasses are switched from one character to the other between takes.

Movie Connections:

Version of L'amant de lady Chatterley (1955)

Soundtrack:

Well-tempered Clavichord, Book I, Fugue No.2, BWV.847

The Hippie Version

Cynics might be inclined to dub this 'the hippie version' of "Lady Chatterley's Lover", (though, in fact, it is based on an earlier draft called, appropriately enough, 'John Thomas and Lady Jane'). Certainly there is some serious flower-power going on between her ladyship and the game-keeper after one nude romp in the forest. Indeed that nude romp may be seen as a metaphor for the whole movie as Lady Chatterley starts to commune with nature in every sense. Even her affair with Parkin, (as he is called here), might be seen as just another way for her to find her 'natural' self since Parkin is portrayed as the persona of man in his most natural state.

Pascale Ferran's film is long and leisurely, perhaps too long, but it is also passionate, erotic and ultimately quite moving despite Marina Hands' wan performance in the title role. Hands simpers her way through the film seemingly unsure of her feelings. It's a non-performance. A more polished actress might have been able to lift the movie into a different realm altogether. Jean-Louis Coullo'ch, on the other hand, catches the earthiness of Parkin perfectly. Like Hands it is a totally unpolished performance but it's the performance that the movie needs. It's he who raises the picture and he keeps you watching to the end. The film may be called "Lady Chatterley" but it is Parkin's (and consequently), Coullo'ch's picture.