The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders (1965)

A bawdy story of how a poor damsel surrenders her virtue again and again to get to the top of society.

Director:

Terence Young

Writers:

Denis Cannan, Daniel Defoe (novel)

Stars:

Kim Novak, Richard Johnson, Claire Ufland

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kim Novak	...	Moll Flanders
Claire Ufland	...	Young Moll
Richard Johnson	...	Jemmy
Angela Lansbury	...	Lady Blystone
Leo McKern	...	Squint
Vittorio De Sica	...	The Count
George Sanders	...	The Banker
Lilli Palmer	...	Dutchy
Peter Butterworth	...	Grunt
Noel Howlett	...	Bishop
Dandy Nichols	...	Orphanage Superintendant
Cecil Parker	...	The Mayor
Barbara Couper	...	The Mayor's wife
Daniel Massey	...	Elder Brother
Derren Nesbitt	...	Younger Brother

Storyline

Based on Daniel Defoe's 1722 novel of the famed English adventuress Moll Flanders. Moll is first engaged as a maid by an eighteenth-century English family chiefly composed of sex-starved males. She marries the imbecilic second son, who prefers booze to copulation. Too embarrassed to speak the truth of him, she demurely tells friends, "Modesty forbids me to reveal the secrets of the marriage bed." She then meets a rich banker, becomes maid-companion to a count and his lady, and finally weds the banker, but leaves him on their first night together. She then joins a group of thieves, falls in love Jemmy, and becomes their number one asset before she is sent to prison. After she is released, she finds Jemmy, and, in the end, everyone is on an America-bound boat except the banker, who fortuitously dies of a heart attack before he has had an opportunity to alter his will.

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Plot Keywords:

widow | servant | rags to riches | 18th century | banker | 

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Taglines:

The rollicking story of a ribald century that really should have been ashamed of itself!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 September 1965 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Moll Flanders

Filming Locations:

Chilham Square, Chilham, Kent, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Winchester Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dr No director Young originally planned to use his 007 star Sean Connery, and to cast Connery's then wife Diane Cilento in the title role.

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Goofs

When The Banker (George Sanders) and Moll are robbed by the highwayman, the Banker's wig is stolen; however, upon arrival in London he is wearing it again.

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Connections

Referenced in Terence Young: Bond Vivant (2000)

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Soundtracks

Theme from the Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders
Written by John Addison, lyrics by Norman Newell
Italian lyrics by Mogol
Performed by Don Powell

User Reviews

"There's the ruination of the finest pair of thieves in town!"

Watchable, faintly amusing adaptation of Daniel Defoe's novel "Moll Flanders", chronicling the sexual misadventures of an orphan-turned-servant girl in the 18th century who marries her employer's foolish son and quickly becomes a widow. Working as a maid to a titled lady, she is determined to find a wealthy husband, but instead finds herself attracted to a suave highway robber. Director Terence Young and a solid assemblage of talents can't quite breathe life into this British-made comedy, much of it seeming like a distaff "Tom Jones". There are lively moments along the way, although Kim Novak just squeaks by as Moll (a good sport rather than a star performer, she's upstaged by the randy supporting cast). The production is meant to be plush and the screenplay is meant to be bawdy, yet both are disappointing. Novak and Richard Johnson were briefly married in real life. ** from ****