The Virgin and the Gypsy (1970)

The story, adapted from a novella by D.H. Lawrence, tells how the daughter of a staid Rector in the north of England, rebels against her family by having a relationship with a gypsy, and how "the voice of the water" triumphs in the end.

Director:

Christopher Miles

Writer:

Alan Plater (screenplay)

Stars:

Joanna Shimkus, Franco Nero, Honor Blackman

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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
Roy Holder	...	Bob
Margo Andrew	...	Ella
Jan Chappell	...	Mary (as Janet Chappell)
Helen Booth	...	Cook

Storyline

Movie adaptation from the novel by D.H. Lawrence, discovered after the celebrated author's death in 1930. A romantic love story tells of a prim young English girl who is sexually attracted to a seductively virile gypsy. The climatic dam burst is linked with the consummation of her desire.

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Plot Keywords:

period drama | english | gypsy | virgin | uncle niece relationship | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Christopher Miles has read over four hundred books about D.H. Lawrence.

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Soundtracks

The Charleston Hop
Ronald Cass & Peter Myers

User Reviews

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.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 August 1970 (France)

Also Known As:

A Virgem e o Cigano

Filming Locations:

Beeley Moor, Derbyshire, England, UK

Box Office

Gross USA:

$1,183,273

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$7,847,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kenneth Harper Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1