The Rainbow (1989)

A young woman deals in her own personal way with the trials of adolescence and young adulthood in early 1900s England.

Director:

Ken Russell

Writers:

Ken Russell (screenplay), Vivian Russell (screenplay)

Stars:

Sammi Davis, Amanda Donohoe, Paul McGann

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sammi Davis	...	Ursula Brangwen
Paul McGann	...	Anton Skrebensky
Amanda Donohoe	...	Winifred Inger
Christopher Gable	...	Will Brangwen
David Hemmings	...	Uncle Henry
Glenda Jackson	...	Anna Brangwen
Dudley Sutton	...	MacAllister
Jim Carter	...	Mr. Harby
Judith Paris	...	Miss Harby
Kenneth Colley	...	Mr. Brunt (as Ken Colley)
Glenda McKay	...	Gudrun Brangwen
Mark Owen	...	Jim Richards
Ralph Nossek	...	Vicar
Nicola Stephenson	...	Ethel
Molly Russell	...	Molly Brangwen

Storyline

Ken Russell's loose adaptation of the last part of D.H. Lawrence's "The Rainbow" sees impulsive young Ursula coming of age in pastoral England around the time of the Boer War. At school, she is introduced to lovemaking by a bisexual physical education instructress. While experiencing disillusionment in her first career attempt (teaching), she has an affair with a young Army officer, who wants to marry her. Unable to accept a future of domesticity, she breaks with him, and eventually leaves home in search of her destiny.

---

Plot Keywords:

coming of age | loss of virginity | women's rights | women's emancipation | victorian era | 

---

Genres:

Action | Drama | Romance

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 May 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

El arco iris

Filming Locations:

Borrowdale, Lake District, Cumbria, England, UK

Box Office

Gross USA:

$444,055

Company Credits

Production Co:

Vestron Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was made and released about seventy-four years after its source novel of the same name by D.H. Lawrence had been first published in 1915.

---

Connections

Follows Women in Love (1969)

---

Soundtracks

The Lancers
(uncredited)
Medley
Arranged by Keith Wilkinson

User Reviews

I voice the same sentiments

This film features two very Strong leads and They were not ashamed to have equality in all things even sex as the men did. Those not familiar with these times a women could be a Married or an old maid. As for work teacher,actress,nurse,novelist,strumpet or Nun were the varied career choices. As for what women had to say well it was re-expression of the views or opinions of the husband or father.( see Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House)

As it is an art film it has some fornication and nudity scenes that some moralists will find pornographic for it is "pleasures of the flesh".

This is a prequel to Women in Love. neat Point,in the story Gudrun Brangwen mothers', Anna Brangwen played is played Glenda Jackson who played Gudrun Brangwen in Women in Love.

So if you like period film get both movies and have a double feature.