Cold Comfort Farm (1995)

A recently orphaned young woman goes to live with eccentric relatives in Sussex, where she sets about improving their gloomy lives.

Director:

John Schlesinger

Writers:

Malcolm Bradbury (screenplay), Stella Gibbons (novel)

Stars:

Eileen Atkins, Kate Beckinsale, Sheila Burrell

2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Eileen Atkins	...	Judith Starkadder
Kate Beckinsale	...	Flora Poste
Sheila Burrell	...	Ada Doom
Stephen Fry	...	Mybug
Freddie Jones	...	Adam Lambsbreath
Joanna Lumley	...	Mrs. Mary Smiling
Ian McKellen	...	Amos Starkadder
Miriam Margolyes	...	Mrs. Beetle
Rufus Sewell	...	Seth Starkadder
Ivan Kaye	...	Reuben Starkadder
Jeremy Peters	...	Urk
Maria Miles	...	Elfine Starkadder
Christopher Bowen	...	Charles Fairford
Louise Rea	...	Meriam Beetle
Sophie Revell	...	Rennet

Storyline

In England in the early 1930s, twenty-year-old Flora Poste, recently orphaned, and left with only one hundred pounds a year, goes to stay with distant relatives on Cold Comfort Farm. Everyone on the gloomy farm is completely round the twist, but Flora tries to sort everything out.

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Plot Keywords:

female protagonist | female led relationship | farm | 1930s | secret | 

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Taglines:

She discovered a new branch of her family tree... the one with all the nuts.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for brief sensuality and language

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 May 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cold Comfort Farm

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,139,000, 19 July 1996

Gross USA:

$5,596,906, 4 October 1996

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Thames International

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Charles Fairford's biplane is a 1930 De Havilland DH 60G Gipsy Moth (construction number 1259, registration G-ABAG).

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Goofs

Flora and Amos walk out of the farmstead to go to church. There are buildings and trees all around. Their conversation is continuous, but the next scene shows them walking straight up through a wide open field of grass with grain fields in the background. There's not a building in sight, and the only trees are in the far distance.

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Quotes

Ada Doom: You won't find me plucking my eyebrows, nor dieting, nor doting on a boy 25.

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: Jungle 2 Jungle/The Daytrippers/Kama Sutra/Good Luck/Gentlemen Don't Eat Poets (1997)

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Soundtracks

Tara's Theme
Composed by Max Steiner
Published by MCPS/Bourne Inc.
Performed by The London Festival Orchestra and Chorus

User Reviews

Amusing, or diverting...not "such fun"

I simply adore this movie! From beginning to end it shines with wit and hilarious depravity. Having read the book, I think it safe to say that this is one of the best transitions from page to screen. Everyone is perfectly cast in this - particularly Kate Beckinsale as Flora, Joanna Lumley as Mrs. Smiling, Eileen Atkins as Judith and Ian McKellen as Amos. Rufus Sewell makes for great eye-candy as Seth, and the virtually unknown Maria Miles is adorable as Elfine. Aunt Ada Doom, played by Sheila Burrell, constantly reminds us that "There have always been Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm," and although it's probably best to keep it that way, she's in for a few surprises. Flora's dealings with Mr. Mybug, hysterically portrayed by Stephen Fry, are alone worth the price of renting this movie.

Flora's decision to go to Cold Comfort Farm after her parents die sets the tone for the rest of the movie; it sounds "Interesting and appalling...the others just sound appalling!" If you want a good chuckle, or just love good British humor, by all means, see this movie!