Lady Chatterley (2006)

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

Director:

Pascale Ferran

Writers:

D.H. Lawrence (novel), Roger Bohbot

Stars:

Marina Hands, Jean-Louis Coulloc'h, Hippolyte Girardot

11 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marina Hands	...	Constance
Jean-Louis Coulloc'h	...	Parkin
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)

Storyline

Sir Clifford has returned from the Great War to his estate near Sheffield, paralyzed from the waist down. Lady Constance, his young wife, cares for him, but she's lifeless, enervated. Her physician prescribes the open air, and she finds a quiet retreat at the hut - the workplace - of Parkin, the estate's gamekeeper. The rhythms of nature awaken Connie - daffodils, pheasant chicks - and soon she and Parkin become lovers. She's now radiant. Parkin, too, opens up. Class distinctions and gender roles may be barriers to the affair becoming more. Connie's trip to France, with her father and sister, bring the lovers to a nuanced resolution.

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Plot Keywords:

female pubic hair | f rated | unhappy marriage | female removes her clothes | panties | 

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Taglines:

Based on one of the most scandalous novels of our time

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality and graphic nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Spain]

Country:

Belgium France

Language:

French

Release Date:

1 November 2006 (France)

Also Known As:

Amantul doamnei Chatterley

Filming Locations:

Château de Montmery, Ambazac, Haute-Vienne, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$32,814, 24 June 2007

Gross USA:

$687,414

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,200,383

Company Credits

Production Co:

Maïa Films, Arte France, Saga Film (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

168 min 220 min (2 parts) (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie is based on an alternate draft of D.H. Lawrence's novel unpublished until after his death, hence why the game keeper is called "Parkin" instead of "Mellors".

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Goofs

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

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Connections

Version of Lady Chatterley's Stories (2000)

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Soundtracks

Valse triste, Op.44
Composed by Jean Sibelius

User Reviews

Commentary

"Lady Chatterley" is one of the few recent films that steps gracefully away from exorbitantly expensive computer-generated images of,say,giant robots that deal with battling armies or trigger happy pirates on the high seas or for that manner the all around average horror flick. Instead of using big-budget special effects,French director Pascale Ferran does something antiquated and perhaps forgotten by the American audience-she uses old fashioned cimematopgraphy and relies on the talents of her actors to tell the story. The reason of why this works so very well is because the movie is straightforward in going by the novel by D.H. Lawrence. And the results paid off becoming the highest grossing picture in its native France-winning five Cesars including Best Picture. And this is far better version then other movies based on the title character.

Morina Hands stars as Lady Constance Chatterley,the wife of an affluent nobleman,Clifford Chatterley(Hippolyte Girardot)in post World War I England. Together,the two portray perfectly the standard stuffy marriage between two members of the English upper class. Girardot conveys the sort of distance and arrogance one might expect for a rich industrialist,while Hands brings to life the stifled and quiet misery of Lady Chatterley. Things change when Constance embarks on a journey of self-discovery by opening both her mind-and her body-to her husband's gamekeeper,Parkin(Jean-Louis Coullo'ch). As her first hesitant trysts with Parkin develop into a torrid love affair,the audiences witnesses a prim aristocrat,estranged from a sense of wonder and vitality,reawaken and rediscover what it really means to be a woman.

This deliberate ans sensuous movie is not for the impatient. Its value comes from absorbing ever shot,mild or vibrant,from people engaging in menial domestic tasks to passionate love scenes amidst the lush countryside of Chatterley's estate. Those who looking for the fast-paced action and over-the-top explosions of Hollywood blockbusters may find Lady Chatterley to be no more than a three hour-snooze fest that is punctuated by titillating scenes of nudity and some explicit sexual content(there is one scene were a man's private part is aroused during sexual intercourse)since this is a strictly adult picture that has a running time of 169 minutes and it is for mature audiences. For the rest of you who may not had the chance to read Lawrence's classic novel,the film serves as an astoundingly realistic glimpse of a woman's life in a society far removed from our own.