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ComedyRomance

Cold Comfort Farm

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

In this adaptation of the satirical British novel, Flora Poste, a plucky London society girl orphaned at age 19, finds a new home with some rough relatives, the Starkadders of Cold Comfort Farm. With a take-charge attitude and some encouragement from her mischievous friend, Mary, Flora changes the Starkadders' lives forever when she settles into their rustic estate, bringing the backward clan up to date and finding inspiration for her novel in the process.

Release Date : 1995-01-01

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Thames TelevisionBBC FilmBBCThames International

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Eileen Atkins

Character Name : Judith Starkadder

Original Name : Eileen Atkins

Gender : Female

Kate Beckinsale

Character Name : Flora Poste

Original Name : Kate Beckinsale

Gender : Female

Sheila Burrell

Character Name : Ada Doom

Original Name : Sheila Burrell

Gender : Female

Stephen Fry

Character Name : Mybug

Original Name : Stephen Fry

Gender : Male

Freddie Jones

Character Name : Adam Lambsbreath

Original Name : Freddie Jones

Gender : Male

Joanna Lumley

Character Name : Mary Smiling

Original Name : Joanna Lumley

Gender : Female

Ian McKellen

Character Name : Amos Starkadder

Original Name : Ian McKellen

Gender : Male

Miriam Margolyes

Character Name : Mrs. Beetle

Original Name : Miriam Margolyes

Gender : Female

Rufus Sewell

Character Name : Seth Starkadder

Original Name : Rufus Sewell

Gender : Male

Ivan Kaye

Character Name : Reuben Starkadder

Original Name : Ivan Kaye

Gender : Male

Jeremy Peters

Character Name : Urk

Original Name : Jeremy Peters

Gender : Male

Maria Miles

Character Name : Elfine Starkadder

Original Name : Maria Miles

Gender : Female

Christopher Bowen

Character Name : Charles Fairford

Original Name : Christopher Bowen

Gender : Male

Sophie Revell

Character Name : Rennet

Original Name : Sophie Revell

Gender : Male

Rupert Penry-Jones

Character Name : Dick Hawk-Monitor

Original Name : Rupert Penry-Jones

Gender : Male

Angela Thorne

Character Name : Mrs. Hawk-Monitor

Original Name : Angela Thorne

Gender : Female

Basil Hoskins

Character Name : Couturier

Original Name : Basil Hoskins

Gender : Male

William Osborne

Character Name : Coiffeur

Original Name : William Osborne

Gender : Male

Richard Bebb

Character Name : Hawk-Monitor Butler

Original Name : Richard Bebb

Gender : Male

William Scott-Masson

Character Name : Bikki

Original Name : William Scott-Masson

Gender : Male

Robert James

Character Name : Mr. McKnag

Original Name : Robert James

Gender : Male

Pat Keen

Character Name : Aunt Gwen

Original Name : Pat Keen

Gender : Female

Harry Ditson

Character Name : Earl P. Neck

Original Name : Harry Ditson

Gender : Male

Trevor Baxter

Character Name : Sneller

Original Name : Trevor Baxter

Gender : Male

Tim Myers

Character Name : Mr. Hawk-Monitor

Original Name : Tim Myers

Gender : Male

Frederick Jaeger

Character Name : Doctor Adolph Müdel

Original Name : Frederick Jaeger

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-05-02

I'm not sure "Flora" (Kate Beckinsale) really knew what to expect when she arrived at the home of her more rustic family at the eponymous location. Farmhouses always look so welcoming and inviting, but one step through the door here and she might as well have stepped back through time. With a cast of characters named as if they were inspired by Charles Dickens, John Schlesinger takes us on a darkly humorous trip through the lives (and loves) of this community. "Can someone wash my curtains?" she enquires... "I think they're red but I'd like to be sure". She's got a meagre £100 per year, but that's a fortune for many who live a life trading hens and chickens and getting up to all sorts in the hay loft. Of course, there's loads of romantic shenanigans going on too as her wealthy cousin "Charles" (Christopher Bowen) takes an unrequited shine to her whilst she prefers life with her guilt-stricken relative "Starkadder" (Eileen Atkins) whilst all are under the thumb of the reclusive "Aunt Ada" (the scene stealing Sheila Burrell). This is a society where nothing is as is seems or straightforward and any novel that "Flora" might choose to write in later life is going to be a colourful affair! The story is whimsically engaging enough but it's really the assemblage of talent here that makes this work. Freddie Jones, the cheekily expressive Miriam Margolyes, Stephen Fry, Sir Ian McKellen and Joanna Lumley (never a very versatile actress, I find) all chip into this tale of the startling hypocrisy existing between the vulgar and crass and the prim and the proper. It looks good, flows well and shows what can be done when everyone is on board for a bit of a muddy romp.