Product Description Based on the bestselling novel by Joanna Trollope Recently returned to England from New York City, vivacious heiress Clodagh Unwin befriends a couple new to her village. The husband is entranced by the young aristocrat, but Clodagh has eyes for someone else: his wife, Alice. Alice has a gilded life--beautiful children, a handsome husband, and a stately home. Secretly, she’s depressed after the birth of her third child and unhappy in her marriage. Clodagh proves irresistible. But when tongues start wagging, the women learn that love might not be enough. Based on the bestselling novel by Joanna Trollope (Friday Nights, The Rector’s Wife) and filmed in picturesque countryside, this British production stars Sophie Ward (The Shell Seekers), Kerry Fox (Welcome to Sarajevo), Nathaniel Parker (The Inspector Lynley Mysteries), Jeremy Northam (Emma, The Tudors), Michael Gough (Batman), and Claire Bloom, with a young Keira Knightley in one of her first screen roles. DVD FEATURES INCLUDE cast filmographies and Joanna Trollope biography. .com Some people, like Sophie Ward's Alice Jordan, seem to have it all: picture-perfect house, handsome husband (Nathaniel Parker, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries), and charming children (Keira Knightley plays her daughter). Soon after she and Martin, an attorney, move back to his village, however, her mother-in-law, Cecily (Claire Bloom), tries to control their lives. And a bout with post-partum depression, has left the couple's marriage bed cold. At a party, the Jordans meet uninhibited heiress Clodagh (Kerry Fox) to whom Martin takes a shine, but Sophie finds her discomforting. Despite the thriller set-up, Moira Armstrong's sympathetic adaptation of Joanna Trollope's 1989 bestseller doesn't depict an outsider trying to worm her way into another woman's life, but an extravert who helps to bring an introvert out of her shell (Joanna claims Victorian novelist Anthony Trollope as a relation). Once Sophie realizes that Clodagh isn't after her husband, they become friends, and Sophie even begins to paint again, but when friendship turns to romance, coinciding with a visit from Martin's wastrel brother (Jeremy Northam), Sophie risks losing everything she holds dear. If Alice is too sensitive to qualify as a femme fatale, she isn't exactly a heroine either, since she can be just as controlling as Martin's mother and still depends on her parents to provide her income (Michael Gough plays her soft-touch father). In the U.K., Ward made waves when she came out of the closet shortly after making this better-than-average TV movie, unintentionally adding to the story's verisimilitude. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
P.when('A').execute(function(A) {
A.on('a:expander:toggle_description:toggle:collapse', function(data) {
window.scroll(0, data.expander.$expander[0].offsetTop-100);
});
});
Review Beautifully shot and acted, it's a winner. -- The Seattle TimesSexy and thoughtful without ever crossing the line into soapy trash. -- EFilm CriticThe entire story is beautifully acted in tender, touching and painfully real scenes. -- Monsters & Critics See more
Reviews
3.8
All from verified purchases
S**A
Addicted To Romance
I love lesbian romances that aren't too youthful or edgy (or political), and this fits the bill plus I liked the English village setting. The ending was unexpected but probably realistic. I also love LGBT-for-a-straight-mainstream-audience and Christmas romances, so let's see -- the perfect movie: A New York City-based lesbian Christmas comedy-romance for a mainstream audience! ... is it out there??
S**R
NOT FOR MOTHER'S DAY
The central character, Alice, holds the movie together. She has an essential decency and dignity that carry us over a rather improbable emotional arc, sexual and otherwise. Alice is unhappy, but not a selfish woman or neglectful mother. Having an affair, either with her brother-in-law or with the new gal in town, seems a stretch. And her apparent surprise at the downside of this act -- frowning villagers and traumatized relatives -- is also not quite credible. No one in the era in which this film was made would have expected much else from a gossipy English village.The bias against gay sex comes with the decision of her husband, who one imagines would have been more tolerant of a heterosexual affair. His response to the betrayal comes off as abnormally unglued. Infidelity is infidelity. Never nice, never easy to forgive. But people do manage to forgive, especially a first time offense.The counterpoint to this bias is the subtext that gay sex is better than the hetero version. This idea is conveyed by juxtaposing two candidates for an affair: one a lounge lizard male, the other an exuberant female. It seems an easy choice to make, and a relatively more healthy one since the gay affair also restores Alice to a sense of vitality. But Alice's character, sedate and obedient as it is, is not one to make this choice, at least not so quickly and so freely. Her decision seems imposed upon her by a too eager writer who has a lesson to teach.Perhaps the deeper problem, dramatically, is what is supposed to be an ideal marriage. Although we get many signals that all is not right, we don't ever quite grasp what is wrong. I didn't read the book, but would have liked more backstory as to what this couple is all about, before things begin to unravel.These issues aside, the film offers excellent acting, particularly by Sophie Ward and Nathaniel Parker.
J**R
A Village Affair
Sweet story and the best lesbian seduction scene ever. However, I was very disappointed at the ending. It's a wonder they didn't have a tree fall on her (the evil lesbian). It's my understanding that this film belied the book's ending so that's a bummer. Kerry Fox was great, as always. And Sophie Ward, well, you go girl!
W**T
Boring and predictable.
The story is boring and predictable. It is a waste of money. For the major characters, the acting is marginal, the set is OK. The only positive is that the movie will make you glad that you do not live in a village.
J**Y
Uphill battle as always
Not the best ending, but a true depiction of society and how it reacts to lesbianism.
M**A
Was a lesbian dalliance worth it?
Lonely wife with successful husband and three children dallies with a worldly-wise, possessive, selfish flirt. Everybody cries. Lives ruined. Good job.
V**6
Three Stars
This movie is more about a timid woman surrounded by narcissists than a lesbian affair.
B**Y
Five Stars
good story line, good acting. enjoyed also seeing a very young keira knightley in one of her first roles
C**Y
Good quality
Enjoyed it
M**N
Review
Good movie , thanks for releasing as a DVD
P**A
I don’t know
Not so bad but it doesn’t look like any other lesbians movie that I ever seen
M**N
Not just another middle class affair ...
The "grown up" approach to a lesbian love affair is something that is missing from most films of this genre. The secret lives of people in an English village, known by all apart from those closest, is fabulouusly highlighted. There are fabulous performances by some of the lesser supporting actors, and a strong lead from Sophie Ward. If you are tired of soft "hollywood" endings and seek more reality, you could do a lot worse than viewing this film.
C**R
Five Stars
parfait
Common Questions
Trustpilot
TrustScore 4.5 | 7,300+ reviews
Yusuf A.
Fantastic experience overall. Will recommend to friends and family.
1 month ago
Sneha T.
Received my product in pristine condition. Great service overall.
","image":["https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Cvf+RVE1L.jpg"],"offers":{"@type":"Offer","priceCurrency":"CHF","price":"30.52","itemCondition":"https://schema.org/NewCondition","availability":"https://schema.org/InStock","shippingDetails":{"deliveryTime":{"@type":"ShippingDeliveryTime","minValue":8,"maxValue":8,"unitCode":"d"}}},"category":" dvd","review":[{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"S***A"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2014","name":"5.0 out of 5 stars\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Addicted To Romance\n \n","reviewBody":"I love lesbian romances that aren't too youthful or edgy (or political), and this fits the bill plus I liked the English village setting. The ending was unexpected but probably realistic. I also love LGBT-for-a-straight-mainstream-audience and Christmas romances, so let's see -- the perfect movie: A New York City-based lesbian Christmas comedy-romance for a mainstream audience! ... is it out there??"},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"3.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"S***R"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2016","name":"3.0 out of 5 stars\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n NOT FOR MOTHER'S DAY\n \n","reviewBody":"The central character, Alice, holds the movie together. She has an essential decency and dignity that carry us over a rather improbable emotional arc, sexual and otherwise. Alice is unhappy, but not a selfish woman or neglectful mother. Having an affair, either with her brother-in-law or with the new gal in town, seems a stretch. And her apparent surprise at the downside of this act -- frowning villagers and traumatized relatives -- is also not quite credible. No one in the era in which this film was made would have expected much else from a gossipy English village.The bias against gay sex comes with the decision of her husband, who one imagines would have been more tolerant of a heterosexual affair. His response to the betrayal comes off as abnormally unglued. Infidelity is infidelity. Never nice, never easy to forgive. But people do manage to forgive, especially a first time offense.The counterpoint to this bias is the subtext that gay sex is better than the hetero version. This idea is conveyed by juxtaposing two candidates for an affair: one a lounge lizard male, the other an exuberant female. It seems an easy choice to make, and a relatively more healthy one since the gay affair also restores Alice to a sense of vitality. But Alice's character, sedate and obedient as it is, is not one to make this choice, at least not so quickly and so freely. Her decision seems imposed upon her by a too eager writer who has a lesson to teach.Perhaps the deeper problem, dramatically, is what is supposed to be an ideal marriage. Although we get many signals that all is not right, we don't ever quite grasp what is wrong. I didn't read the book, but would have liked more backstory as to what this couple is all about, before things begin to unravel.These issues aside, the film offers excellent acting, particularly by Sophie Ward and Nathaniel Parker."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"4.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"J***R"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2013","name":"4.0 out of 5 stars\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n A Village Affair\n \n","reviewBody":"Sweet story and the best lesbian seduction scene ever. However, I was very disappointed at the ending. It's a wonder they didn't have a tree fall on her (the evil lesbian). It's my understanding that this film belied the book's ending so that's a bummer. Kerry Fox was great, as always. And Sophie Ward, well, you go girl!"},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"1.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"W***T"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2012","name":"1.0 out of 5 stars\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Boring and predictable.\n \n","reviewBody":"The story is boring and predictable. It is a waste of money. For the major characters, the acting is marginal, the set is OK. The only positive is that the movie will make you glad that you do not live in a village."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"J***Y"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2016","name":"5.0 out of 5 stars\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Uphill battle as always\n \n","reviewBody":"Not the best ending, but a true depiction of society and how it reacts to lesbianism."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"2.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"M***A"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2016","name":"2.0 out of 5 stars\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Was a lesbian dalliance worth it?\n \n","reviewBody":"Lonely wife with successful husband and three children dallies with a worldly-wise, possessive, selfish flirt. Everybody cries. Lives ruined. Good job."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"3.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"V***6"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2016","name":"3.0 out of 5 stars\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Three Stars\n \n","reviewBody":"This movie is more about a timid woman surrounded by narcissists than a lesbian affair."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"B***Y"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2015","name":"5.0 out of 5 stars\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Five Stars\n \n","reviewBody":"good story line, good acting. enjoyed also seeing a very young keira knightley in one of her first roles"},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"C***Y"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 28, 2024","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Good quality\n \n","reviewBody":"Enjoyed it"},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"M***N"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in Canada on October 26, 2014","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Review\n \n","reviewBody":"Good movie , thanks for releasing as a DVD"},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"3.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"P***A"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in Canada on September 26, 2018","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n I don’t know\n \n","reviewBody":"Not so bad but it doesn’t look like any other lesbians movie that I ever seen"},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"M***N"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 7, 2004","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Not just another middle class affair ...\n \n","reviewBody":"The \"grown up\" approach to a lesbian love affair is something that is missing from most films of this genre. The secret lives of people in an English village, known by all apart from those closest, is fabulouusly highlighted. There are fabulous performances by some of the lesser supporting actors, and a strong lead from Sophie Ward. If you are tired of soft \"hollywood\" endings and seek more reality, you could do a lot worse than viewing this film."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"C***R"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in Canada on November 1, 2014","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Five Stars\n \n","reviewBody":"parfait"}],"aggregateRating":{"@type":"AggregateRating","ratingValue":3.923076923076923,"bestRating":5,"ratingCount":13}}
