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Women In Love [1969]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Before director Ken Russell's name became synonymous with cinematic extravagance and overkill, he actually directed what is one of the most passionate and involving adaptations of DH Lawrence in recent memory. Oliver Reed and Alan Bates star as friends who fall in love with a pair of sisters (Jennie Linden and Glenda Jackson, who won an Oscar for the role). But the relationships take markedly different directions, as Russell explores the nature of commitment and love. Bates and Linden learn to give themselves to each other; the more withdrawn Reed cannot, finally, connect with the demanding and challenging Jackson. Shot with great sensuality, Women in Love was surprisingly frank for its period (1970) and includes one of the most charged scenes in movie history: Bates and Reed as manly men, wrestling nude by firelight. --Marshall Fine


Nicely authentic feeling adaption of the tragi-romance
Review date: 2008-02-16 Rating: 8 out of 10

This is a nice film, satisfying in so many ways, even if the sad conclusion is anything but, but that's the nature of romantic tragedy. This is Oliver Reed's finest film performance (apart from maybe Gladiator), and must be Ken Russell's best movie bar none. Good authentic adaption of DHL, a writer whose works often arouse strong emotions one way or another. In fact human emotion is often the main focus of all his works, rather than the more overt themes of class, or raw passion. This film has a lovely period feel to it, is very intimate in its portrayal of the relationships between people with different personalities and feelings, and it distills the mood or essence of DHL perfectly. If you're prepared for a more involving, slower paced sort of romantic drama then this film is for you. More emotionally engaging than it may look, with its emphasis on the visual rather than the dramatic, as always with Russell. But what saves this becoming a mere art piece is a great piece of acting from Jackson in particular, but also a deep and broodingly memorable performance by Reed, which was probably coaxed out of him by his great drinking partner, Russell.

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Reviews


For fans of the book
Review date: 2004-12-14 Rating: 6 out of 10

This is a film that now looks unfortunately dated but it still has something to offer fans of Lawrence. I had a love/hate relationship with the book and so was desperate to see the film. It gave me a better understanding of the characters and their motivations which, in the book, seemed quite unreal and strange at times but make more sense when you see them acted.
Great performances from the whole cast, especially Glenda Jackson and Oliver Reed, although both characters are jarringly annoying (as I suspect they are intended to be).

Buy The Region 1 release for Ken's commentary
Review date: 2004-08-16 Rating: 10 out of 10

The five stars is for the film, but the DVD itself only rates as a 3. The picture quality is superb and in the correct non-anamorphic ratio, but, as usual, British customers have been stuffed because the disc released in Britain has been shorn of the extras available on the American Region 1 disc. The British disc does not have the commentary by Ken Russell; it does not have the commentary by the screenwriter, Larry Kramer; and it does not have the excellent photo gallery containing many previously unpublished photographs from the set.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Oliver Reed
Jennie Linden
Glenda Jackson
Eleanor Bron
Alan Bates

Creators:
Alan Bates (Primary Contributor)
Oliver Reed (Primary Contributor)
Billy Williams (Cinematographer)
Michael Bradsell (Editor)
Larry Kramer (Producer)
Larry Kramer (Writer)
Martin Rosen (Producer)
Roy Baird (Producer)
D.H. Lawrence (Writer)

Director(s):

Recording label: MGM Entertainment
Manufacturer: MGM Entertainment
EAN: 5050070021561
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2004-08-02
Number of discs: 1
Audience rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 125 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1970-03-25
Language: English (Original Language)

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