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Kate Beckinsale leads a star-studded cast as the tidy-minded heroine, Flora Poste, in Malcolm Bradbury's BAFTA-winning adaptation of Stella Gibbons' comedy classic.
When sensible, sophisticated Flora Poste is orphaned at nineteen, she decides her only choice is to descend upon relatives in deepest Sussex, the Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm. Far from the refinement of 1930s London, the decidedly odd family are in need of organising, so who better than Flora to do it!
From the novel by Stella Gibbons.
Special features include filmographies, Stella Gibbons biography, picture gallery.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
This is an excellent film, playing out an imagined awful time in the deepest English countryside of the 30s, tongue in cheek throughout and very funny without being a straight comedy. Everything is first rate, great names, a big director and wonderful evocative sets, and all the time the script is played for real - however ridiculous and bizarre.
After my previous copy was given away some years ago, I was then irritated to find that it had been discontinued and I couldn't replace it, even chasing up the BBC and the holder of the DVD rights to find when it would be reissued - "no plans". I was therefore delighted when the regular Amazon email of available DVDs brought it to my notice a few weeks ago as once again in stock - proof that Amazon's computer mailings can be very helpful indeed.
After my previous copy was given away some years ago, I was then irritated to find that it had been discontinued and I couldn't replace it, even chasing up the BBC and the holder of the DVD rights to find when it would be reissued - "no plans". I was therefore delighted when the regular Amazon email of available DVDs brought it to my notice a few weeks ago as once again in stock - proof that Amazon's computer mailings can be very helpful indeed.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
"Cold Comfort Farm," Stella Gibbons' hilarious literary satire, is brought to life in this polished TV adaptation. Faithful to its source but never stuffy, the adaptation is full of solid performances and entertaining subplots and romance, even if it is a bit slow at times.
Flora Poste (Kate Beckinsale) is suddenly orphaned with only 100 pounds a year -- a piddling amount of money in high-society London. She aspires to be the next Jane Austen, and has no skills besides writing. (And given the number of times we hear "golden orb," writing isn't too good either) So she agrees to go live at Cold Comfort Farm. The farm is well-named -- it's dirty, primitive, and broke.
The backwater inhabitants include sex-and-movies-obsessed Seth (Rufus Sewell), hellfire preacher Amos (Ian McKellen), his depressed wife Judith (Eileen Atkins), and the unhinged old Aunt Ada Doom (Sheila Burrell), who "saw something nasty in the woodshed." Not to mention Elfine (Maria Miles), a farm girl in love with a young blueblood. With practicality to spare, Flora sets up love matches, fixes up the family feuds, and tidies up the homestead.
Take some nineteenth century novel's most primitive farms, and plop a practical, thoroughly independent young woman in the middle of it. Add a few dark mysteries -- what are Flora's "rights?" What did Aunt Ada see? -- and you have "Cold Comfort Farm." Stella Gibbons had a subtle, wry sense of humor, and the movie adaptation keeps the spirit alive.
It's lots of fun to see Flora cleaning up house, both literally and figuratively. She keeps trying to arrange everyone's lives so, in the long run, they'll be happy -- while postponing what might make herself happy. The plot moves at a rather slow clip, sprinkled with fun scenes like Elfine's makeover, or Amos's frenetic sermon (complete with graphic descriptions of hell's torments). Not to mention the dozens of funny lines, like Amos's deadpan, "Seth, you drain the well -- there's a neighbor missing."
Kate Beckinsale does a wonderful job as the no-nonsence Flora Poste. She's backed up by good performances: Stephen Fry's obnoxiously overenthusiastic Mr. Mybug, an unwanted suitor of Flora's, and Joanna Lumley as Flora's best pal and bra collector. Ian McKellen is particularly good as a wild-haired hellfire preacher. And Eileen Atkins drifts around in a morbid, pop-eyed stupor as Judith Starkadder.
"Cold Comfort Farm" is jolly good fun, a warm-hearted satire with plenty of excellent acting. Good fun for anyone who likes to poke fun at costume dramas and gothic family secrets.
Flora Poste (Kate Beckinsale) is suddenly orphaned with only 100 pounds a year -- a piddling amount of money in high-society London. She aspires to be the next Jane Austen, and has no skills besides writing. (And given the number of times we hear "golden orb," writing isn't too good either) So she agrees to go live at Cold Comfort Farm. The farm is well-named -- it's dirty, primitive, and broke.
The backwater inhabitants include sex-and-movies-obsessed Seth (Rufus Sewell), hellfire preacher Amos (Ian McKellen), his depressed wife Judith (Eileen Atkins), and the unhinged old Aunt Ada Doom (Sheila Burrell), who "saw something nasty in the woodshed." Not to mention Elfine (Maria Miles), a farm girl in love with a young blueblood. With practicality to spare, Flora sets up love matches, fixes up the family feuds, and tidies up the homestead.
Take some nineteenth century novel's most primitive farms, and plop a practical, thoroughly independent young woman in the middle of it. Add a few dark mysteries -- what are Flora's "rights?" What did Aunt Ada see? -- and you have "Cold Comfort Farm." Stella Gibbons had a subtle, wry sense of humor, and the movie adaptation keeps the spirit alive.
It's lots of fun to see Flora cleaning up house, both literally and figuratively. She keeps trying to arrange everyone's lives so, in the long run, they'll be happy -- while postponing what might make herself happy. The plot moves at a rather slow clip, sprinkled with fun scenes like Elfine's makeover, or Amos's frenetic sermon (complete with graphic descriptions of hell's torments). Not to mention the dozens of funny lines, like Amos's deadpan, "Seth, you drain the well -- there's a neighbor missing."
Kate Beckinsale does a wonderful job as the no-nonsence Flora Poste. She's backed up by good performances: Stephen Fry's obnoxiously overenthusiastic Mr. Mybug, an unwanted suitor of Flora's, and Joanna Lumley as Flora's best pal and bra collector. Ian McKellen is particularly good as a wild-haired hellfire preacher. And Eileen Atkins drifts around in a morbid, pop-eyed stupor as Judith Starkadder.
"Cold Comfort Farm" is jolly good fun, a warm-hearted satire with plenty of excellent acting. Good fun for anyone who likes to poke fun at costume dramas and gothic family secrets.
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
I first saw Cold Comfort Farm when it was shown on TV. It has taken me ages to track it down and had to pre-order it from Amazon, but the wait was worth it. My Husband wasn't too keen to watch it at first, but he laughed all the way through it.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not half bad!
This is a remarkably successful adaptation of a difficult book to capture. Although perhaps not having the sophistication of the TV series several years ago which tried to... Read more
Published 18 days ago by Adrian Drew
Very Funny
The book was recommended to me by a friend and I enjoyed it so much that I looked for the DVD. I had heard fo the book but had never read it before. Read more
Published 23 days ago by Mrs. Lorna Davis
Not a Patch on the Book
Telling a story in less time than it takes to make a descent bread pudding, I found this irritating to say the least. Read more
Published 1 month ago by T. Smith
Must See!!
My sister first showed me this when I was in Australia! It is quirky - and very funny!! We have converted others, and now you will often hear "I saw something nasty in the... Read more
Published 1 month ago by StatsMrs
One of my favorite films, but ...
... honestly, who on Earth releases a non-widescreen DVD in this day and age? I've long had the US laserdisc (widescreen) and thought, well, let's get the UK DVD for authenticity. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Vernon Street Archives
book review
I bought Cold comfort farm for my daughter who is studying A level english. she thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, although the book was in a rather tattered condition when it... Read more
Published 1 month ago by sherose12
for me
I read the book which was brilliant. the feel of the book did not follow to film, although it was still enjoyable to watch and made for a cosy night with a bowl of icecream. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Cat
You Owe It to Yourself Not to Bother
"Cold Comfort Farm" has to be one of the worst films I have ever had the misfortune of sitting through. Read more
Published 7 months ago by richievee
disappointing
Acting disappointing from some of the star studded cast. Fails to bring out the humour in what is in fact a satire, and turns it into a parody instead. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Dr. R. I. Button
cold comfort farm
Long wait for this dvd to be released but well worth it. Great cast but whatever happened to Kate Beckinsale and Rufus Sewell. Their careers obviously peaked too soon.
Published 8 months ago by wallersboy
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