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Sir John Mills, Peter Davison and Serena Scott Thomas star in this warm, funny and romantic story of a woman forced to make a new life for herself in a Cornish seaside town. Based on Mary Wesley s bestselling novel, Harnessing Peacocks is adapted by the multi-award-winning Andrew Davies (The Way We Live Now, Bridget Jones Diary). As a teenager, the beautiful Hebe was disowned by her family after becoming pregnant by a masked stranger during a fiesta in the Italian town of Lucca. Twelve years on, she has established herself in an unattractive terraced street in Penzance. Her official profession is part-time cook, catering to rich old ladies who value her personal attention. But Hebe has another source of income: she is a prostitute with a very limited set of wealthy male clients - her peacocks . The income from her dual role enables her to send her illegitimate son, Silas, to boarding school. Then, a mysterious figure enters the network of discreetly intersecting relationships that exists between Hebe, her clients and their families. And he is certain that he recognises her...
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Sir John Mills, Peter Davison and Serena Scott Thomas star in this warm, funny and romantic story of a woman forced to make a new life for herself in a Cornish seaside town. Based on Mary Wesley's bestselling novel, Harnessing Peacocks is adapted by the multi-award-winning Andrew Davies (The Way We Live Now, Bridget Jones' Diary). As a teenager, the beautiful Hebe was disowned by her family after becoming pregnant by a masked stranger during a fiesta in the Italian town of Lucca. Twelve years on, she has established herself in an unattractive terraced street in Penzance. Her official profession is part-time cook, catering to rich old ladies who value her personal attention. But Hebe has another source of income: she is a prostitute with a very limited set of wealthy male clients - her "peacocks". The income from her dual role enables her to send her illegitimate son, Silas, to boarding school. Then, a mysterious figure enters the network of discreetly intersecting relationships that exists between Hebe, her clients and their families. And he is certain that he recognises her... ...Harnessing Peacocks ( Mary Wesley's Harnessing Peacocks ) ( Harnessing Pea cocks )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
How does a young girl from a wealthy family with no skills or education support herself and her baby when they turn their backs on her? An absolutely charming film based on book by Mary Wesley. The characters are charming, the plot full of twists, the scenery is beautiful, and the guy gets his girl in the end. My aunt and I love it!
19 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The novelist, Mary Wesley once said that "a wildlife has a better taste". Although a lot of people know her most famous book, The Camomile Lawn, very few people these days know other novels she wrote in her lifetime. The writing career came late in her life. But her novels, Jumping the queue, Imaginative Experience and Harnessing Peacocks are my favourite books.
Her characters are mainly very English and she drew her inspiration from the life of the upper classes. They go to the public schools. They have black tie parties. They are educated, arty, unconventional, Bohemian and almost like the Bloomsbury characters who have unusual love affairs and ménage à trois. Unlike other romantic writers' works, her characters talk about sex quite openly (her works have been compared to as "Jane Austen plus sex"). Underneath the facade of the social superiority and class, she closely examines parental love and many aspects of women's and men's relations, including unrequited feelings of women for men. The dialogue is often deeply ironic.
Harnessing Peacock has a classical and romantic sense of time and place (the story is set in the most beautiful places in England). The story unfolds elegantly like Jane Austen's novel, Persuasion. It's a film to wallow in like a finely scented bath.
One would like to know why it took so long to release the adaptations of her novels on DVD. To me, these films on ITV are hidden gems. They were made during the 80's, in the heyday of Sloane Rangers and Le Cordon Bleu. Of course, like a Sloane, these characters talk posh (Hebe character in Harnessing Peacocks is a typical Sloane). They say the word "super" instead of "excellent". The depiction of Sloane Rangers seemed slightly outdated (and awful jumpers they wear!) but the acting is still fresh and these characters are still as endearing and funny as when they were first created.
One could only hope that the ITV will release all the other films based on Mary Wesley's novels including The Vacillations of Poppy Carew (filmed in 1995) and Jumping the Queue (filmed in 1989) directed by Claude Whatham, starring with Sheila Hancock, David Threlfall, Don Henderson.
Her characters are mainly very English and she drew her inspiration from the life of the upper classes. They go to the public schools. They have black tie parties. They are educated, arty, unconventional, Bohemian and almost like the Bloomsbury characters who have unusual love affairs and ménage à trois. Unlike other romantic writers' works, her characters talk about sex quite openly (her works have been compared to as "Jane Austen plus sex"). Underneath the facade of the social superiority and class, she closely examines parental love and many aspects of women's and men's relations, including unrequited feelings of women for men. The dialogue is often deeply ironic.
Harnessing Peacock has a classical and romantic sense of time and place (the story is set in the most beautiful places in England). The story unfolds elegantly like Jane Austen's novel, Persuasion. It's a film to wallow in like a finely scented bath.
One would like to know why it took so long to release the adaptations of her novels on DVD. To me, these films on ITV are hidden gems. They were made during the 80's, in the heyday of Sloane Rangers and Le Cordon Bleu. Of course, like a Sloane, these characters talk posh (Hebe character in Harnessing Peacocks is a typical Sloane). They say the word "super" instead of "excellent". The depiction of Sloane Rangers seemed slightly outdated (and awful jumpers they wear!) but the acting is still fresh and these characters are still as endearing and funny as when they were first created.
One could only hope that the ITV will release all the other films based on Mary Wesley's novels including The Vacillations of Poppy Carew (filmed in 1995) and Jumping the Queue (filmed in 1989) directed by Claude Whatham, starring with Sheila Hancock, David Threlfall, Don Henderson.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Serena Scott Thomas as Hebe, Peter Davison as Jim. John Mills as Bernard along with the supporting caste give firstrate performances in this very watchable dramatisation of the book by Mary Wesley. It's the kind of story that readily creates a 'feel good' state of mind in the viewer. It's a dateless work embued with a timelessness fitting in with any day and age. Hebe, so well portrayed by Serena Scott Thomas, comes across as a resourceful, intelligent young woman who has turned an early mistake into a lucrative business in the nicest possible way.
This production brings out the inherent humour within the tale without ever feeling the need to force it upon the viewer in the silly way that so often spoils adaptations of this kind. The affectations and quasi-moral standards of the nouveau riche are delightfully portrayed. Ms Scott Thomas's appearances in both full frontal and full rear view nude postures are a delight to behold as she portrays the 'I'm me: take me or leave me as I am' attitude of Hebe's character. Having made that one big mistake Hebe has become the good mother and strong woman who will now always be in charge even when she finally entraps the cause of her orginal faux pas. The whole story is a paean in praise of womanhood as, resplendant in her carriage drawn by her well-harnessed peacocks, she continues on her way ever triumphant.
This production brings out the inherent humour within the tale without ever feeling the need to force it upon the viewer in the silly way that so often spoils adaptations of this kind. The affectations and quasi-moral standards of the nouveau riche are delightfully portrayed. Ms Scott Thomas's appearances in both full frontal and full rear view nude postures are a delight to behold as she portrays the 'I'm me: take me or leave me as I am' attitude of Hebe's character. Having made that one big mistake Hebe has become the good mother and strong woman who will now always be in charge even when she finally entraps the cause of her orginal faux pas. The whole story is a paean in praise of womanhood as, resplendant in her carriage drawn by her well-harnessed peacocks, she continues on her way ever triumphant.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Love this
Very enjoyable and lovely to see all the mature actors eg. John Mills. Happy ending too which is always welcome !
Published 1 month ago by Plushrose
Twee Horizontal View
Disappointing and more dated than the year of production would lead one to expect. The story itself I found unconvincing (I haven't read the book), we're supposed to sympathise... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Stickler
harnessing peacocks
I dont really want to put forward a review I didn't really enjoy the video - not the way I enjoyed all the Mary Wesley books.
Published 4 months ago by noone
Harnessing Peacocks
This charming love story is Mary Wesley at her unpredictable best. It is very well acted with a perfect cast missing never a trick. Cannot recommend it enough.
Published 7 months ago by P. R. Millson
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