- Actors: Sarah Miles, Joss Ackland, Greta Scacchi, Charles Dance, Geraldine Chaplin
- Directors: Michael Radford
- Writers: Michael Radford, James Fox, Jonathan Gems
- Producers: Michael White, Simon Bosanquet, Simon Perry
- Format: PAL
- Language English
- Classification: 18
- Studio: Cinema Club
- Run Time: 107 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B000057DIE
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,949 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
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Product details |
Product Description
Synopsis
Elegant tale based on James Fox's book about the British colony living in Kenya's Happy Valley during the early days of WW2 and the true story of a husband's response to the local stud stealing his beautiful wife. Diana falls in love with Joss Hay (Charles Dance), who publicly flaunts his desire for Broughton's wife.
Product Description
Take a desperate group of expatriates, the blazing beauty of Kenya in 1940 and the volatility of passions unchecked in extra marital affairs and the result is murder of the Earl of Erroll in Kenya's British colony known as Happy Valley during the 40's in this very true account of a steamy story.
Based on one of the most scandalous murders in British history, White Mischief transpires in Kenya at a time just before the beginning of World War II. Jock Broughton (Joss Ackland) is a wealthy rancher who becomes taken with a young gold-digger named Diana (Greta Scacchi). Even though he is fully aware of her reasons for doing so, the pair wed. Broughton falls on hard times and loses his fortune. The hedonistic Earl of Erroll (Charles Dance) realizes this change of fortune may make Diana more open to engaging in an affair. One evening, Erroll is found murdered. Broughton is tried for the crime.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
50 of 52 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
One of my favourites but almost inaccessible - not currently for sale as a DVD and to my knowledge never shown on UK TV since 2001 - yet this is a classic, a first rate production that qualifies for cult status. This gorgeously filmed tale of a colony of hedonistic British upper-class expatriates near Nairobi in the 1940s continues to resonate with me after many years and many other films.
Based on James Fox's novel of the same name and subtly directed by Michael Radford, these shallow, self-absorbed residents of "Happy Valley" pursued a debauched search for pleasure through sex, drugs, alcohol, cross-dressing soirees, spouse-swapping get-togethers, and even a cocktail reception in a cemetery.
The primary focus is based on a triangular relationship that actually occurred between cynical, selfish, young and beautiful Diana Caldwell Broughton (Greta Scacchi), her betrayed, elderly husband Sir John Delves Broughton (Joss Ackland), and amoral Josslyn Hay, the 22nd Earl of Erroll (Charles Dance). When the Earl is found shot to death, Sir John is the obvious suspect because of the flaunted affair between the Earl and Diana. He is brought to trial but several other men - and women - share the same motive; in real life, the murder was never solved and a later book, on Lord Erroll by Trzebinski, claims the Earl was executed because he was a spy.
This is fascinating and compelling viewing. Stars and supporting cast (notably John Hurt, Sarah Miles, Trevor Howard, and Geraldine Chaplin) are all outstanding. Greta Scacchi is never again quite as luminously beautiful as in this steamy, sordid African mystery. Sumptuously filmed on location by Roger Deakins, the film vividly contrasts raw and wild nature with the decadence of Happy Valley's dissolute aristocrats.
The story is gripping, the acting superb, the sets are marvelous, the scenery magnificent, both Greta Scacchi and Charles Dance are gorgeous - this is a fascinating and compelling film.
Based on James Fox's novel of the same name and subtly directed by Michael Radford, these shallow, self-absorbed residents of "Happy Valley" pursued a debauched search for pleasure through sex, drugs, alcohol, cross-dressing soirees, spouse-swapping get-togethers, and even a cocktail reception in a cemetery.
The primary focus is based on a triangular relationship that actually occurred between cynical, selfish, young and beautiful Diana Caldwell Broughton (Greta Scacchi), her betrayed, elderly husband Sir John Delves Broughton (Joss Ackland), and amoral Josslyn Hay, the 22nd Earl of Erroll (Charles Dance). When the Earl is found shot to death, Sir John is the obvious suspect because of the flaunted affair between the Earl and Diana. He is brought to trial but several other men - and women - share the same motive; in real life, the murder was never solved and a later book, on Lord Erroll by Trzebinski, claims the Earl was executed because he was a spy.
This is fascinating and compelling viewing. Stars and supporting cast (notably John Hurt, Sarah Miles, Trevor Howard, and Geraldine Chaplin) are all outstanding. Greta Scacchi is never again quite as luminously beautiful as in this steamy, sordid African mystery. Sumptuously filmed on location by Roger Deakins, the film vividly contrasts raw and wild nature with the decadence of Happy Valley's dissolute aristocrats.
The story is gripping, the acting superb, the sets are marvelous, the scenery magnificent, both Greta Scacchi and Charles Dance are gorgeous - this is a fascinating and compelling film.
15 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape|Amazon Verified Purchase
Having known a lady who was in Kenya from 1943 (3 years after the events on which this film is based) and having an English wife born in British East Africa a dozen years later, White Mischief was of huge interest to me quite apart from its intrinsic merit.
Jock Delves-Broughton (Joss Ackland) is in financial trouble and has left 1940 England with creditors pressing (not surprising: he spent up to £120,000 annually, equivalent to perhaps £5 million or even £10 million today!). He buys a place near Nairobi and settles with his much younger and very beautiful (especially but not only when unclothed) wife Diana (Greta Scacchi). She has been "bought" by him in return for an allowance of £80,000 annually, for 7 years. She, however, falls in love with the dissolute local landowner and part-time (it seems!) officer Errol (Earl of) (Charles Dance). They wish to marry. Jock pretends to agree, then suddently, Errol is found shot in the head on a country road. Delves-Broughton is tried for murder and acquitted. The plot reaches its denouement from there.
There is too much of an attempt to mix this story with the admittedly connected tale of the wifeswappers of "Happy Valley", a set based in a glen in the Aberdare Mountains, where fornication, adultery, drinking and some drug-taking took place in the 1930's and early 1940's. Although the middle and upper ranks of white settler society did contain a higher proportion of louche characters (remittance-men, the idle rich, war-evaders, more or less available women etc) than might have been the case back in England, the Happy Valley set was always a small minority.
Although not mentioned in the film, the Earl of Carnarvon (cf. No Regrets and Ermine Tales) sent a famous telegram to Delves-Broughton after the trial, using racing terminology: "Won by a neck, cleverly." ! That signal is now framed in the bar of White's Club in St. James', London.
I can recommend this film to anyone. Greatly entertaining, never boring and, if the ending is slightly anti-climactic, well...that is true to history. Like the society it shows, the film slightly peters out, but is not much the worse for that. The locations are great, the acting perfect.
Jock Delves-Broughton (Joss Ackland) is in financial trouble and has left 1940 England with creditors pressing (not surprising: he spent up to £120,000 annually, equivalent to perhaps £5 million or even £10 million today!). He buys a place near Nairobi and settles with his much younger and very beautiful (especially but not only when unclothed) wife Diana (Greta Scacchi). She has been "bought" by him in return for an allowance of £80,000 annually, for 7 years. She, however, falls in love with the dissolute local landowner and part-time (it seems!) officer Errol (Earl of) (Charles Dance). They wish to marry. Jock pretends to agree, then suddently, Errol is found shot in the head on a country road. Delves-Broughton is tried for murder and acquitted. The plot reaches its denouement from there.
There is too much of an attempt to mix this story with the admittedly connected tale of the wifeswappers of "Happy Valley", a set based in a glen in the Aberdare Mountains, where fornication, adultery, drinking and some drug-taking took place in the 1930's and early 1940's. Although the middle and upper ranks of white settler society did contain a higher proportion of louche characters (remittance-men, the idle rich, war-evaders, more or less available women etc) than might have been the case back in England, the Happy Valley set was always a small minority.
Although not mentioned in the film, the Earl of Carnarvon (cf. No Regrets and Ermine Tales) sent a famous telegram to Delves-Broughton after the trial, using racing terminology: "Won by a neck, cleverly." ! That signal is now framed in the bar of White's Club in St. James', London.
I can recommend this film to anyone. Greatly entertaining, never boring and, if the ending is slightly anti-climactic, well...that is true to history. Like the society it shows, the film slightly peters out, but is not much the worse for that. The locations are great, the acting perfect.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
One of my favourites but almost inaccessible - not currently for sale as a DVD and to my knowledge never shown on UK TV since 2001 - yet this is a classic, a first rate production that qualifies for cult status. This gorgeously filmed tale of a colony of hedonistic British upper-class expatriates near Nairobi in the 1940s continues to resonate with me after many years and many other films.
Based on James Fox's novel of the same name and subtly directed by Michael Radford, these shallow, self-absorbed residents of "Happy Valley" pursued a debauched search for pleasure through sex, drugs, alcohol, cross-dressing soirees, spouse-swapping get-togethers, and even a cocktail reception in a cemetery.
The primary focus is based on a triangular relationship that actually occurred between cynical, selfish, young and beautiful Diana Caldwell Broughton (Greta Scacchi), her betrayed, elderly husband Sir John Delves Broughton (Joss Ackland), and amoral Josslyn Hay, the 22nd Earl of Erroll (Charles Dance). When the Earl is found shot to death, Sir John is the obvious suspect because of the flaunted affair between the Earl and Diana. He is brought to trial but several other men - and women - share the same motive; in real life, the murder was never solved and a later book, on Lord Erroll by Trzebinski, claims the Earl was executed because he was a spy.
This is fascinating and compelling viewing. Stars and supporting cast (notably John Hurt, Sarah Miles, Trevor Howard, and Geraldine Chaplin) are all outstanding. Greta Scacchi is never again quite as luminously beautiful as in this steamy, sordid African mystery. Sumptuously filmed on location by Roger Deakins, the film vividly contrasts raw and wild nature with the decadence of Happy Valley's dissolute aristocrats.
The story is gripping, the acting superb, the sets are marvelous, the scenery magnificent, both Greta Scacchi and Charles Dance are gorgeous - this is a fascinating and compelling film.
Based on James Fox's novel of the same name and subtly directed by Michael Radford, these shallow, self-absorbed residents of "Happy Valley" pursued a debauched search for pleasure through sex, drugs, alcohol, cross-dressing soirees, spouse-swapping get-togethers, and even a cocktail reception in a cemetery.
The primary focus is based on a triangular relationship that actually occurred between cynical, selfish, young and beautiful Diana Caldwell Broughton (Greta Scacchi), her betrayed, elderly husband Sir John Delves Broughton (Joss Ackland), and amoral Josslyn Hay, the 22nd Earl of Erroll (Charles Dance). When the Earl is found shot to death, Sir John is the obvious suspect because of the flaunted affair between the Earl and Diana. He is brought to trial but several other men - and women - share the same motive; in real life, the murder was never solved and a later book, on Lord Erroll by Trzebinski, claims the Earl was executed because he was a spy.
This is fascinating and compelling viewing. Stars and supporting cast (notably John Hurt, Sarah Miles, Trevor Howard, and Geraldine Chaplin) are all outstanding. Greta Scacchi is never again quite as luminously beautiful as in this steamy, sordid African mystery. Sumptuously filmed on location by Roger Deakins, the film vividly contrasts raw and wild nature with the decadence of Happy Valley's dissolute aristocrats.
The story is gripping, the acting superb, the sets are marvelous, the scenery magnificent, both Greta Scacchi and Charles Dance are gorgeous - this is a fascinating and compelling film.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
White Mischief
Great movie with a wonderful cast - just pure entertainment! Why dont they make more films like this nowadays? I had this on Video and waited to get the DVD. Read more
Published 18 days ago by Dazza D
excellent DVD
It was ashame that on the day this DVD was released it was shown on TV, where anyone with a DVD recorder could have recorded it for free.
Published 7 months ago by andyr2541
Overlooked Gem
This is a great film, but I'm really confused as to why it's not readily available as an English release! Read more
Published 19 months ago by G. Feldwick
UKdvdsonline
Synopsis - Take a desperate group of expatriates, the blazing beauty of Kenya in 1940 and the volatility of passions unchecked in extra marital affairs and the result is murder of... Read more
Published 19 months ago by M. Arnold
Region 2 Europe
It should have been made very clear that the DVD is in German. region 2 release from Europe did not give me a clue. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Ayh Graham
Confusing
The dvd is excellent. The problem with the merchandise was that the cover was completely different, and the text was in German. Read more
Published on 28 May 2010 by C. Mosley
White Mischief - A cult classic
I love this film, I loved it way back when I first saw it on TV and have been trying to purchase it ever since. Read more
Published on 6 Oct 2009 by D. Taylor
Review of 'White Mischief'
I purchased this as gift so have not seen the DVD. However, the recipient was very pleased with it. She couldn't find a way of removing the German sub-titles but this was not a... Read more
Published on 17 July 2009 by B. Dedman
A masterpiece of untold bluntness
Kenya in 1940 while London is being crushed by German bombs into a mount of rubbles. There the English are leading the most paradisiacal life, so they say, in fact a life that... Read more
Published on 10 Sep 2006 by Jacques COULARDEAU
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