The Camomile Lawn [DVD]

This mini-TV series was an absolute delight. The scenes, plot, actors everything!All performances were superb right from ten-year old Rebecca Hall (incredible and 'natural' actress!) to old favourites such as felicity Kendal and the cameos of Richard Johnson et al. The hints of, dare I say, 'child abuse' involving young Sophy were so delicately handled as to almost not be there at all. The overall sexual innuendo - intertwined throughout the series - was again almost not there; just a natural extended family doing what natural extended families have been doing since the beginning of time.I caught an episode on TV some years after it was made and was entrapped from the word go but not being an avid TV-watcher missed subsequent episodes. So I tracked it down on Amazon, bought it, and now know that this is one of the most prized DVDs that I have ever purchased. The DVD quality is good, no different to as shown on TV, and worth every penny. I'll watch it and watch it and treasure it always.This story was about Sophy. Others might disagree, but it starts with young Sophy (Rebecca Hall) and ends with older Sophy (Claire Bloom, wow!). The story follows Sophy's life. Everything else is going on around her, but it IS her life that the story is centered on. Also, I thought the twins were hillarious how they mimicked each other's every thought and word - so if you want: a brilliant story, drama, sex, humour, great acting, beautiful scenery - buy it! As I said: A Delight!

An excellent version of the true story.Absolutely the best.

The Camomile Lawn tells the story of how members of one large extended family go through a progressive loss of innocence prior, during and after WWII. The opening chapter is concerned with family holidays to Uncle Richard's house in Cornwall where Oliver, Calypso, Sophy and Polly enjoy fabulous visits and carefree experiences. Once war is declared, that idyllic existence is tarnished as one by one they all feel the effects of the war. Subsequently, many years later, the older versions of the main characters all congregate for a funeral where they share their experiences and reopen old wounds and rivalries.its hard to believe that its been 22 years since this excellent mini series was aired on channel 4. Although relatively low budget, the actors do a great job with a sharp script and inject a real vibrancy into their characters. Jennifer Ehle and Tara Fitzgerald stand out as the beauties of the piece, but the whole cast are good and the "oldies" are a faithful representation of what the younger characters would likely evolve into.Mary wesley always liked to blow a long, protracted raspberry at the upper classes in her novels, but in "The cammomile lawn" she exchanges her sarcasm for fondess of the courage (although often flawed) of the war generation. As with any Wesley novel, she shows characters who are deeply complicated and have differing measures of virtue and deceit. This translates well to the screen in this adaptation.The 80's and early 90's produced some wonderful T.V. period pieces which I think would be difficult to make with the same degree of affection today. Perhaps it's just the years passing, but as that period becomes less relevant to the modern generation, I have noticed the shift from warm nostaglia to matter of fact story telling in subsequent productions of recent years.Great fun and has something for every "Mad dog and Englishman!"

I fell in love with this wonderful adaptation of Mary Wesley's novel when it was first broadcast on Channel 4 in 1992, and it has remained my favourite period drama to this day.Brilliantly acted by a superb cast including Felicity Kendall and Paul Eddington, 'The Camomile Lawn' follows the lives of a group of young cousins, their family and friends through two timelines (WWII and the mid 1980's). The story manages to be wickedly decadent and funny, but also touching, sad and occasionally shocking. The horrors of life during the war are accurately depicted, giving the viewer a real sense of what it would have been like during those dark days. The period costumes are excellent and the Cornish scenery is simply breathtaking (the family's beautiful house which overlooks the sea is apparently now a B&B that you can actually stay in!).'The Camomile Lawn' does deal with adult themes and contains very strong language and some full frontal nudity that may be offensive to anyone expecting a Downton Abbey style production. But for more broad minded viewers (especially those with an interest in WWII), it is a thoroughly absorbing, entertaining and thought provoking series that can be enjoyed time and time again. Highly recommended.

I enjoyed this DVD of Mary Wesley's Camomile Lawn very much more than the book, presumably greatly to the credit of its Director Peter Hall but also to the strong cast. All are good but of particular note are Felicity Kendall who gives a tremendous performance, the eye-pleasing Jennifer Ehle whether clothed or not, her sensible counterpart Tara Fitzgerald, similarly eye-pleasing but in a quieter way, and Rebecca Hall as the juvenile star. And of course there is the coast of Cornwall - contrasting with scenes of London in the blitz with a memorable scene of Tara and Rebecca on the phone to Cornwall from under a table while near-hit bombs (and the ceiling) were falling. Its the sort of film that lives with you for days after the viewing and which you want to go back to and relish.

How different are lives and thinking nowadays. Even when 'naughty' things were happening there was none of theendless crudity and vulgarity one has to put up with every day in reality and on the television. I maybe old-fashioned but there seems to be very little charm anymore. Charm is seen in this very well received film. Please do watch it for the different characters and the way they all behave with one another! Highly recommended!