ma-cortes
Compulsive gambler Sir Giles(Christopher Plummer) has lost his money an estate playing against Lord Wrotham(Edward Fox) . He realises which he only has one thing , his gorgeous daughter Serena(Helena Bonham Carter). Giles stakes his daughter's hand in marriage to villain Lord. Sir Giles lost and he commits suicide himself. Then Lord Justin Vulcan(Marcus Gilbert) is witnessed the deeds and stakes Lord Wrotham to play dices. Justin wins and he now finding himself as owner of the Gilles's mansion and Serena.Lord Justin installs her as a guest at Mandrake palace with maid included(Anna Massey). Trouble is, he can not marry her, until she solves the secret issues contains the mansion.Unfortunately, she becomes a strange into the house and the ambitious Justin's mother , Lady Harriet Vulcan( a despicable Diana Rigg) has less than honorable intentions over Serena.This is a romance-drama plenty of suspense, intrigue, dark secrets,passion and plot-twists. It's an amusing movie and regency romance fans will appreciate the attention to period detail. Based on the romance novel with similar title by Barbara Catland. In fact belongs to quatrain movies directed by John Hough, with similar scenarios and style; same producer(Albert Fennell, Sir Lew Grade), musician(Laurie Johnson) and author(Barbara Catland), these are : 'A ghost of Montecarlo'(Lysette Anthony,Sarah Miles, Marcus Gilbert), 'The lady and the highway man'(Hugh Grant, Lysette Anthony) and 'Duel of Hearts'(Alison Doody, Michael York).The motion picture is professionally directed by John Hough. He has an eclectic and long filmmaker career , starting in TV movies(The protectors, Avengers), directing Hammer movies(Twins of evil), mediocre horror films(Howling IV, American Gothic), adventures(Island of treasure) and wholesome Disney family fare(Return and escape to witch mountain).Rating : Acceptable and passable, this television movie will like to romantic stories fans.
Stacey Woods
I love this movie and have done since I first saw it many years ago.The script is firmly buried in cliché and is in places laughable (She's about to have the vapours - I'll lay odds on it!) but that only adds to its charm.An impressive early performance from Helena Bonham-Carter as the spunky country-mouse, and a first look at Marcus Gilbert (phoaar) as the brooding-yet-misunderstood-and-hunky Lord Vulcan provides the energy of the movie, but the old guard (Diana Rigg, Stewart Granger, Anna Massey et al) provide the seasoning which makes this a most palatable effort.I have now seen this about a hundred times and can practically talk along with it, but it never gets old, never gets tired and the DVD will be my next purchase (I *shall* have it!).
Rosabel
This movie is such trash, but so totally unpretentious in its trashiness that one can't get too indignant at it. It's based on a Barbara Cartland novel - well, what more is there to say? I will carry with me forever some of the ridiculous lines and scenes from this movie, especially Edward Fox as a Regency villain, sitting on a horse and declaiming lustfully "I *shall* have her!" as he contemplates the winsome Helena Bonham-Carter. Just too funny for words; oh, MST3K, why were you taken from us before the greatest movie of them all came along?
pie-3
I have seen this movie more times than any other. My mother taped it off television and my sisters and I would watch it every day after school. I recently watched it again after not having seen it for several years, and despite my expectations of disappointment, I loved it just as much as ever. The old commercials are a kick too (pre-bunny Energizer commercials - TOO RIGHT THE EXTRAORDINARY ENERGIZER IT'LL SURPRISE YA!)If you think, as I do, that Helena Bonham-Carter is one of the most charming faces and voices around, you will enjoy this young vision of her. And her eyebrows are more active here than anywhere else.
AD
