# Cold Comfort Farm (film)

Cold Comfort Farm is a 1995 British comedy film directed by John Schlesinger and produced by the BBC and Thames Television, an adaptation of Stella Gibbons' 1932 book of the same name, the film stars Kate Beckinsale, Joanna Lumley, Ian McKellen and Rufus Sewell. Originally broadcast on 1 January 1995 on the BBC, it was Schlesinger's final film shot in his home country of Britain, and was picked up for theatrical release in North America through Gramercy Pictures, where it was a small success.

## Plot

After the death of her parents, young Flora Poste goes to stay with her friend, the eccentric divorcee Mrs. Mary Smiling. Flora aspires to be a writer, deciding that the only way for her to live whilst researching her writing is to stay with one of her many “dreadful” relatives. Mary suggests anything else, including beekeeping. Whilst staying with Mary, Flora meets Charles Fairford, who develops feelings for her.
Because of her relative lack of means, her city-based relations show no interest. Flora sends letters to her country relatives. While the smattering of responses are generally unsuitable, one is intriguing due to the mysterious reply stating they owe her father due to a wrong done. Flora chooses to stay for a while with the Starkadder branch of the family on their rundown farm.
The Starkadders are an assortment of rustic, uncouth, truly eccentric and quite possibly mad characters, each with a secret or not-so-secret heart's desire. Flora’s desire is to find out what was the ancient wrong which was “done to” her father and why the resulting doom lay over the Starkadder farm.
Arriving at Cold Comfort Farm, Flora learns that her cousin Judith, is morose and depressed while Judith’s husband, Amos, wants to be the leader of his own, somewhat “Pentecostal” religion, the Quivering Brethren. But believing himself responsible for the farm, and shunning vanity, he makes everyone else unhappy. The brothers Seth and Reuben fear Flora’s influence and believe she’s come to take the farm away from them. Great Aunt Ada Doom refuses to see Flora, and consistently complains about something in the woodshed. Flora also has frequent run ins with a passing acquaintance, Mr Mybug, who is infatuated with her and ignores her attempts to reject him.
Flora decides to involve herself in her relative's affairs by coaxing them to solve her own problems. She teaches the consistently pregnant help, Meriam, how to prevent this. She attends one of Amos' fanatical services, and introduces him to the world of cars and travelling. She also works on befriending Seth, learning of his interest in the movies. She also learns of Elfine Starkadder's affair with Dick Hawk-Monitor, who cannot marry her due to her lower status. Flora decides to reinvent Elfine's image with the help of Mary and Charles, introducing her to high society. She then sneaks Elfine into Dick's 21st Birthday celebration alongside herself, Charles, and Seth, causing Dick to publicly propose to Elfine despite his parent's disapproval.
This culminates in Ada calling her family together, where Flora reveals Elfine's engagement, Amos leaves his family to travel the world, Urk - who Elfine had been promised to - is enraged before Meriam declares her love for him and they also leave together. Ada blames Flora for her families strife.
Flora introduces Seth to a Hollywood producer, Earl P. Neck, who subsequently casts him and causes him to also leave Cold Comfort Farm, upsetting Judith. Reuben becomes the head of the family, and enjoys his new role; he proposes to Flora, but she rejects him. Flora is also able to speak to Ada and have her approve of Elfine's marriage.
On Elfine's wedding day, Judith is seemingly the only upset one. However, Flora introduces her to the psychoanalyst Dr Mudel, allowing Judith to move on and decide to see more of England. Aunt Ada unexpectedly visits the wedding reception in person to announce she is going to France, she almost reveals the wrong done to Flora's father, but is interrupted. Charles arrives in a plane, and Flora declares her love for him before they depart from Cold Comfort Farm together.

## Cast

* Kate Beckinsale as Flora Poste
* Joanna Lumley as Mrs. Mary Smiling
* Ian McKellen as Amos Starkadder
* Rufus Sewell as Seth Starkadder
* Eileen Atkins as Judith Starkadder
* Sheila Burrell as Ada Doom
* Stephen Fry as Mybug
* Freddie Jones as Adam Lambsbreath
* Miriam Margolyes as Mrs. Beetle
* Ivan Kaye as Reuben Starkadder
* Jeremy Peters as Urk
* Maria Miles as Elfine Starkadder
* Christopher Bowen as Charles Fairford
* Louise Rea as Meriam Beetle
* Sophie Revell as Rennet
* Rupert Penry-Jones as Dick Hawk-Monitor
* Angela Thorne as Mrs. Hawk-Monitor
* Harry Ditson as Earl P. Neck

## Production

The film was edited at Rank Film Laboratories, part of The Rank Organisation. The film itself reached a length of 2,902 metres, and ultimately became 105 minutes long in movie format. The soundtrack was created through development of pre-existing pieces remixed for the film. The majority of the songs used in the film were arranged by Robert Lockhart. The soundtrack was recorded at Lansdowne Studios in London, and was rerecorded at Twickenham Film Studios.
Director John Schlesinger was the only one who thought it would work in North America cinemas and so had to put up the money himself to blow up the print from 16mm to 35mm; he took the new format to the Toronto Film Festival, where its success led to a North American release.
The production visited Kent where they filmed at Kent & East Sussex Railway which provided the trains for Flora's journey from London to her relatives at Cold Comfort Farm and Northiam station in East Sussex which is the fictional railway station of Beershorne.
Further scenes were filmed in Brightling in East Sussex, and Twickenham Studios in London.
The Royal Military Canal was also used for scenes where Flora and Elfine walk and chat.

## Reception

On the opening weekend of the film's release in the United States, it grossed $4,139,000. During its theatrical release in North America, the film grossed $5,682,429 in total. Cold Comfort Farm received generally positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 83% based on reviews from 40 critics. The website's critics consensus reads, "Cold Comfort Farm sends up high-minded classics with a wit and impressive restraint that rivals its inspirations." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 82 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
Emanuel Levy of Variety wrote: "The fun that Schlesinger and his first-rate ensemble must have had while working on this production is infectious, for there isn't one dull -- or quiet -- moment in the film."