La vie tumultueuse de Lady Caroline Lamb

I first saw this film on holiday in London c1973 when it was first released. It was showing at the prestigious Odean Cinema in London & I recall at the time this film was such a 'big deal' that the we were given (or bought) a large glossy souvenir program that came with the film. It was treated like we were attending the opera or theater. Look at the line up of big names who were a part of this. Laurence Olivier, John Mills, Ralph Richardson, Margaret Leighton & 'super star' Richard Chamberlain after his 'Dr Kildare' fame.

Forty years on it all seems rather ordinary and we know that Bolt was rather loose with the historical facts. But I still enjoyed seeing it again remembering that first time I saw it all those years ago. In fact, some of the best work Richard Chamberlain would do was in the 5-6 years he lived in the UK and about the time he made this. And even now I give it an 8/10

Robert Bolt won two Oscars back to back, (for "Doctor Zhivago" and "A Man for All Seasons"), as well as penning that most literate of epics "Lawrence of Arabia". Indeed for a time he seemed to be David Lean's writer of choice until his script for Lean's elephantine "Ryan's Daughter" and that films critical failure, severed those ties. In 1972 Bolt not only wrote, but also directed, "Lady Caroline Lamb". It wasn't really a success and, as may be expected, is a very literate-minded costumer but also, as may be expected, is highly intelligent and very nicely played.

It is, of course, an account, for the most part, of the title character's scandalous and disastrous affair with the mad, bad and dangerous to know Lord Byron, seen here as some kind of 19th century rock star. As Lady Caroline, Sarah Miles is quite splendid, (she was, of course, Mrs Bolt), I've always felt Miles was a much better actress than she was ever given credit for, though her tremulous style wasn't to everyone's taste. As Byron, a somewhat surprising Richard Chamberlain acquits himself somewhat surprisingly well, while Jon Finch is more than adequate as Lady Caroline's husband. The supporting cast are made up mostly of the great and the good of the British acting establishment, (a superb Margaret Leighton, John Mills, Laurence Olivier as Wellington, Ralph Richardson in an excellent cameo as King George IV, Michael Wilding), and the production overall is extremely handsome to look at. (It's obvious, on the whole, no expense was spared). Indeed, as historical dramas go, this one is a cut above the rest with Bolt displaying a keen sense of the cinematic in several scenes. Hardly ever revived, it's worth seeking out.

Boy, can women make fools over themselves and over such a cute little boy as Lord Byron!!! Lord Lamb is made to look a lamb indeed, as he continually forgives his neurotic/crazy wife for affairs that other women, including his own mother, have left and right but with discretion!! It reminded me of the hooraw over poor Pres. Clinton and his dalliance with the hooker/I mean aide, and the hypocritical rantings of Newt Gingrich who was doing the same thing all the time,.....but DISCREETLY. My goodness, aren't we just like the English!!! Since I don't really know the history, other than that the Brittannica says that she made a scene at some Lady's party...boy, did she ever!!! cutting her wrists and bleeding all over everybody's ball gowns. The mother, former mistress of George IV is quite intelligent and not half-bad. I loved all the costumes and the histrionics myself. Just to look at all those palatial estates was worth the price of the movie!!

And of course, Olivier is different in every movie! How I miss him!

Screenwriter Robert Bolt who wrote such great work for David Lean in Ryan's Daughter, Doctor Zhivago, and Lawrence of Arabia and for Fred Zinnemann in A Man For All Seasons, tried his one and only hand at directing in Lady Caroline Lamb. The problem was that screenwriter Bolt was done wrong by director Bolt. Especially let down was Bolt's then wife Sarah Miles.

Miles who when directed by David Lean in Ryan's Daughter turned in such a spirited performance, was not given the same inspiration for Lady Caroline Lamb. Whatever else Caroline Lamb was she was not dull to be around. Miles does all right, but the rest of the cast just seems to walk through the parts, even the two guys playing the men in her life, Richard Chamberlain as Lord Byron and Jon Finch as William Lamb the future Lord Melbourne and Prime Minister of Great Britain.

I think these guys and the rest of the cast knew this was a vehicle for Miles the minute they walked on set and performed accordingly. Even Sir Laurence Olivier as the Duke of Wellington is strangely lifeless. Of course after seeing Christopher Plummer as the perfect Wellington in Waterloo, I'm kind of spoiled.

In real life Melbourne was hardly an injured party. He had a couple of other scandals attached to his name that had nothing to do with Lady Caroline. He never let the grass grow under his feet. Byron was notorious all over Europe for bedding everything in skirts within reach. It's likely he did want to call it a day with Caro, but probably because she was crazier than him.

Still the escapades of George and Caro titillated all of Georgian Great Britain, but they don't move the audience a bit here.

In early 19th century England, the rather erratic and impulsive Lady Caroline Ponsonby (Sarah Miles) marries William Lamb (Jon Finch) in one such moment of romantic impulse. She soon finds herself restless and depressed in a loveless marriage. Her party going and eccentric behaviour in an open affair with the rakish poet Lord Byron (Richard Chamberlain) soon makes her a social outcast.

A period drama that pays attention to detail in places and at other times over stylises the Georgian period, while often being shy of facts. Oswald Morris's widescreen camerawork is effective, but the film doesn't hold together as well as it perhaps should.