IMDb RATING
5.9/10
660
YOUR RATING
Alice has married the rich but boring Martin. When they move to a small village Martin starts flirting with Clodagh, but she is more interested in his wife Alice.Alice has married the rich but boring Martin. When they move to a small village Martin starts flirting with Clodagh, but she is more interested in his wife Alice.Alice has married the rich but boring Martin. When they move to a small village Martin starts flirting with Clodagh, but she is more interested in his wife Alice.
- Awards
- 2 wins total
William Scott-Masson
- Henry Dunne
- (as William Masson)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
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I note that IMdb lists A Village Affair at 137min, whilst the VHS/DVD version runs to only 100min.
Having seen the DVD version it does seem to me to be disjointed compared with the original TV airing.
Anyone out with any information
Ian
Having seen the DVD version it does seem to me to be disjointed compared with the original TV airing.
Anyone out with any information
Ian
10Janet-4
Ever since I read that Sophie Ward came out as a Lesbian in the British press, I have been anxious to see her in this role of a frustrated housewife-cum-lesbian lover (pun intended!) I enjoyed this movie, and I cannot say anymore about it lest I give away the ending. Rent it if you can find it. It's worth the effort.
A Village Affair (1995) was directed by Moira Armstrong from a novel by Joanna Trollope. The plot is fairly basic--a city couple move from London to a country village. Troubles ensue.
However, if you look more closely, troubles were brewing already. Nathaniel Parker plays Martin Jordan, a handsome and successful lawyer. He has two women in his life--his wife, Alice (Sophie Ward) and his mother Cecily Jordan (Claire Bloom). There's no question about who pulls the strings. Cecily is rich, successful, and extraordinarily intrusive.
In the village we meet all the standard British Village Types--the meddling storekeeper, the meddling neighbors, the lord and lady of the manor. Most important, we meet Clodagh Unwin, their wild daughter, recently returned home and looking for something--maybe just trouble. (Also add in visiting evil brother Anthony Jordan, who is a really bad guy. He does everything villainous but twirl his mustache.)
Still, if you can get past, "This is a village. We all know everyone's business," you can enjoy the subtleties of the movie, and the excellent acting. Also, the plot takes some twists and turns for which I wasn't prepared, which certainly makes the film more interesting.
The picture really centers around Alice. Sophie Ward is an excellent Alice. In fact, she reminded me of Lewis Caroll's Alice--beset on every side by new and difficult challenges, and slowly becoming tough enough to cope.
We saw this movie on a used VHS tape. I don't know if it's available in DVD. It worked very well on the small screen.
I wouldn't say "A Village Affair" is a must-see film, but if you can find it, I'd recommend it. It's carrying an abysmal IMDb rating, but it's better than that.
P.S. Notice how neatly director Armstrong frames the movie with the first and last scene.
P.P.S. Take a careful look at daughter Natasha Jordan. It's a tiny role, but great things happened later to the actor who played it.
However, if you look more closely, troubles were brewing already. Nathaniel Parker plays Martin Jordan, a handsome and successful lawyer. He has two women in his life--his wife, Alice (Sophie Ward) and his mother Cecily Jordan (Claire Bloom). There's no question about who pulls the strings. Cecily is rich, successful, and extraordinarily intrusive.
In the village we meet all the standard British Village Types--the meddling storekeeper, the meddling neighbors, the lord and lady of the manor. Most important, we meet Clodagh Unwin, their wild daughter, recently returned home and looking for something--maybe just trouble. (Also add in visiting evil brother Anthony Jordan, who is a really bad guy. He does everything villainous but twirl his mustache.)
Still, if you can get past, "This is a village. We all know everyone's business," you can enjoy the subtleties of the movie, and the excellent acting. Also, the plot takes some twists and turns for which I wasn't prepared, which certainly makes the film more interesting.
The picture really centers around Alice. Sophie Ward is an excellent Alice. In fact, she reminded me of Lewis Caroll's Alice--beset on every side by new and difficult challenges, and slowly becoming tough enough to cope.
We saw this movie on a used VHS tape. I don't know if it's available in DVD. It worked very well on the small screen.
I wouldn't say "A Village Affair" is a must-see film, but if you can find it, I'd recommend it. It's carrying an abysmal IMDb rating, but it's better than that.
P.S. Notice how neatly director Armstrong frames the movie with the first and last scene.
P.P.S. Take a careful look at daughter Natasha Jordan. It's a tiny role, but great things happened later to the actor who played it.
Seen on TV: A Village Affair provides an opportunity for Kerry Fox to stalk around the pretty countryside, chewing the scenery and wailing about her thwarted love affair with Sophie Ward. Joking aside, she's pretty good in this picture that sometimes threatens to drown in good taste, like sub-Merchant-Ivory. Don't know much about Sophie Ward; she seems too restrained, too well-brought-up to be convincing as a wife and participant in a lesbian relationship. Shouldn't she show us that she has a lot on her plate? Michael Gough does a good job as Kerry's indulgent father.
Did you know
- TriviaJoan Sims was originally cast in the part of Lettice Deveral but had to withdraw from the film when she fractured a rib after falling from a bicycle whilst rehearsing a scene. The part was recast with Rosalie Crutchley.
- GoofsThe village fete has a coconut shy, where contestants try to win coconuts by dislodging them from their stands with thrown balls. However, the stall has no backing, and only a couple of yards behind it is a refreshment area with seats. Any patrons of this area would be in danger of their lives, suggesting that the placement of the shy is only cosmetic.
- Quotes
Juliet Dunne: [warning Alice about Clodagh] Just watch her, that's all. They say she's been pretty wild in her time.
Alice Jordan: Wish I'd been wild. I never had the nerve.
Juliet Dunne: That kind of nerve requires money, good schools and hordes of ancestors.
- SoundtracksShe'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain
(uncredited)
Traditional English folk tune
Performed by Sophie Ward, Kerry Fox, Keira Knightley and Jackson Ellis Leach
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