Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17887 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-01-01
• Format: NTSC
• Original language: English
• Running time: 180 minutes

Customer Reviews

One is a winner, the other...
Hazard of Hearts is a decent storyline and good acting and plot. It is the second movie "Lady Hamilton" that draw the rating down -- way way down if it were to be evaluated by itself. Imagine 1960's Italian dubbed filming, fuzzy-edged picture. The lead female character is supposed to be irresistible to everyone--with her fake hair and really thick eyeliner--even to the female monarch. The other characters -- well, I was reminded of "Hercules" with Steve Reeves from whatever timeframe that was. If you pay $5 for the package, just ignore the second film and enjoy the first. Romance in the Barbara Carland style.

Innocent romance and 1800's England, a great combination
This review is based only on the movie A Hazard of the Heart (or Hazards of the Heart).

It's been a while since I've seen a movie I liked as well as this one. (I'm a fan of some of the Masterpiece Theatre classics, Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, etc.) This movie was made in the late 1980's. The setting is 1800's England.

Central to the movie was a sweet romance (just tender looks, hand holding, and kissing scenes similar to Pride and Prejudice).

The icing on the cake included villains, "haunted" and extraordinarily beautiful castles, breath-taking English countrysides (often experienced via horseback), magnificent paintings and period dress, sword fights and a duel, hidden passageways, surprises, and very decent acting (Helena Bonham Carter, in the lead, has a gift for expressing what she is feeling, without any words). Like Pride and Prejudice, the story even includes a big dog (a Great Dane, I think).

The male lead, "introducing" a VERY handsome (take-your-breath away) Marcus Gilbert, was extremely good. (I agree with another review writer who would like to see more of this actor. I'd never heard of him before this movie.)

The supporting cast are favorites --Christopher Plummer, Diana Rigg, (who plays the villain mother well), and Stewart Granger (who displays the characteristics we all long for in a father).

The story starts when a father (played by Plummer) gambles away everything he possesses, including his daughter (played by Bonham Carter) and her dowry, to a sinister character named Lord Ruten (sp?) (played by Edward Fox, a man you will find yourself loving to hate).

Tables are turned when handsome Lord Vulcan (played by Gilbert), issues a challenge. With one shake of the dice, Lord Vulcan takes possession of all that Lord Ruten has just won, rescuing the poor daughter, at least momentarily, from Lord Ruten's evil intentions. At first, Vulcan is suspect as being a heartless womanizer, but a different side emerges as the movie progresses. Serena (Bonham Carter's character) seems to bring out the best in him.

This is as innocent as a romance comes, but there were a few violent scenes (though not very realistic, there were murders via sword, and one unscene suicide). There is also a scene when Lord Ruten kidnaps Serena and attempts to molest her in a moving carriage (though the intensity is lightened and humour emerges when she gets rescued by a kind robber).

My husband, who's not much of a movie buff, especially enjoyed the music and the swordfighting.

Good and inexpensive entertainment. Highly Recommended. If you want to read more about the movie, check out the rave reviews the Brits have given it on Amazon's English site.

Romantic movie....
I purchased this DVD for my daughter. She told me that she loved A Hazard of Hearts. It is a romantic movie with charismatic characters.The second movie, Lady Hamilton was not too interesting. I recommend this DVD to the women who adore the romantic genre.