Product Description

It’s August 1939 and five cousins gather at their uncle’s big house on the Cornish coast. The imminence of war charges the air as they frolic on the fragrant lawn and tempt fate on the terrifying cliffs that one last sultry summer. Returning to the house nearly half a century later for a funeral, they recall how the war rearranged their lives and brought them suffering, sex, and love.

This lusty, darkly humorous drama reunites Good Neighbors co-stars Felicity Kendal and Paul Eddington. Also starring Jennifer Ehle (Pride and Prejudice), Tara Fitzgerald (Brassed Off!), Rosemary Harris, Claire Bloom, and Nicholas le Prevost. Faithfully adapted from Mary Wesley’s beloved novel by Ken Taylor, who also adapted The Jewel in the Crown for television.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26826 in DVD
• Brand: Acorn
• Released on: 2006-04-25
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 264 minutes

Amazon.com
Immensely popular when originally broadcast on Britain's Channel Four in 1992, The Camomile Lawn offers ample proof that British TV drama rises well above American TV in terms of sophistication, maturity, and literary influence. Faithfully adapted by Ken Taylor (The Jewel in the Crown) from the novel by Mary Wesley, this five-part wartime drama bears some thematic and structural resemblance to The Big Chill (in both films, a burial serves as a reunion for long-time friends) and chronicles a variety of secrets, lies, and passions among a close-knit group of relatives in Cornwall, just as World War II begins in 1939. The funeral that frames this fond reminiscence takes place in 1984, and it sparks fond memories of "the Camomile Lawn" at the cliff-side home of Aunt Helena and Uncle Richard (Felicity Kendal and Paul Eddington, reunited from the hit Brit-com Good Neighbors), so named because its fresh scent is a reminder of happier times before the war. Among the five cousins whose lives are deeply affected by the war, the dramatic focus remains on young Sophy (superbly played by Rebecca Hall, and in later scenes by Claire Bloom) and the deliberately mercenary Calypso (Jennifer Ehle), who marries for money and finds love--or at least sex--with whomever she pleases while her husband's away in battle.

For a series that features ample nudity, sexual indiscretions, and surprisingly frank treatments of alcoholism, adultery, and rape, The Camomile Lawn remains entirely respectable in the way it weaves passion and pain into a cohesive, engrossing drama, rich in humor and humanity while discreetly handling less savory aspects of its characters' behavior. Also featuring Claire Bloom and Tara Fitzgerald (Brassed Off) in one of her earliest starring roles, the series develops its characters so effectively that the emotional impact of the war becomes a powerful bond between them, and we experience their joys and sorrows as intensely as they do. Best of all, Taylor's teleplay is blessed by abundant wit and humor--the best defense against the melancholy of war--and director Peter Hall guides his stellar cast with impeccable attention to details of character and context. The result is a very satisfying and richly authentic portrait of privileged England on the brink of war and personal tragedy, imbued with a resilient richness of spirit. A screen-text biography of author Mary Wesley is included (she was already in her seventies when her first novel was published), along with cast and crew filmographies. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

Highly engaging
This miniseries delivers a stellar cast -- Felicity Kendall and Paul Eddington of "Good Neighbors" fame as Uncle Richard and Aunt Helena, a strangely mismatched married couple, as well as Jennifer Ehle, whose beautiful portrayal of the feisty Miss Elizabeth Bennet in Simon Langton's 1995 rendition of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" will be remembered by fellow British drama enthusiasts. Calypso, Ehle's character in "Camomile Lawn", was her screen (albeit small screen) debut.

Rosemary Harris, another veteran British actress, plays Calypso in her later years -- in real life, Ehle and Harris are mother and daughter. Cousin Oliver, another of the numerous Cuthbertson family relations, is played by Toby Stephens, real-life son of yet more British luminaries, the late Sir Robert Stephens and the unparalleled Dame Maggie Smith.

But to return to the family based on Mary Wesley's novel -- uncle and aunt preside over a halcyon summer estivation at their cliffside home in Cornwall in 1939. In addition to Calypso (Ehle) and Oliver (Stephens), there are brother and sister Walter (Ben Walden) and Polly (Tara Fitzgerald, whom some may recall as playing the free-spirited Topaz Mortmain in the film version of "I Capture the Castle"). The orphaned Sophie, portrayed magnificently by Rebecca Hall, features prominently in the storyline. Oliver, Calypso, Walter, Polly, and Sophie are all cousins, neices and nephews of the uptight, one-legged Richard Cuthbertson.

The lives of all the family members and their circle of friends is devastated by the onset of World War II, and each character breeds his or her own stripe of drama and delight. Calypso marries for money. Polly becomes a lascivious libertine. Sophie is dismissed to boarding school. Oliver joins the Army and Walter joins the Navy.

While some of the plot twists may offend some viewers, I found the overall strength of the stories and the wonderfully rendered characters overcame that (even if I had to suspend queasiness while Oliver constantly sought sexual congress with his cousin Calypso). Any fan of British drama should watch this, as I am sure it will not be found wanting.

Nostalgic and well acted.
The strength of this English mini-series is the gorgeous setting in Cornwall, where a group of cousins vacation in their Aunt's cliffside home and where grows the lawn of the title.

The onset of WWII shatters this idyllic scene. But we find out through the story that all was not as peaceful as we thought when the secrets of incest and child abuse come to light.

I loved the first three episodes of this delightfully nostalgic series. The randy sexcapades of London under fire were fun and revealing. The portrayal of the tendency of families to protect child abusers came out in the later episodes and was not so appealing. However, one wants to know how it ends!

The first three episodes get five stars, the last two are unfortunately not as good.

Excellent Period Drama
Chamomile Lawn follows the lives of half a dozen cousins and their friends during WWII. The Chamomile Lawn itself is a beautiful old Victorian located on the cliffs in Cornwall. The cousins lives intertwine, intermingle and at times incestuous relationships form. I particularly liked Sophie, Calypso and the twins.

At first I found the series a bit difficult to get into. Some of the characters are cold and a bit selfish. Also the child abuse and the incest is somewhat distasteful. But eventually I found myself really enjoying the scenery, the characters and the involved plot.

4 stars.