Cold Comfort Farm (1996)

84% of critics liked it
(32 reviews)
78% of users liked it
(6,510 ratings)

Stella Gibbons' popular novel was published in 1932, and it has been adapted twice for British television, first as a miniseries in 1971, then by director John Schlesinger in 1995. That version proved so popular that it was released to theaters in the U.S. The heroine of Gibbons' story, Flora Poste… More Stella Gibbons' popular novel was published in 1932, and it has been adapted twice for British television, first as a miniseries in 1971, then by director John Schlesinger in 1995. That version proved so popular that it was released to theaters in the U.S. The heroine of Gibbons' story, Flora Poste (Kate Beckinsale), is an aspiring young writer with two needs: material for her first novel, and a cheap place to live and work. A wealthy friend encourages her to take advantage of her country cousins and impose upon them for lodgings. Flora finds Cold Comfort Farm to be a ramshackle affair populated by eccentrics including the imperious Ada Doom (Sheila Burrell), her daughter Judith (Eileen Atkins), Judith's rough but handsome son Seth (Rufus Sewell), and Amos (Ian McKellen), an amateur preacher whose sermonizing seems to release some kind of demons within him. Undaunted by this menagerie, Flora gets to work organizing the household, and she comes to realize that the material for her book is right in front of her. ~ Tom Wiener, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 45 min.
Directed By: John Schlesinger
Genres: Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: May 10, 1996 Wide
On DVD: Feb 25, 2003
Studio: Universal Pictures

Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy, Variety
Schelsinger's masterfully directed eccentric satire is based on Stella Gibbons' 1933 book which spoofs the serious, soul-searching, rural-set stories of writers like D.H. Lawrence and Mary Webb.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Sweet, sprightly made-for-British-TV comedy.
Widgett Walls, Needcoffee.com
If you're a fan of that subgenre of fiction...then this is worth at least a rental, if not a definite purchase. It's too delightfully sick and too deliciously a sendup to be denied.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Good, but somehow not great version of the classic British novel.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Tim S

Cold Comfort Farm is a delightful tale based on the book of the same name. Set in the 1940s, this story about a young orphaned girl who goes off to live with her distant relatives and bring happiness into their lives was a joy to watch. Kate Beckinsale really impresses here, as does… More
Cold Comfort Farm is a delightful tale based on the book of the same name. Set in the 1940s, this story about a young orphaned girl who goes off to live with her distant relatives and bring happiness into their lives was a joy to watch. Kate Beckinsale really impresses here, as does the rest of the cast. Favorites like Ian Mckellen and Rupert Sewell also pop in the supporting cast and give terrific performances. The cinematography is just gorgeous. The big city scenes and the down-home country scenes really work well together, for a lovely blend of old-fashioned 40's mixed with ideal country establishment. The score is also noteworthy as it really lends itself to the story, giving it a peppy and upbeat feeling that is never tiresome and somehow keeps the story grounded, rather than fleeting. My only real problem with the film I guess would be the beginning of the story, as it is a bit slow to get going. The opening shot of the film of a young girl "seeing something nasty in the work shed" isn't really necessary at all. Furthermore, that whole idea that the film is centered around is never resolved, even though it plays a major part, so for me, that opening doesn't feel appropriate for this movie. Also, the sudden changes and motives in the film's characters, particularly Aunt Aida, are very sudden and not given much lead-in, but then again, perhaps they aren't necessary. I just felt that the characters in the movie change their minds rather quickly without much forethought. Still, the film is very enjoyable and delightful, as I've said before. It's always nice to see a film about people who change their lives for the better, particularly in such an upbeat and pleasant way.
Leigh R

Fantastically funny.
Robert C

This film is a lot of fun and has a cast of brilliant British actors. Everyone is great, but especially fun is the cameo by Joanna Lumley as the Aunt with a passion for bustiers & bra's. And when I say "passion" I mean that she has a vertiable museum of them in… More
This film is a lot of fun and has a cast of brilliant British actors. Everyone is great, but especially fun is the cameo by Joanna Lumley as the Aunt with a passion for bustiers & bra's. And when I say "passion" I mean that she has a vertiable museum of them in her home and speaks about them each as if they were her lovers. I saw something nasty in the wood shed!
jay n

charming
Mike N

Quite possibly Kate Beckinsale's best performance (that I've seen). Very British movie about an upper-crust socialite's clever daughter (Beckinsale) moving off to a distant relative's farm to get some "real life" perspective so that she may have the… More
Quite possibly Kate Beckinsale's best performance (that I've seen). Very British movie about an upper-crust socialite's clever daughter (Beckinsale) moving off to a distant relative's farm to get some "real life" perspective so that she may have the necessary tools to write a great novel. Instead, she finds herself among comically miserable denizens of Cold Comfort Farm, but she marionettes each one to find good fortune - in their own way - and sees that as a predictably satisfying endeavor for herself. The movie does take some expected turns and is fairly cliche, but it does not cease to be enjoyable along the way, with some fine performances to boot.