Lady Caroline Lamb (1973)

Fresh and Exciting

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

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.

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

It doesn't really matter when pondering the origins of artistic creative genius when you have the privilege of actually hearing it, and it doesn't come much better than listening to Richard Rodney Bennet's musical score to this film. I watched the VHS version which, unfortunately, is still the only one available, last winter, and was struck by the film's musical message and subject content. It also doesn't really matter if historical accuracy is somewhat shrouded by other matters, considered more important, such as the core, or center of the soul, which was the essence of Caroline Lamb's relationship with Byron, and which caused her life to break down into hopeless violence and chaos; "it'll end badly," according to her husband's accurate prediction. This is what Bolt wanted to portray and did so successfully, much like his portrayal of Thomas More in 'A Man For All Seasons.' Of course, the film isn't without flaws - very few are. Sarah Miles was probably more successfully cast in films such as 'Those Magnificent men in Their Flying Machines,' or 'Ryan's Daughter.' But a historical Lady Caroline is probably difficult to act. Margaret Leighton did a much better job portraying a shrewish hard-nosed Lady Melbourne. You couldn't, in those days, go beyond being "a little shady," right to her ignorant, inexpressive and unmoved response to Caroline's bizarre 'wild' death from a broken heart: "My god... wouldn't she!" All she ever cared about was her son's political status and ambition, no less than her own reputation. It's perhaps ironic that these two actresses played opposite each other in a contemporary version of 'Great Expectations' when Leighton as Miss Havisham regrets rearing a heart of stone, Estella. The death scene is almost reminiscent of dark and stormy parallel film genre situations, such as Susannah York's wandering around the Yorkshire Moors in an adaptation of Jane Eyre, and Anna Calder Marshall's performance as the ghost of a dead Catherine Earnshaw in a 70's adaptation of Wuthering Heights. Byron and Heathcliff are rocks on which their heroines dash themselves against. There are other examples of 19th Century tragic women caught in wind or rain, such as Hardy's 'Far From the Madding Crowd,' and for which Bennet also wrote the film score. But to top it all, it's the music that shines forth, right from the striking opening, hearing the symbol percussion instrument when the film's title appears on the screen (like switching on a light) and is much better in the original widescreen format, to the solo violin elegy and closing credits. Miles galloping across the moors is incurably and slaveringly romantic like the romance of the times, enhancing the passion, wildness, eagerness, an unquenchable flame, in this music. Being rich, ravishing, unquenchable, insatiable, I listen to it again and again and again. It's dramatic and overwhelming; even haunting cold, hollow. Enough said.

After enduring Robert Bolt's rather turgid retelling of Lady Caroline Lamb's ill-fated love and finding myself, once again, unable to warm to his real-life wife (at the time), the rather tiresome Sarah Miles, the whole enterprise was redeemed by that fabulously funny curtain line. When told that Lady Caroline has died of a broken heart, one of her chief female detractors faces the camera (through the lace curtains of a window, I seem to recall) and hisses, (Alas! I'm not quoting verbatim, since I haven't seen this since its theatrical release, but here goes...) "She would!, wouldn't she?!?" I laughed all the way out to the parking lot. Not available on video, apparently, and if they do unearth this bit of cinematic costume jewellry (not really a precious gem, mind you), let us hope that it will be on DVD where the Panavision/widescreen ratio will be preserved.