The Lady and the Highwayman (1989) (TV)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

John Hough

Writers:

Barbara Cartland (novel)
Terence Feely (writer)

Release Date:

22 January 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Romance

Plot:

The young lady Panthea Vyne falls in love with the handsome highwayman who saves her from her brutal husband...

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Beheading | Based On Novel

Cast

Emma Samms	...	Barbara Castlemaine
Oliver Reed	...	Sir Phillip Gage
Claire Bloom	...	Lady Emma Darlington
Christopher Cazenove	...	Rudolph Vyne
Lysette Anthony	...	Lady Panthea Vyne
Hugh Grant	...	Lord Lucius Vyne
Michael York	...	King Charles II
John Mills	...	Sir Lawrence Dobson
Ian Bannen	...	Christian Drysdale
Robert Morley	...	Lord Chancellor
Bernard Miles	...	Judge
Gordon Jackson	...	Harry
Gareth Hunt	...	Coachman / Sgt. Potter
Steffanie Pitt	...	Martha (as Stephanie Pitt)
Floyd Bevan	...	Jack

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | UK:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Dorney Court, Dorney, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Gainsborough Pictures

Trivia:

The final film of Bernard Miles.

Soundtrack:

The Lady & the Highwayman

1988? Or 1938?

Although filmed in 1988, this British made-for-TV movie captures the look and feel, the melodrama and romance, even the stagy lighting, of a big-budget 1930s Hollywood swashbuckler. By 1930s standards, it is a first-rate film. By today's standard, well, that's not really a fair standard to judge it by. It lacks the scale and fancy visual effects of "Braveheart," or "Gladiator," but in its quirky old-fashioned way, it is a better movie than either of them. And it is miles better in every possible way (including historical accuracy) than the egregious BBC/A&E "Charles II" mini-series (USA title "The Last King"), set in the same time period, with many of the same characters, that was broadcast in 2004.

"The Lady and the Highwayman" is based on a Barbara Cartland romance novel, and set in Restoration England of the 1660s. Yet with a shift of locale, and a slight re-write, it could just as well be a western. Think "Zorro." Indeed it borrows lots of bits and pieces from classic westerns -- such as Hugh Grant's character jumping from atop a 30 foot wall on to the back of his horse.

"The Lady and the Highwayman" was filmed in England, using several real period castles and manor houses as locations. Both the detailed sets and the lavish costumes mesh seamlessly with the period buildings. The costume department did a great job, as much with the soldiers' uniforms, armor, and weapons, as with the courtiers' finery.

The cast is excellent, and the dialog, by Terence Feely, was well written. 28-year old Hugh Grant looks young and suave, but doesn't say a whole lot. The star is young Lysette Anthony, then 25, and she is terrific. Oliver Reed is a menacingly villainous Phillip Gage. Michael York is a dashing King Charles II.

I just saw the film on a $1 DigiView DVD sold by WalMart. It was definitely not a digital transfer -- but its graininess and off colors actually enhanced the impression of its being a 1930s film, rather than 1980s. It's no classic, but I enjoyed watching it, and I've seen plenty worse. 6/10.

For another quirky and retro view of 17th century England, check out "Winstanley" by Kevin Brownlow.