The Camomile Lawn (British TV Mini-Series)
Picture: C
Sound: C+ Extras: C- Episodes: C+
In one of the strangest British Mini-Series I have seen
lately, the 1992 five-part The Camomile Lawn beings as just another
“here comes the Nazis” WWII series that once again shows how Britain went from
the world’s top superpower to being eclipsed by The United States. His time, the first parts are melodrama,
while the latter installments even try to be funny. It makes for an odd combination while all hell breaks loose and
except for the casting, the shows seem all over the place.
Part of the broadness is to try to avoid being an outright
soap opera or melodrama, a strategy that works, except it leads to no
innovative or solid alternative. The
cast is a really good one, doing the usual and the predicable with some
empathy. They include Felicity Kendal,
Paul Eddington, Rosemary Harris, Jennifer Ehle, Tara Fitzgerald and Claire
Bloom. Those names are enough to make
me sit through anything, but I was ultimately disappointed. It is worth a look if you are not tired of
the subject matter.
The 1.33 X 1 image is softer than expected and seems to be
PAL slightly mistranslated to NTSC, but the production design, location and
cinematography are not bad. The Dolby
Digital 2.0 Stereo has Pro Logic surrounds, but they are minor and pull the
sound too much to the center channel.
Text cast filmographies and bio text on author Mary Wesley are the only
extras.
- Nicholas Sheffo
