The Rainbow (1989)

Director:

Ken Russell

Writers:

Ken Russell (screenplay) and
Vivian Russell (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

26 May 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Plot:

A young woman deals in her own personal way with the trials of adolescence and young adulthood in early 1900s England.

Plot Keywords:

Lesbian | Female Nudity | Lesbianism | Sexuality | Remake

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Sammi Davis	...	Ursula Brangwen
Paul McGann	...	Anton Skrebensky
Amanda Donohoe	...	Winifred Inger
Christopher Gable	...	Will Brangwen
David Hemmings	...	Uncle Henry
Glenda Jackson	...	Anna Brangwen
Dudley Sutton	...	MacAllister
Jim Carter	...	Mr. Harby
Judith Paris	...	Miss Harby
Kenneth Colley	...	Mr. Brunt (as Ken Colley)
Glenda McKay	...	Gudrun Brangwen
Mark Owen	...	Jim Richards
Ralph Nossek	...	Vicar
Nicola Stephenson	...	Ethel
Molly Russell	...	Molly Brangwen

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor®)

Sound Mix:

Dolby (as Dolby Stereo)

Certification:

Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Australia:M | UK:15 (video rating) (1989) | Argentina:13 | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Ireland:18 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Borrowdale, Lake District, Cumbria, England, UK

Company:

Vestron Pictures

Trivia:

According to David Hemmings' autobiography, Blow Up and Other Exaggerations, he was first choice for the role of Uncle Henry but Ken Russell had to renege on the offer because the US film distributors did not want him. Bizarrely, Ken then cast Elton John in the role, before the singer got cold feet over wigs, costume and arduous acting lessons and asked to leave the project. The next choice was Alan Bates (who had played Birkin in the sequel, Women in Love (1969)) but he declined and the role went back to Hemmings.

Movie Connections:

Version of "The Rainbow" (1988)

This is a great movie! Why the bad reviews?

Why do some reviewers think this is a bad movie? There is nothing bad about it at all; unless you are some exceptional prude. Both Sammi Davis and Amanda Donahoe give outstanding performances. The chemistry between the two that was just glimpsed in "The Lair of the White Worm" comes to a beautiful frutation in this movie. That said, it should be noted that females have the primary roles in this movie unlike in "Lair" where Hugh Grant upstaged Amanda and drove Sammi into a virtually insignificant role. Perhaps that is the reason; movies that have women as leads are boycotted by the male audience.

Regardless of why, this movie got a lot less credit than it deserved. I hope it comes out on DVD in the near future.