3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Dragging 1930s English melodrama with love, cheating, higher class pseudoism and sadness, July 21, 2008
I watched the 1985 PG VHS version. The sound was erratic and cover, dingy blue and pale off-white with York standing over Eichorn, both with sad,
melancholy expressions. England 1920, Having briefly met at a royal ball, they share a few words together. She goes off & leads a different separate
life while York marries a beautiful cold lady at the Estate. Learning her father is very ill, she hops a train to return home and they meet again.
York calls her later to inquire about father & invites her to meet his family at the Estate. They find a deep attraction for each other, become
lovers and spend a fortnight in Austria where he asks her to be forever.
Olivia wants to wait. Then York gets a note calling him back home: The nature of which is not disclosed to Olivia. Alone in Salzberg, she finds
herself pregnant and grows very despondent over their clandestine affair.
She endures the deep despairing agony by aborting the pregnancy.
Upon return to the Estate she learns York has taken his wife to Ireland,
Switzerland and other countries to celebrate their pregnancy. His mother
warns him not to be involved. York returns to give her another lovely
ring which she says is a farewell gift, bidding him adieu. On his way
back to the Estate, there is a car crash. With a broken foot and some
bruises, he begs that they remain as lovers.
The movie was 108 minutes. I found it a bit slow at times, bored by the
aristocratic formality. One senses their deep love can't last, although all the details are hard to hear. This is a great melodrama with superb
acting. Yet I wasn't stirred. York is a fast cad. Eichhorn gives a fine
performance and there some excellent other players. If you like the plot
as described, maybe the newer UR version plays better. If not, move on.
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