Cold Comfort Farm poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Kate Beckinsale, Sheila Burrell, Eileen Atkins, Ian McKellen, Ivan Kaye ... see more see more... , Rufus Sewell , Stephen Fry , Freddie Jones , Joanna Lumley , Miriam Margolyes , Maria Miles , Angela Thorne

Stella Gibbons' popular novel was published in 1932, and it has been adapted twice for British television, first as a miniseries in 1971, then by director John Schlesinger in 1995. That version proved... read more read more... so popular that it was released to theaters in the U.S. The heroine of Gibbons' story, Flora Poste (Kate Beckinsale), is an aspiring young writer with two needs: material for her first novel, and a cheap place to live and work. A wealthy friend encourages her to take advantage of her country cousins and impose upon them for lodgings. Flora finds Cold Comfort Farm to be a ramshackle affair populated by eccentrics including the imperious Ada Doom (Sheila Burrell), her daughter Judith (Eileen Atkins), Judith's rough but handsome son Seth (Rufus Sewell), and Amos (Ian McKellen), an amateur preacher whose sermonizing seems to release some kind of demons within him. Undaunted by this menagerie, Flora gets to work organizing the household, and she comes to realize that the material for her book is right in front of her. ~ Tom Wiener, Rovi

Flixster Users

78% liked it

6,508 ratings

Critics

84% liked it

32 critics

PG, 1 hr. 45 min.

Directed by: John Schlesinger

Release Date: May 10, 1996

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: February 25, 2003

Get It:

Stats: 426 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Cold Comfort Farm
Upload a Photo | View All Cold Comfort Farm Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (426)

  • FilmFanatik
    February 28, 2009
    FilmFanatik
    Cold Comfort Farm is a delightful tale based on the book of the same name. Set in the 1940s, this story about a young orphaned girl who goes off to live with her distant relatives and bring happiness into their lives was a joy to watch. Kate Beckinsale really impresses here, as... read more does the rest of the cast. Favorites like Ian Mckellen and Rupert Sewell also pop in the supporting cast and give terrific performances. The cinematography is just gorgeous. The big city scenes and the down-home country scenes really work well together, for a lovely blend of old-fashioned 40's mixed with ideal country establishment. The score is also noteworthy as it really lends itself to the story, giving it a peppy and upbeat feeling that is never tiresome and somehow keeps the story grounded, rather than fleeting. My only real problem with the film I guess would be the beginning of the story, as it is a bit slow to get going. The opening shot of the film of a young girl "seeing something nasty in the work shed" isn't really necessary at all. Furthermore, that whole idea that the film is centered around is never resolved, even though it plays a major part, so for me, that opening doesn't feel appropriate for this movie. Also, the sudden changes and motives in the film's characters, particularly Aunt Aida, are very sudden and not given much lead-in, but then again, perhaps they aren't necessary. I just felt that the characters in the movie change their minds rather quickly without much forethought. Still, the film is very enjoyable and delightful, as I've said before. It's always nice to see a film about people who change their lives for the better, particularly in such an upbeat and pleasant way.
  • dreamfaeries
    June 9, 2008
    dreamfaeries
    Fantastically funny.
  • RCCLBC
    March 17, 2008
    RCCLBC
    This film is a lot of fun and has a cast of brilliant British actors.

    Everyone is great, but especially fun is the cameo by Joanna Lumley as the Aunt with a passion for bustiers & bra's. And when I say "passion" I mean that she has a vertiable museum of them in her home and ... read morespeaks about them each as if they were her lovers.

    I saw something nasty in the wood shed!
  • jjnxn
    August 6, 2007
    jjnxn
    charming
  • michaelneumann
    February 1, 2010
    michaelneumann
    Quite possibly Kate Beckinsale's best performance (that I've seen). Very British movie about an upper-crust socialite's clever daughter (Beckinsale) moving off to a distant relative's farm to get some "real life" perspective so that she may have the necessary tools to write a gr... read moreeat novel. Instead, she finds herself among comically miserable denizens of Cold Comfort Farm, but she marionettes each one to find good fortune - in their own way - and sees that as a predictably satisfying endeavor for herself. The movie does take some expected turns and is fairly cliche, but it does not cease to be enjoyable along the way, with some fine performances to boot.
  • grayavec
    January 8, 2009
    grayavec
    Silly, upbeat, and right on the border of unrealistic, it's a good movie to watch when you've run out of Jane Austen flicks and P.G. Wodehouse tv shows.
  • seleh87
    September 7, 2008
    seleh87
    this was an ok movie....maybe for me it started out a little slow....when flora poste's father died, she went to stay with her kin on the farm...she helped the family and cousins more than u could imagine...she helped her oddball relatives make a change or alot of changes for the... read more better....
  • solshine7
    July 31, 2008
    solshine7
    Outlandishly fun! Kate Beckinsale leads this cast of enduring offbeat characters set in England's countryside. It's a truly charming and delightful movie full of laugh out loud catchphrases like "I saw something nasty in the woodshed" and "Robert Poste's child." Watch the movie a... read morend you'll know just how funny they are! I give it two thumbs up!
  • Clockwise
    December 25, 2007
    Clockwise
    It has some parts in it that we can't watch, but it is a very amusing movie with quirky people and it's fun.
  • larkart
    November 29, 2007
    larkart
    Odd movie, odd characters, odd time...very enjoyable, hard to understand the thick accents sometimes.

View All Cold Comfort Farm Reviews

Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy
June 2, 2006
Emanuel Levy, Variety

Schelsinger's masterfully directed eccentric satire is based on Stella Gibbons' 1933 book which spoofs the serious, soul-searching, rural-set stories of writers like D.H. Lawrence and Mary Webb. Full Review

Mike Clark
January 1, 2000
Mike Clark, USA Today

Dickens meets the Beverly Hillbillies.

Jeffrey M. Anderson
May 30, 2008
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

Sweet, sprightly made-for-British-TV comedy. Full Review

Ken Hanke
February 2, 2003
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Good, but somehow not great version of the classic British novel.

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
August 27, 2002
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

Skewers the dark romantic novels of rural England and shows how a control freak can find happiness. Full Review

Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
February 28, 2002
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies

The film is full of wonderful eccentrics and funny performances. Full Review

David N. Butterworth
January 1, 2000
David N. Butterworth, rec.arts.movies.reviews

Falls flat on its bum. Full Review

Lisa Schwarzbaum
September 7, 2011
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

Click to read the article Full Review

Kevin Thomas
February 14, 2001
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Edward Guthmann
January 1, 2000
Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle

Click to read the article Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Enchanted April
    Enchanted April (100%)
  • The Importance of Being Earnest
    The Importance of Being Earnest (50%)
  • Amélie (Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain)
    Amélie (Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain) (33%)
  • Antonia (Antonia's Line)
    Antonia (Antonia's Line) (0%)

More Movies like Cold Comfort Farm

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
  • I was an extra with my daughter in COld Comfort Farm.We had a fantastic time filming in Sussex.I have John Schlesinger's autograph and danced with Stephen Fry!
Submit a Fact | View All

Cold Comfort Farm : Watch Free on TV

Cold Comfort Farm Trivia

  • This cultivated comedy featured Ian McKellen, Eileen Atkins, Rufus Sewell, Kate Beckinsale, Miriam Margolyes, and Joanna Lumley.  Answer »
  • In Cold Comfort Farm, who saw something nasty in the wood shed?  Answer »
More Cold Comfort Farm Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add Cold Comfort Farm to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?