The Camomile Lawn is a historical drama which premiered on British television (Channel 4) in 1992.
Here is some basic information about it:
** Produced by Glenn Wilhide and Sophie Belhetchet
** Directed by Peter Hall
** Adapted for television by Ken Taylor
** Based on the 1984 book The Camomile Lawn by Mary Wesley (1912-2002)
** Released on DVD in 2008
** Run time: 260 minutes
When aired on television in 1992, the story was divided into four episodes. When released on DVD in 2008, the story was divided into five episodes.
The cast includes the following:
** Felicity Kendall as Aunt Helen
** Paul Eddington as Uncle Richard
** Jennifer Ehle as young Calypso
** Rosemary Harris as old Calypso
** Tara Fitzgerald as young Polly
** Virginia McKenna as old Polly
** Rebecca Hall as young Sophy
** Claire Bloom as old Sophy
** Toby Stephens as young Oliver
** Richard Johnson as old Oliver
Rebecca Hall is the daughter of Peter Hall (the director), while Jennifer Ehle (who plays the young Calypso) is the daughter of Rosemary Harris (who plays the old Calypso).
Mary Wesley was the pen name of Mary Aline Siepmann, who was one of Britain’s most successful novelists, selling around three million copies of her books, including ten bestsellers written during the last twenty years of her life.
As stated above, the story is divided into five episodes on the DVD. Here are the headlines:
Episode # 1
It’s August 1939
Episode # 2
Love and War
Episode # 3
The Allure of London
Episode # 4
Homesickness
Episode # 5
Reminiscences and Reconnections
I do not want to spoil the viewing for anyone. Therefore, I am not going to say too much about what happens here. I will only tell you how the story begins and present the general structure of the mini-series.
As you can guess from the list of characters, there are two story-lines here.
The first line (“the past”) is the time from 1939 to 1945, while the second line (“the present”) is forty years after the end of the war, i.e. in 1985.
The story jumps back and forth between the two lines. But during the first three hours or so, we are mostly in the past. There are only a few short glimpses from the present. During the final hour or so, we are mostly in the present.
The story takes place in several locations. Most of the time we are in a house in Cornwall, which is a beautiful and dramatic location.
In addition, several scenes take place in London. The story begins and ends in the house in Cornwall.
When the story begins, we are in August 1939, just before World War II breaks out. Aunt Helen and Uncle Richard are waiting for the rest of the family – the young generation - to arrive for the usual summer visit. The major topic is this: will there be a war or not?
As we know, the war begins on 1 September 1939, and most of the story takes place during the war. As the story rolls on, we get to see what happens to the different members of the family during the war.
In 1985, forty years after the end of the war, most of them meet again in the house in Cornwall; this time for a funeral.
They have not seen each other for many years. What has happened to them while they were apart? How are they going to re-connect with each other again?
This is how the story begins and this is where my presentation ends.
I am not going to tell you more than this.
I must, however, warn you that there are a few scenes in which one or two characters are not wearing any clothes. If you are offended by this, you should stay away from this product. But if you are prepared to accept this fact, this product may be something for you.
The Camomile Lawn is a historical drama, a fictional story which is placed in a historical context. Mary Wesley wrote the book on which the drama is based when she was ca. 70 years old.
Some characters in the book are based on people she knew. Some things that happen in the book are based on her personal experience and her personal knowledge.
I have not read the book, so I do not know how closely the drama version follows the book, but it is my impression that the drama version follows the book quite closely.
What about the title?
What does it mean?
What is a camomile lawn?
In most cases, a lawn is a field that is planted with green grass. But in this case, the lawn is planted with camomile. The camomile lawn that we are talking here about runs from the house in Cornwall and down the slope towards the sea.
When she was young, Mary Wesley lived in a house in Cornwall, which had a camomile lawn. This is why most of the story is set in this location and this is why she gave her book this title.
The book was a best-seller. What about the drama version? What do reviewers say about it?
On IMDb it has a rating of 75 percent, which corresponds to 3.8 stars on Amazon.
On Amazon UK there are at the moment more than 360 ratings of this product, more than 190 with reviews.
The average rating is 4.6 stars which corresponds to a rating of 92 percent.
Here are the details:
5 stars = 74 percent
4 stars = 16 percent
3 stars = 7 percent
2 stars = 1 percent
1 star = 2 percent
I understand the numerous positive reviews and I agree with most of them. But I have to say that I prefer the first three hours or so. In other words:
I prefer the story-line that is set in the past (during the war). I am not so fond of the final hour or so when the story-line is set in the present (1985).
I have to remove one star, because the ending is not as successful – not as convincing - as the beginning.
This is why I think this product deserves a rating of four stars (80 percent).
PS # 1. The following review of the book is available online:
Victoria Glendinning,
“End of Innocence,”
The Guardian,
3 June 2006
PS # 2. To find more information about the life and work of Mary Wesley, please turn to the following item:
Wild Mary: A Life of Mary Wesley
by Patrick Marnham
(2006, hardcover)
(2007, paperback)
*****
The Camomile Lawn
A historical drama
(Channel 4)
(1992)
*****
The Camomile Lawn
A historical novel
by Mary Wesley
(1984)
*****
Mary Wesley
Author of The Camomile Lawn and
several other bestsellers
(1912-2002)
*****
Wild Mary:
A Life of Mary Wesley
by Patrick Marnham
(2006)
*****
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