This two-part, five-hour miniseries from Lorimar Productions is best defined as a mini-soap. It was made by the people who made Dallasand so was naturally big on glamour, wealth, deceit and revenge. It was very big on fantasy, gloss and cliches.
The first episode introduced European castles, snow-capped Alps, three frisky, pretty young girls in a finishing school run by a pervert and three frisky, handsome young men.
At times, roused adolescent fantasy and reality were difficult to distinguish, especially when one frisky handsome young man galloped on a white charger across a chocolate box meadow to rescue the damsels in distress in a runaway horsecart.
The three frisky, pretty young women – Judy (Bess Armstrong), Pagan (Brooke Adams) and Maxine (Arielle Dombasle) – all have their evil way with their men – Pierre (François Guétary), Prince Abdullah (Anthony Higgins) and Nicholas (Simon Chandler) – and one falls pregnant.
The resulting child is left with a European family until one of the girls is on her feet, so to speak, in her career. Unfortunately, that day is a long time coming and the little girl grows up twisted and bitter – and a porn queen.
Lili (played passably by Phoebe Cates, pictured) plots terrible revenge but really she is just a little lost girl who longs to rest her brunette head upon her real mother’s breast.
Initially, Lace was very Barbara Cartland (romantic candy floss) but by episode two it was more like Dynasty (sex and revenge and expensive clothes). But to its credit, Lace was beautifully filmed. Pity about the script.
Judy Hale
Bess Armstrong Jennifer ‘Pagan’ Trelawney
Brooke Adams Maxine Pascal
Arielle Dombasle Lili
Phoebe Cates Prince Abdullah
Anthony Higgins Aunt Hortense Boutin
Angela Lansbury Monsieur Chardin
Herbert Lom Dr Geneste
Anthony Quayle Selma
Honor Blackman Sir Christopher Swann
Nickolas Grace Count Charles de Chazalle
Leigh Lawson Nick Cliffe
Simon Chandler Tom Schwartz
Trevor Eve Pierre Boursal
François Guétary Paul
Jonathan Hyde Mrs Trelawney
June Brown Alexandre Chazelle
Simon de La Brosse Felix
Féodor Atkine Angelina
Sylvie Herbert Sartor
Jacques Maury Zwimmer
Philip Stone Madame Chardin
Ginette Garcin Jo Stiarkoz
Terence Rigby Serge
Pierre Olaf Piggy Fassbinder
Annette Badland Queen Serah
Celia Gregory Teresa
Dominique Blanc Gerard
Stéphane Bonnet
