This eight-part miniseries from Thames Television covered two of Nancy Mitford’s best-selling autobiographical novels – The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate – under the latter title.
TV writer Simon Raven (who wrote the script for the popular Edward and Mrs Simpson) put the two novels together for the new production. Premiering on Wednesday 29 October at 9.00 pm, one storyline followed the lives and loves of girls in a large family. The other centred on another bizarre aristocratic family.
Outstanding acting and excellent writing perfectly captured the mood of the period between WWI and WWII with a brilliant plot.
Vivian Pickles of the musically trumpeting voice and fierce regard made Lady Montdore the perfect dragon, and Richard Hurndall’s Lord Montdore, stiff and bloodless, did indeed seem to be made out of “wonderful old cardboard”. Rosalyn Landor’s Polly was an exquisite ice maiden, her utterances sharp and brittle as icicles and so beautiful that one couldn’t help but gaze and gaze.
Michael Cochrane’s Cedric, although of the required beauty, didn’t have the necessary physical and mental suppleness and fluidity – there was no flamboyance, which was key to his whole personality. Michael Aldridge’s Uncle Matt was nowhere fierce enough in the early episodes but was excellent as the relatively mellowed older figure who emerged in the course of the story, and he radiated the authentic eccentricity of the original in the novel.
Judi Dench was never less than perfect throughout as the vague, benevolent Lady Alconleigh, and Isabelle Amyes as Fanny, the self-effacing narrator figure, was exactly right, giving a beautifully unselfish performance, often in the background, but the perfect linking figure to carry the action forward.
The series was filmed in Winchcombe, a village in the Cotswolds where the Mitfords spent their childhood.
Lady Alconleigh (Sadie)
Judi Dench Lord Alconleigh (Uncle Matt)
Michael Aldridge Louisa
Selena Carey-Jones Linda
Lucy Gutteridge Polly
Rosalyn Landor Fanny
Isabelle Amyes Davey Warbeck
Michael Williams Lord Merlin
John Moffatt Lady Montdore
Vivian Pickles Lord Montdore
Richard Hurndall Cedric Hampton
Michael Cochrane Emily Warbeck
Diana Fairfax Boy Dougdale
Job Stewart Victoria
Rebecca Saire Alfred
Christopher Scoular Jassy
Yolande Palfrey Little Matt
Max Harris Fabrice, Duc de Sauveterre
Jean-Pierre Cassel Tony Kroesig
Anthony Head Duke of Paddington
Peter Howell Bob
Joshua Le Touzel Sir Leicester Kroesig
Leon Eagles Veronica Chaddesley-Corbett
Adrienne Corri Christian Talbot
Ralph Lawson Lady Patricia
Ann Queensberry Josh
Richard Beale Lord Fort-William
Michael Lees
Episodes
Child Hunt | Coming Out | Rings and Things | The Merry Widower | Heir Apparent | Foreigners are Fiends | Monsieur Le Duc | In Love and War
