Lady Caroline Lamb (film)
Encyclopedia
Lady Caroline Lamb is a 1972 film based on the life of the notorious Lady Caroline Lamb, lover of Lord Byron and wife of Prime Minister
Viscount Melbourne
. The film was written and directed by Robert Bolt
and starred his wife, Sarah Miles
, as Lady Caroline.
Other stars included Jon Finch
as the long-suffering Mr Lamb (a role first offered to Timothy Dalton
), Laurence Olivier
as the Duke of Wellington
, Richard Chamberlain as Byron, and Ralph Richardson
as King George IV
.
The film received mixed critical reviews, and was a box-office failure; the film was criticized both for its historical inaccuracies (the timing of William Lamb's political career, the portrayal of Byron as a tall, handsome man who lacked his characteristic limp) and for its own (lack of) merits.
Positive reviews praised Miles' performance and Bolt's direction, which was clearly inspired by his frequent collaborator David Lean
. Praise also came for Laurence Olivier
's cameo as the Duke of Wellington, with Philip French of The Times writing that "... Olivier's brief appearance as the Duke of Wellington is a beautifully witty and rounded characterisation that is worth the price of the admission in itself".
The film's failure dissuaded Bolt from further directorial work, and may have contributed to his breakup with Sarah Miles.
The film had an atmospheric music score composed by Richard Rodney Bennett
, who later based a concert work, Elegy for Lady Caroline Lamb for viola and orchestra, on some of the material.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Viscount Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister . He is best known for his intense and successful mentoring of Queen Victoria, at ages 18-21, in the ways of politics...
. The film was written and directed by Robert Bolt
Robert Bolt
Robert Oxton Bolt, CBE was an English playwright and a two-time Oscar winning screenwriter.-Career:He was born in Sale, Cheshire. At Manchester Grammar School his affinity for Sir Thomas More first developed. He attended the University of Manchester, and, after war service, the University of...
and starred his wife, Sarah Miles
Sarah Miles
-Early life and career:Sarah Miles was born in the small town of Ingatestone, Essex, in South East England.She first attended Roedean but at the age of 15 she enrolled at RADA, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art...
, as Lady Caroline.
Other stars included Jon Finch
Jon Finch
Jon Finch is an English actor noted for many Shakespearean roles. Perhaps his most notable role was the title role in Roman Polanski's 1971 film adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth. His other famous role was as a down-and-out ex-RAF pilot wrongly accused of murder in Alfred Hitchcock's...
as the long-suffering Mr Lamb (a role first offered to Timothy Dalton
Timothy Dalton
Timothy Peter Dalton ) is a Welsh actor of film and television. He is known for portraying James Bond in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill , as well as Rhett Butler in the television miniseries Scarlett , an original sequel to Gone with the Wind...
), Laurence Olivier
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM was an English actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century. He married three times, to fellow actors Jill Esmond, Vivien Leigh, and Joan Plowright...
as the Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
, Richard Chamberlain as Byron, and Ralph Richardson
Ralph Richardson
Sir Ralph David Richardson was an English actor, one of a group of theatrical knights of the mid-20th century who, though more closely associated with the stage, also appeared in several classic films....
as King George IV
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
.
The film received mixed critical reviews, and was a box-office failure; the film was criticized both for its historical inaccuracies (the timing of William Lamb's political career, the portrayal of Byron as a tall, handsome man who lacked his characteristic limp) and for its own (lack of) merits.
Positive reviews praised Miles' performance and Bolt's direction, which was clearly inspired by his frequent collaborator David Lean
David Lean
Sir David Lean CBE was an English film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor best remembered for big-screen epics such as The Bridge on the River Kwai , Lawrence of Arabia ,...
. Praise also came for Laurence Olivier
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM was an English actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century. He married three times, to fellow actors Jill Esmond, Vivien Leigh, and Joan Plowright...
's cameo as the Duke of Wellington, with Philip French of The Times writing that "... Olivier's brief appearance as the Duke of Wellington is a beautifully witty and rounded characterisation that is worth the price of the admission in itself".
The film's failure dissuaded Bolt from further directorial work, and may have contributed to his breakup with Sarah Miles.
The film had an atmospheric music score composed by Richard Rodney Bennett
Richard Rodney Bennett
Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, CBE is an English composer renowned for his film scores and his jazz performance as much as for his challenging concert works...
, who later based a concert work, Elegy for Lady Caroline Lamb for viola and orchestra, on some of the material.