Cold Comfort Farm

Director John Schlesinger couldn't be further away from his Academy Award-winning Midnight Cowboy. But Cold Comfort Farm does have its charm. Based on the Stella Gibbons novel, the film follows society girl Flora (Kate Beckinsale) who moves to her relatives' grungy farm after her parents die. The Starkadders are a rather ignorant and filthy bunch, but Flora sets out to make order of their chaotic lives. Schlesinger has made an intentionally campy movie that is at times sweet and cartoonishly funny. Trouble is, the jokes are repeated until they lose their humor, and the overly cheerful tone becomes grating in the movie's last half. Beckinsale, however, is marvelous as the eternally optimistic Flora. This light fluff of a movie is good, clean fun. Optional. (L. Russo)