Ken Russell's adaptation of DH Lawrence's novel. It follows the lives of two men and two sisters in 1920's English high society. Gerald Crich (Oliver Reed) is involved in a loveless relationship with Gudrun Brangwen (Glenda Jackson) whom he almost kills when he finds her playing around with a homosexual acquaintance in Switzerland. But is he capable of love with a woman? Or is he (EEEEEeeekkkk!!!) gay???

His friend, Rupert Birkin (Alan Bates), is happily engaged with Ursula Brangwen (Jennie Linden), but loves Gerald too.

"I'm not surprised this movie is remembered solely for the naked mano-mano wrestling by the fireside, as it is one of the most boring movies I have seen in a long while."

"The wrestly-bout brightened up my movietertainment experience considerably, even though I had to endure wobbly willies on the big screen which is something I normally avoid."

"Now that Alan Bates and Oliver Reed are dead, it is time to say who had the biggest willy. Reed wins hands down in our books. Bravisimo! A gargantuan penis! His willy will shut the critics up or nothing will!"

"Whilst the naked wrestling by the fireside is divine, the facial beards detract from the homoerotica somewhat. Call me old fashioned, but it's just moustaches for me, or it just doesn't work my dear... when I kiss a man on the lips I don't want it to feel like I'm kissing a donkey's arse..."

"In Argentina they edited the naked wrestling bit and the way they did it made it look like our hairy heroes had just had sex together. A joy from chest slap to buttock kneed!"

"God, if homosexuality was this boring it would have died out years ago."

"Two men in love with each other with women at their sides! A great short, but a terribly boring long story, although the Swiss mountains look peachy at this time of year!"

By the end of the movie, Gerald and Gudrun have separated. Gerald does not love Gudrun and almost kills her in the Swiss snow. Ursula and Rupert end the movie discussing his love of Gerald: She tells him that 'you can't have two kinds of love.' He tells her he doesn't believe that.

A tortuously long, boring, movie. But you have to see the naked wrestling bits just for your general education.

Glenda Jackson is absolutely brilliant, as always, however we lost the will to live in the last half hour of the movie.

If you want to go straight to the wrestling scene it is virtually slap bang in the middle of the movie (about 1 hour in).

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January 22, 2004