DUEL OF HEARTS

UK, 1990, 95 minutes, Colour.
Allison Doody, Michael York, Geraldine Chaplin, Susanna Hamilton, Benedict Taylor, Billie Whitelaw.
Directed by John Hough.

Duel of Hearts is a lavish telemovie version of a Barbara Cartland historical novel. It is all stops out, beautiful British locations, costumes and decor, highly emotive dialogue, melodramatic situations full of lust and revenge. However, it is all presented on a very elegant surface level. The film was made as a Gainsborough film - with tribute to and echoes of so many of the costume melodramas from that studio in the '40s (Fanny by Gaslight, Man in Grey, Wicked Lady).

The film has a strong British cast led by Michael York and Geraldine Chaplin as villains, with Alison Doody (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) as the heroine. There is quite a strong supporting cast with cameo roles including Beryl Reed, Richard Johnson, Jeremy Kemp, Virginia McKenna?.

The plot is highly implausible in the way that it is presented, but that is part of the charm. The audience knows what to expect - and they are not disappointed. Direction is by John Hough, best known as a director of horror and action films.

1. Entertaining period melodrama? Barbara Cartland novels? Transferred with lavish style to the screen?

2. Period, country locations, the British countryside? Decor and costumes? Manners? The musical score?

3. The title - for an emotional and violent romance?

4. Lady Caroline, her place in British society, the season in the country, the entanglements with the young men, the rake and his deceiving her and compromising her? Her wanting to escape her chaperone? The encounter in the forest with Gervais, with Vane? Her decision to go to her father and cover the truth? Listening to the stories about Vane? Deciding to pretend to be a companion for his mother? The interviews, her employment? The housekeeper, the clash with Mrs Miller? Getting on well with the mother? Her meeting with Vane? Her warnings? Her staying with Harriet and her father? Her concern about Harriet's marriage? Intrigues in the house, finding the mad sister and the attack, the rescue by the housekeeper? Concealing her reputation? Banquets, dinners? The threatened exposure by Gervais? The violence, the ride to London, the clash with Gervais, the rescue of Vane? The happy ending?

5. Vane, his being abroad, his deep dark secret, the dead man in the forest, the encounter with Caroline? Clash with Gervais? Love for his mother? Brooding in the house? The attachment to the gypsies? His love for Caroline? Overhearing the blackmail? His disappointment, the going to London? The rescue and fight? Jervois’s death? The surprising news that he was not tainted with madness? The happy ending?

6. Gervais, the older cousin, intrigue, arranging murders? Wanting to borrow money? A cad? His affair with Mrs Miller? Threatening to blackmail Caroline? The clash with his cousin, the ride to London, the gypsies, the fight, his death and the irony that he was the heir? Mrs Miller, her place in the household, her affair with Gervais, intrigues and dominance? The failure of her plot?

7. Harriet and her father, the arrogant rector, his quoting scripture, dominating his daughter? Harriet, her friendship with Caroline, meeting the peer, thinking he was poor, eloping to marry him?

8. The hero's mother, her retirement, dominated by Mrs Miller, standing her ground? Reliance on the housekeeper and her sympathies? The sister hidden in the mansion, her murderous attitudes? Death? The revealing of the secrets?

9. The English aristocracy, Caroline's father and his household, his guest and friendship? The contrast with the hero's aunt and her drinking? The young men about town and in the country? Manners and morals?

10. The popularity - and unreality - of this kind of period melodrama?