The Rainbow *** (1989, Sammi Davis, Paul McGann, Amanda Donohoe, Christopher Gable, David Hemmings, Glenda Jackson) – Classic Movie Review 5454

Co-writer/ producer/ director Ken Russell’s provides his 1989 film prequel to his own Women in Love (1969), in which he adapts D H Lawrence’s tale of the Brangwen family to focus on the intellectual and sexual awakening of young Ursula (Sammi Davis) by her feminist teacher Winifred Inger (Amanda Donohoe).

This is an exuberant film without the excesses of Russell’s movies in the Seventies and Eighties, boasting spirited performances, a remarkable support cast, beautiful cinematography by Billy Williams and a delight in the well-worked period atmosphere. Poignantly, Glenda Jackson plays the mother of her Women in Love character.

Vivian Russell co-writes, it is scored by Carl Davis and set designed by Luciana Arrighi, with special effects by John Ralph.

It is the last film of Russell regular Christopher Gable, who died of cancer in 1998, aged 58. They made seven films together, including Women in Love, The Music Lovers, The Boy Friend and The Lair of the White Worm (1988).

Also in the cast are Paul McGann, David Hemmings, Dudley Sutton, Jim Carter, Judith Paris, Ken Colley, Glenda McKay, Ralph Nossek, Nicola Stephenson, Molly Russell, Alan Edmondson, Rupert Russell, Richard Platt, Bernard Latham and John Tams.

Aged 17, Take That boy band heartthrob Mark Owen appears as Jim Richards.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5454

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