Coincidentally, Aidan Turner has previously filmed at Chavenage House (The Priory in Rivals)
Line of Events
Follows Rupert Campbell-Black and Tony Baddingham as they have a long-running rivalry that comes to a head. The same location was also used to represent Trenwith House in the BBC’s 2015 TV adaptation of Poldark. In the 90s there was a dreadful version of Jilly Cooper’s Riders, since then TV has shunned it.
Bonkbusters’ critics felt that Jilly Cooper’s novels were outdated and silly
This is far from the truth, Cooper satirises the Cotswolds’ upper middle classes with a steely wit and has always understood comedy, characters and funny plots. In many ways his work is more akin to Restoration Comedy than Carry On, with characters given more development and more inner lives than you might expect. Now from Disney comes RIVALS with a stellar cast and the good news is that it is a great watch, yes, it is full of naughty moments, boobs and bums, even the occasional Willy.
He does a truly creditable job
The triumph of this one though is that it has the budget and time to do justice to the feel and spirit of the original book. The changes are minor and open up the period and politics more. Bella Maclean is brilliant in the central role of Tagie and Alex Hassel does a great job as Rupert, an impossible role to play because no one in the story can be the character that Cooper created – part villain, part Adonis, part whiny child.
I really liked it
The real star of it all though is the ensemble of great actors Emily Atack, Danny Dyer and Katherine Parkinson who all deliver career-best performances. The 80s soundtrack is on point throughout and makes Rivals a true triumph for Disney. It’s fun, it’s frothy but there’s a deeper undertow that elevates it above a flagship film and offers hope that we’ll see a lot more of this team and this universe in the future.
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