Today’s movie s a period drama with a scene that happens on
February 7. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
ARISTOCRATS
After three London seasons, Lady
Caroline Lennox has still not found a husband. However, her parents are
appalled when she falls in love with commoner Henry Fox, a politician. After
her parents refuse to approve the marriage, they elope. Her parents, the Duke
and Duchess of Richmond disown Caroline. Her younger sister, Emily is wooed by
Lord Kildare, but her family dislikes him, because even though he is very rich,
he is also Irish. The Duke of Richmond is promoted to the post of Master of the
Horse, but this puts him in the Cabinet and into conflict with Henry Fox.
Caroline’s first child is sickly and was lucky not be killed by his
doctors. Emily’s parents finally
withdraw their objections to Lord Kildare.
On February 7, 1747 [Part 2 – 2:34 to 7:08] Lord Kildare and Lady Emily
are married. Taking advantage of her married state, Emily visits her sister
Caroline. Emily starts spending big bucks, while Caroline thinks her husband
cares more about politics than her. Emily is finally able to reconcile Caroline
with their parents. The Duke of Richmond dies of a stroke and his wife soon
dies also. The mother’s will gives the custody of the three younger girls
Louisa, Sarah and Cecilia to Emily, not Caroline, which causes a rift between
the sisters. Emily raises the girls and
arranges the marriage of Louisa to Thomas Connolly. Caroline is upset when her
sons turn out to be wastrels, losing vast sums at gambling and drinking. Lord
Kildare wants to keep Irish taxes in Ireland, but Henry Fox thinks he is
wasting his time. Emily sends her
sister Sarah to London to be introduced into society by Caroline. The King
tries to encourage a match between Lady Sarah and the Prince of Wales. Sarah is
sent to the country to make the Prince’s heart grow fonder for her, but she
injures her leg. Then George II dies. His advisors suggest that the new King,
George III should marry Charlotte of Mecklenburg instead of Sarah, who marries
Charles Bunbury. He is an idiot who soon ignores her. Caroline’s oldest son dies.
Emily hires William Ogilvie as her children’s tutor. Sarah is the
subject of gossip due to gambling and flirting. She commits adultery with a
Frenchman and then starts an affair with William Gordon and becomes pregnant by
him. She then runs away with him. Emily and Caroline become estranged. Louisa
tries to restore harmony, but the price for Sarah to return to the family is to
never see William Gordon again. The youngest sister Cecelia dies. Bunbury divorces Sarah. Emily begins an
affair with William Ogilvie, while Sarah meets George Napier, a poor army
Captain. Both Emily and Caroline’s husbands die. Caroline and Emily reconcile, but Caroline dies shortly
thereafter. Emily shocks Sarah and
Louisa by announcing she is going to marry William Ogilvie. Captain Napier’s
wife dies of a fever. Sarah and George
Napier are married and have eight children. Mr. Ogilvie has trouble fitting
into society. He and Emily’s grandson Edward support democratic ideas in
opposition to the rest of the family.
Edward becomes involved in the French plans to support the United
Irishmen in an anti-English revolt. Emily tries to get those involved in this
plot to give up their plans, as she is convinced it will not succeed. Some of
Louisa’s servants are arrested for being involved in plotting. Mr. Ogilvie
visits Edward, who is in hiding, but fails to persuade him to flee the country.
Edward is wounded while being arrested and dies shortly thereafter of his
wounds.
An interesting historical movie.
For the most part it is accurate. The aristocrats in this film followed their
natures instead of morality and paid the price.
The Dictionary of National Biography, Vol. VII ed by
Sir Leslie Stephen and Sir Sidney
Lee (Oxford University Press, New York, 1968) at page 130
gives the wedding date.
Producers – Christopher Hall and David Snodin
Director - David Caffrey
Screenplay - Harriet O'Carroll
Runtime – 5 hours
Released – June 20, 1999
Starring –
Serena Gordon as Lady Caroline Lennox Fox
Anne-Marie Duff as Lady Louisa Lennox Conolly
Geraldine Somerville as Lady Emily Lennox FitzGerald,
Duchess of Leinster
Siân Phillips as Older Lady Emily Lennox FitzGerald, Duchess
of Leinster
Jodhi May as Lady Sarah Lennox (age 16)
Alun Armstrong as Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland
Ben Daniels as James FitzGerald, 1st Duke of Leinster aka
Lord Kildare
Julian Fellowes as Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond
Diane Fletcher as Sarah Lennox, Duchess of Richmond and
Lennox
Tom Mullion as Thomas Conolly
Andrew Havill as Sir Charles Bunbury, 6th Baronet
George Anton as William Ogilvie
Clive Swift as George II of Great Britain
Richard Dempsey as Lord Beaufield
John Light as Lord Edward FitzGerald
Eoin O'Driscoll as Little Eddie
Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015
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