Harnessing Peacocks (1993 TV Movie) User Reviews

Engaging and winsome central character

[InMyOpinion · 7/10 · 23 March 2006]

I vaguely remember watching "Harnessing Peacocks" many years ago on North American television late at night while channel surfing, and ended up sitting through the entire movie by virtue of the compelling and winsome portrayal of the protagonist, Hebe, a single mom, disowned from a reputable family, whose charm and beauty provides for herself and her son. Although the movie surrounds Hebe with English reticence and middle-class respectability, Serena Scott Thomas's easy and affecting performance makes perfectly plausible the character's circumstances and the later plot developments concerning old friends and lovers. I actually do not recall much of the story, but I do remember with fondness Serena Scott Thomas's luminous Hebe.

In reference to jaykay3's desire for a DVD of "Harnessing Peacocks", there is one available in the UK; Amazon.co.uk currently sells it as of the writing of this review. It is a region 2 disk using the PAL video standard, so it will not play in a region 1 (USA) player on an NTSC TV. You can, however, get a region free DVD player that also has a built-in PAL/NTSC converter.

English girl builds an unusual unconventional life; when it falls apart, luck helps her start rebuilding it more conventionally.

[cuzjackincanuckland · 7/10 · 25 July 2007]

I saw this British TV movie in 1995 on A&E, and taped it the very next time was shown by A&E, with all the commercials left in so that when taping late at night I would not miss anything from having to restart the recording and possibly missing a cue. I watch my tape of it quite frequently, more than once a year since 1995. I soon found and bought a second-hand paperback copy of the novel (by Mary Wesley, an Englishwoman who started writing novels when she was 70 and her second husband's death had left her poor; she died at 90). I enjoy rereading the book.

The story is lively, about differences between snobbish ambitious confident public-school (private school to North Americans) upper-class types and the others, and shows many of the "nobs" as rude and inconsiderate in their behaviour to family members and friends. It follows a beautiful girl from a rich, land-owning, big-house country family; she opts out and disappears, keeps her whereabouts a secret from them, and supports her life by supplying very expensive services to selected rich mostly-upper-class people well able to afford them. When it suddenly all falls apart, luck helps her start putting her life together again in a different and more conventional way, and while she is a little reluctant to to give up some very enjoyable aspects of her life until the crisis, she accepts that she cannot go on as she was, and decides to make a go of the third phase of her life.

The filming is in big houses, in country districts, on country roads (some purporting to be the main road between Exeter and Cornwall), in places purporting to be in the Cornish town of Penzance, in the Scilly Isles, on a sailing yacht, in Exeter and Salisbury. The people look the parts they are playing, acting is quite good but not great, the dialogue is lively and amusing, and there are clear distinctions made between loving, liking, being in love, making love, and having sex, however enjoyable the last may be even without love. The story is hard-headed, realistic in its attitudes, and unsentimental. The lively conversation is liberated, but any lively action is mostly off-screen, and there is no violence.

A fun, entertaining way to pass the time

[vsanborn · 7/10 · 21 May 2006]

This is an entertaining movie, though not the best filmed. The plot moves along quite nicely and the heroine, Hebe, is spirited and likable. The way she makes "ends meet" by working as a cook and choosing to be a mistress to a select group of men, lends itself to unique plot twists and comic moments. Her back story--that of being rejected by her family due to an unwanted pregnancy and her inability to identify the father--is sad and implausible, but this doesn't keep our heroine down or the story from being interesting.

If you are a romantic, this movie won't waste your time. Serena Scott Thomas is lovely in the role; and her gentlemen suitors are a fine and merry bunch.

The sort of film one returns to at least one a year.

[lacock · 11 September 2004]

The first time I saw this film it was shown on a late night film show introduced by John Hinds. I found it to be one of those films which just "grabs you". The story line concerns a young girl who is cast out by her upper class family when she becomes pregnant. She makes her way in the world by becoming the mistress of a select group of men, all of who love her and whom she loves. This is interwoven with the mystery of who the father of her son is. The by-play between John Mills and his stable of elderly lovers is funny and extremely diverting. Peter Davison is good as his business partner. I thoroughly enjoyed it and return to it at least once a year, as ones does with favourite films and books. Serena Scott-Thomas is gorgeous as Hebe.

A very pleasant, whimsical way to spend ninety minutes.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 31 August 2016]

Hebe brings disgrace on her stuffy middle class family, by falling pregnant out of wedlock, she decides to up and leave her family to bring up her son. She sends him to public school, funding it by cooking for wealthy old ladies and high class exclusive prostitution. Hebe is unsure who the father is, she met him intoxicated during festivities in Italy, and all she can remember is a strong, overpowering smell of coffee.

This is a really enjoyable drama, that challenges your preconceived ideas about things. Turning the idea of prostitution on its head, Hebe being the one overwhelmingly in control. You could be forgiven for reading the plot and expecting a deeper, more sordid drama.

It's funny, easy viewing, with some rather lovely performances, Serena Scott Thomas is quite enchanting, underplaying her role to perfection. John Mills, Peter Davison, Brenda Bruce all lovely, each adding something completely different. With a cast like this it was never going to fail.

Enjoyable, 7/10

Whimsical, romantic

[lacock88 · 10/10 · 3 July 2006]

There's something about this film that makes it standout from the hordes. It has a top class cast, it's romantic, funny and whimsical. Once seen, never forgotten ! It is not a commercial film as such, meaning that if a viewer is looking for bad language, blood, guts and rampant or graphic sex then it is definitely not for them. If a viewer is looking for gentle attributes, beautiful photography, romance, intrigue and lots of stylishly discreet sex, then it is for he/she. It was shown on late night TV in Australia a few years ago as a special treat by John Hinds, the local film buff and expert/critic on the ABC who recommended it highly. I bought it on the internet and have never seen it in video shops or anywhere else for that matter. I am hanging on to my copy for grim death ! It's like a favorite book that one takes down every year or so and re-reads with the greatest of pleasure. I thoroughly recommend it to a discerning viewer.

When it rains, it pours.

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 9 December 2021]

You really get to see the progression of mousy Serena Scott Thomas from nanny in a country home to full time cook/part time prostitute, the results of becoming pregnant out of wedlock after being date raped. Her initial employers are very cruel to her, and she escapes them as they argue over what to do with her, basically talking about her as if she wasn't even in the house and not even caring if she happens to over here. She leaves in the middle of a storm with little to protect her, and years later her son does the same when having dinner at a home near where she lives with a friend whose drunken father has proceeded to insult her. You get to see the worst of humanity, not even caring to find out details, just simply judging.

This British TV drama is very slow in spots, but once you get into it, you can enjoy the mix of melodrama and comedy which comes as the character that Thomas plays goes from mousy to secure, a victim of sexual assault who uses her enjoyment of sexual activity to help support her son. I don't know what that really says about a character like that, but she's interesting to watch.

The only actor in the film I was familiar with this is a legendary Sir John Mills who appears in a minor role. Thomas has herself to be an excellent mother, not really caring after leaving the initial household with anybody sings, and enjoying her new profession as a cook for elderly ladies, going out of her way to seduce one of their relatives who falls in love with her, something she isn't interested in pursuing. But love has a way of slowly moving into one's heart, and perhaps she'll find that out before it's too late.

please release it on dvd

[jaykay3 · 9/10 · 8 October 2002]

I saw this a few years back on abc tv in australia and it has stayed with me ever since,I cant recall enough detail to comment in detail just that the performances are fantastic and the story is unique.It is quite simply a beautiful film and I wish it was available on dvd.

one of the best "feel good" movies you can see again and again

[mshani · 10/10 · 27 October 2005]

I keep watching this movie every few months - my tape is already scratched and I don't care. Very smart, sensitive, intricate plot, with a subtle layer of sarcasm which makes it worth my time for the umpteenth time. The smart independent woman heroine portrayed in this movie should be an example to every woman who feels trapped - learn how to take advantage of life and of what you do best, and be prepared to re-think your life when changes make it necessary. Some of the men characters in this movie are so pathetic - just like in real life, while others - well, where could I find one? So... men may not find this movie so uplifting, except maybe for gawking at Serena Scott Thomas - one of the most beautiful actresses of our age (together with Robin Wright and Juliette Binoche).

Sweet hypocrisy

[[e-mail] · 10/10 · 26 May 2016]

A sweetly claustrophobic tale of the tempestuous and almost incestuous whirl that lies beneath the genteel and respectable surface of civilised Society in the South west of England. Harnessing Peacocks is great fun, and is a well acted, well presented, rather saucy drawing room comedy, that also manages to expose the hypocrisy of 'the right sort of people'. Vivacious, and fun, and with just a small dollop of romance.

There is some nudity, and a considerable amount of foul language, which give ample justification for the fifteen certificate from the British Board of Film Classification.