Country Dance is a 1970 British drama film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Peter O'Toole, Susannah York and Michael Craig.[2] It is based on the novel Household Ghosts (1961) by James Kennaway which became a three-act stage play in 1967. It was released as Brotherly Love in the United States.
| Country Dance | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | J. Lee Thompson |
| Written by | James Kennaway |
| Based on | Household Ghosts by James Kennaway |
| Produced by | Robert Emmett Ginna |
| Starring | Peter O'Toole Susannah York Michael Craig |
| Cinematography | Ted Moore |
| Edited by | Willy Kemplen |
| Music by | John Addison |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release date |
|
Running time | 112 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $3 million[1] |
The film's sets were designed by the art director Maurice Fowler. Shooting took place in Perthshire and County Wicklow.
Plot
In a fading Scottish aristocratic family, the drunken Sir Charles Henry Arbuthnot Pinkerton Ferguson, has an incestuous relationship with his equally eccentric sister Hilary Dow.
Cast
- Peter O'Toole as Sir Charles Ferguson
- Susannah York as Hilary Dow
- Michael Craig as Douglas Dow
- Harry Andrews as Brigadier Crieff
- Cyril Cusack as Dr. Maitland
- Judy Cornwell as Rosie
- Brian Blessed as Jack Baird
- Robert Urquhart as Auctioneer
- Mark Malicz as Benny-the-Pole
- Jean Anderson as Matron
- Lennox Milne as Miss Mailer
- Helena Gloag as Auntie Belle
Production
The stage play version played at the Edinburgh Festival in 1967. James Kennard wrote the female lead with Susannah York in mind; she was a cousin. Edward Fox played the male lead on stage.
In December 1968 James Kennaway, author of the novel, was driving home from a meeting with Peter O'Toole to discuss the film version when he died in a car accident.[3][4]
In February 1969 it was announced O'Toole would make the film with Susannah York under the direction of J. Lee Thompson.[5]
Filming took place in Ireland in mid 1969.[6] York said "it was the happiest film experience of my life."[7] O'Toole drank heavily through the shoot and at one stage was arrested.[8] Brian Blessed recalled it as "a delightful experience" but admits O'Toole could be difficult.[9]
At one point the film was called The Same Skin.[10] Then it was changed to Brotherly Love.[11]
In April 1970 producer Robert Ginna announced he would make another film with O'Toole and Thompson from a Kennaway novel, The Cost of Living Like This, but it was never made.[12]
References
Bibliography
- Steve Chibnall. J. Lee Thompson. Manchester University Press, 2000.
