Dulcima

Even the cocks are crowing for Dulcima! This moving little film from 1971, made in glorious Technicolor, received favourable reviews at the time. It even won the coveted Golden Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival 71.

Based on a novella by English ‘countryside’ writer H.E. Bates, the film is a pleasure on the eye for the lover of rural sceneries. Although the film has a contemporary setting, the plot could just as well have been set many years before – the only modern conveniences being a car and a bicycle. The plot is not exactly an original one: crusty old farmer Parker (John Mills), with a penchant for the bottle, falls for an attractive young girl, the girl in question being our heroine Dulcima (Carol White). Sad to say she is much undervalued and unappreciated by her own family, especially her father (played by James Bond’s ‘M’ Bernard Lee) but soon finds herself employed as a house cleaner for farmer/widower Parker. Pretty soon, it goes without saying, old Parker develops a crush on Dulcima, but his romantic intentions aren’t exactly returned.

However, her ‘feelings’ towards Parker change somewhat when she discovers stashes of money hidden all over the place (Parker doesn’t believe in banks). The old lech has accrued a considerable amount of dosh from his wily dealings down the local cattle market. An amusing scene, this! Within no time, Dulcima is treating herself to the kind of clothes and shoes she’s never been able to afford before, having liberally helped herself to a little of Parker’s savings by being sweet on him. The blind fool dreams of marriage and even buys a surprise wedding dress, however, what he doesn’t know is that by then, Dulcima has begun a secret affair with Forest Warden (Stuart Wilson), the handsome young gamekeeper who lives on a nearby estate. When Parker finds out, tragedy lurks close by…

John Mills as boozed up and disgruntled miser Parker throws in a fine performance, ranging from pitiful to likeable to repulsive, however, it is Carol White’s ‘Dulcima’ which commands a truly nuanced performance and White delivers it with aplomb.

This rare, much sought-after film is now presented in a brand-new transfer from the original elements.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
Original Theatrical Trailers
Image Gallery
Original Pressbook PDF