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The Rainbow Reviews

1989 Certificate 15 Certificate 15 (TBC)
  • Rated:
  • 50
  • from 443 members

Defying the moral constraints of Victorian England and her parents, a young woman engages in unbridled promiscuity with two partners before setting out to capture the fuller sensuality of life itself. Based on the 1915 novel by D.H. Lawrence. Read more

Starring Sammi Davis, Paul McGann, Amanda Donohoe, Christopher Gable
Director Ken Russell
Genres Drama

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  • Critics' reviews (5) of The Rainbow

    View all
  • 2 stars out of 5

    Another slice of sexual repression bursting its stays from the sweaty hand of director Ken Russell, who takes a further dip after Women in Love into the DH Lawrence lucky bag, but to decidedly lacklustre effect. All clichés are alive and thrashing, including monosyllabic but “deeply meaningful” dialogue interspersed with heaving bosoms and frantic copulation by crashing waterfalls. The long and rambling novel has been fashioned into a long and rambling film with only Sammi Davis's portrayal of the feisty, no-nonsense Ursula lifting the unleavened load. Co-star Paul McGann looks as if he was born to rifle through Lawrentian lingerie, but the whole farrago creaks louder than the aforementioned corsetry.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006

  • "...Russell is the purest interpreter that D.H. Lawrence could have hoped for....[THE RAINBOW is Russell's] most lyrical and conventional film in years..."

    • New York Times
    • Posted 11 Mar 2005

  • Russell's second bash at DH Lawrence is either evidence of a fizzled-out talent or a sad, cliché-ridden attempt to... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
    • Posted 04 Nov 2008

  • Most helpful members' reviews (3) of The Rainbow

    View all
  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    Interesting

    Interesting to see this film - maybe for the first time!

    'The Rainbow' (published 1911) tells the story of part of the earlier life of Ursula -

    one of the 2 sisters later featured in 'Women In Love' (published 1921).

    It focuses on Ursula's transition from schoolgirl to woman - via romantic attachments to a young soldier & to one of her schoolmistresses.

    I thought I had the Book, but I can't find it.

    I think I probably bought the book after seeing the 1969 film of 'Women In Love' -

    whereas THIS film wasn't released until 1989 (although both were directed by Ken Russell).

    Before watching this DVD I couldn't remember ANYTHING about the storyline.

    The story didn't seem to have a great deal to it -

    and some things it did show (eg a schoolboy bullying a teacher) I didn't enjoy.

    (And the schoolmistress who 'brings Ursula out' seems to have a peculiar-looking, somewhat off-putting wig?)

    However, I found the film interesting, & enjoyed lots of it.

    (I am into 'costume dramas'.)

    David Hemmings is a bonus, as Ursula's mine-owning Uncle.

    Her father (delightfully fond of his children when young) was portrayed by Christopher Gable.

    Ursula herself is appealingly played by Sammi Davis.

    (in the film of 'Women in Love', Ursula is played by Jennie Linden.)

      • Wife of Customer from Cardiff
      • Posted 02 Oct 2007 18:34
  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Low Key Russell

    Nudity and cheesy superimposed rainbows are about the full extent of the Russellisms in this fairly low-key adaptation of the Lawrence novel. Some good performances set against a very English pastoral backdrop. All slightly let down by the 'then we went home for our tea' ending.

      • Martin from Lincolnshire
      • Posted 30 Sep 2004 08:12
  • 0 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 2 stars

    The film itself is watchable. It looks like a cheaper production than most films and is a bit dated. A typical Ken Russell romp, set in romantic Edwardian England.

      • alison#4 from PLYMOUTH
      • Posted 29 Mar 2004 08:24

  • Most recent members' reviews (2) of The Rainbow

    View all
  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Low Key Russell

    Nudity and cheesy superimposed rainbows are about the full extent of the Russellisms in this fairly low-key adaptation of the Lawrence novel. Some good performances set against a very English pastoral backdrop. All slightly let down by the 'then we went home for our tea' ending.

      • Martin from Lincolnshire
      • Posted 30 Sep 2004 08:12
  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    Interesting

    Interesting to see this film - maybe for the first time!

    'The Rainbow' (published 1911) tells the story of part of the earlier life of Ursula -

    one of the 2 sisters later featured in 'Women In Love' (published 1921).

    It focuses on Ursula's transition from schoolgirl to woman - via romantic attachments to a young soldier & to one of her schoolmistresses.

    I thought I had the Book, but I can't find it.

    I think I probably bought the book after seeing the 1969 film of 'Women In Love' -

    whereas THIS film wasn't released until 1989 (although both were directed by Ken Russell).

    Before watching this DVD I couldn't remember ANYTHING about the storyline.

    The story didn't seem to have a great deal to it -

    and some things it did show (eg a schoolboy bullying a teacher) I didn't enjoy.

    (And the schoolmistress who 'brings Ursula out' seems to have a peculiar-looking, somewhat off-putting wig?)

    However, I found the film interesting, & enjoyed lots of it.

    (I am into 'costume dramas'.)

    David Hemmings is a bonus, as Ursula's mine-owning Uncle.

    Her father (delightfully fond of his children when young) was portrayed by Christopher Gable.

    Ursula herself is appealingly played by Sammi Davis.

    (in the film of 'Women in Love', Ursula is played by Jennie Linden.)

      • Wife of Customer from Cardiff
      • Posted 02 Oct 2007 18:34
  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    Interesting

    Interesting to see this film - maybe for the first time!

    'The Rainbow' (published 1911) tells the story of part of the earlier life of Ursula -

    one of the 2 sisters later featured in 'Women In Love' (published 1921).

    It focuses on Ursula's transition from schoolgirl to woman - via romantic attachments to a young soldier & to one of her schoolmistresses.

    I thought I had the Book, but I can't find it.

    I think I probably bought the book after seeing the 1969 film of 'Women In Love' -

    whereas THIS film wasn't released until 1989 (although both were directed by Ken Russell).

    Before watching this DVD I couldn't remember ANYTHING about the storyline.

    The story didn't seem to have a great deal to it -

    and some things it did show (eg a schoolboy bullying a teacher) I didn't enjoy.

    (And the schoolmistress who 'brings Ursula out' seems to have a peculiar-looking, somewhat off-putting wig?)

    However, I found the film interesting, & enjoyed lots of it.

    (I am into 'costume dramas'.)

    David Hemmings is a bonus, as Ursula's mine-owning Uncle.

    Her father (delightfully fond of his children when young) was portrayed by Christopher Gable.

    Ursula herself is appealingly played by Sammi Davis.

    (in the film of 'Women in Love', Ursula is played by Jennie Linden.)

      • Wife of Customer from Cardiff
      • Posted 02 Oct 2007 18:34
  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Low Key Russell

    Nudity and cheesy superimposed rainbows are about the full extent of the Russellisms in this fairly low-key adaptation of the Lawrence novel. Some good performances set against a very English pastoral backdrop. All slightly let down by the 'then we went home for our tea' ending.

      • Martin from Lincolnshire
      • Posted 30 Sep 2004 08:12
  • 0 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 2 stars

    The film itself is watchable. It looks like a cheaper production than most films and is a bit dated. A typical Ken Russell romp, set in romantic Edwardian England.

      • alison#4 from PLYMOUTH
      • Posted 29 Mar 2004 08:24

  • Critics' reviews (5)

  • 2 stars out of 5

    Another slice of sexual repression bursting its stays from the sweaty hand of director Ken Russell, who takes a further dip after Women in Love into the DH Lawrence lucky bag, but to decidedly lacklustre effect. All clichés are alive and thrashing, including monosyllabic but “deeply meaningful” dialogue interspersed with heaving bosoms and frantic copulation by crashing waterfalls. The long and rambling novel has been fashioned into a long and rambling film with only Sammi Davis's portrayal of the feisty, no-nonsense Ursula lifting the unleavened load. Co-star Paul McGann looks as if he was born to rifle through Lawrentian lingerie, but the whole farrago creaks louder than the aforementioned corsetry.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006

  • "...Russell is the purest interpreter that D.H. Lawrence could have hoped for....[THE RAINBOW is Russell's] most lyrical and conventional film in years..."

    • New York Times
    • Posted 11 Mar 2005

  • Russell's second bash at DH Lawrence is either evidence of a fizzled-out talent or a sad, cliché-ridden attempt to... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
    • Posted 04 Nov 2008

  • "...Shrewdly observed and sexually charged, THE RAINBOW is Russell's finest work in years..."

    • Rolling Stone
    • Posted 11 Mar 2005
  • 1 stars out of 4

    Over-simplified version of the novel, but watchable enough.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
    • Posted 02 Mar 2006

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Rating breakdown

443 Member ratings
  • 100
19
  • 90
10
  • 80
48
  • 70
49
  • 60
96
  • 50
71
  • 40
67
  • 30
34
  • 20
35
  • 10
14

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