BOOKS, RADIO AND TV
Love’s strange nature plays out in dramatic locations in this gothic romance
What to watch, read and listen to.
MY COUSIN RACHEL DIRECTOR: ROGER MICHELL NATIONWIDE RELEASE: JUNE 9
Stunning shots of the glittering south coast take pride of place in this atmospheric adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s dark tale of love and suspicion.
Our protagonist Philip (Sam Claflin), mourns the passing of his cousin Ambrose, the circumstances of which are shrouded in mystery. Rachel Weisz is suitably enigmatic as Ambrose’s bewitching widow, Cousin Rachel, who visits her husband’s Cornish estate to meet his protégé.
Philip is plagued by doubts as to what role Rachel played in the untimely death of his father figure. His passion for the land was once paramount, but when this alluring widow enters his life, all is tumult. Despite his fury, he finds himself charmed. The previously masculine estate falls at her feet – even the dogs adore her. But the upheaval has dangerous consequences.
The scenery is spectacular, the cast compelling. Claflin ranges from doe-eyed to doleful and destructive, while Weisz adroitly walks the line between soulful human and inscrutable enchantress. Despite its rather extreme characters, the pace of the tale can be slow, but its beauty makes it eminently watchable. Production editor Maria Hodson