'LADY CHATTERLEY' IS WORTH THE TIME IT TAKES.

Byline: Bob Strauss

Film Critic

In theory, a long French erotic film sounds, well, desirable. In the case of "Lady Chatterley," though, the nearly three-hour running time leaves perhaps more room for tedium and ludicrousness than it should have.

If you stick with it, however, that turns out not to be much of a problem. Adapted from an earlier version, called "John Thomas and Lady Jane," of D.H. Lawrence's then-scandalous 1920s novel "Lady Chatterley's Lover," this 1920s idyll takes its sweet time getting to its, well, sweet spots. But by the end, some very moving character work emerges.

The playful love scenes are quite nice, too, once the couple finally figures out how to relax.

Part of the problem with the first half of the movie, however, is that its eroticism is so tentative and repressed. Of course, that would be just dandy if Lady Constance Chatterley (a fluttery Marina Hands) and her wealthy, war-crippled husband's gamekeeper, Oliver Parkin (taciturn Jean-Louis Coulloc'h), spoke the characters' natural English. Upper-class Brits surprised by their carnal urges sits just fine with our American cultural prejudices. But when French-speakers act like sex is such a big, mysterious deal, it's hard for us Yanks to compute.

This, obviously, was not director Pascale Ferran's intention, and it certainly has not bothered French audiences ("Lady Chatterley" won five major Cesar Awards, including best French film). And the effect here could be said to even help a little. Extended walks through lush countryside, no matter how gorgeous, get old with too much repetition. Some unintended bedroom farce provides bits of amusement during the long, slogging setup.

All this is forgotten, though (well, almost), as Constance and Oliver finally bloom in the glow of passion. She becomes more comfortable with herself (and more assertive back at the manor house). He not only gets past his class resentment and starts talking more but embraces a deep sensitivity that he's well aware threatens his meager happiness.

And when the relationship reaches its inevitable crisis point, this most nature-drunk of love stories achieves a civility so rare and gorgeous it's enough to make you weep.

Like a risky but rewarding affair, "Lady Chatterley" is well worth overcoming initial doubts and difficulties for.

Bob Strauss, [phone]

[e-mail]

LADY CHATTERLEY - Three stars

(Not rated: sex, nudity)

Starring: Marina Hands, Jean-Louis Coulloc'h, Hippolyte Girardot.

Director: Pascale Ferran.

Running time: 2 hr. 48 min.

Playing: Town Center 5, Encino; Playhouse 7, Pasadena; Sunset 5, West Hollywood; Landmark, West L.A.; Laemmle Monica, Santa Monica; Regal's University, Irvine.

In a nutshell: Adaptation of an alternate version of D.H. Lawrence's once-scandalous novel is slow going but builds to some wonderful behavioral and erotic moments. In French with English subtitles.

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Lady Constance Chatterley (Marina Hands) embarks on an affair with her war-crippled husband's gamekeeper in this adaptation of D.H. Lawrence's novel.