Review of The Chatterley Affair (2006) by Walter M — 02 Feb 2014

In 1960, a group of jurors are convened. One of whom hopes it is a nice, juicy murder. What they get instead is the trial of Allen Lane(Ron Donachie), the founder of Penguin books, who is accused of obscenity in attempting to publish D.H. Lawrence's classic novel 'Lady Chatterley's Lover.' In order to avoid any homework for the jury, he assigns them the reading of the novel during the day. After which, two of the jurors, Keith(Rafe Spall) and Helena(Louise Delamere), go back to her place.

"The Chatterley Affair" is a steamy and erotic courtroom drama.(Well, there is my sentence that I never thought that I would write.) In fact, the movie handles the affair surprisingly well as a parallel to the events in the novel, even while reinforcing prosecutor Griffith-Jones'(Pip Torrens) assertions that the novel would only corrupt unwary readers as he inspires so many future Monty Python skits. What's different here is that it is Keith's erotic awakening, not Helena's, as this is not exactly her first rodeo. And while there are a few insights to the morals of the time and place, what may impress some people more than anything else is David Tennant dropping an f-bomb or four.