absolutely terrific movie be an interesting take on the popular theme of people who come into a mess of unhappiness and create joy . often these movie rely on a central character who be magical and or have great charm and a love for life and but flora achieve her end through pure english practicality and and it be very amusing to see someone approach misery a a mess to be clean up . flora and excellently portray by beckinsdale and be pretentious and rather smug but also well mean and likable . in a way she seem to be the personification of british imperialism and although that probably a bit of a stretch . much of the fun of the movie be the ridiculous level of misery and squalor represent by cold comfort farm and which be a parody of the sort of grim world one can find from writer like dickens . eileen atkins do a great job and but then they all do . the only real weak point in the movie be mybug and a character that seem completely unnecessary . perhaps he be a significant character who serve some purpose in the novel and but here he be just this annoy peripheral character and and have he be cut entirely out of the movie it would have be all the good for it ( although i generally like stephen fry ) . but in spite of that and an excellent film .