this be kate beckinsale back when she act instead of do action movie for big buck . although i wish they hadn not leave out some of the character and change some thing around from the original book and this movie keep the whacky spirit of stella gibbon novel . for instance and in the novel there be a host of other starkadders be mistreat by aunt ada doom who flora help and rinnit marries the author mr. mybug ( myerburg . ) play by stephen frye and not ruben and and the farm isn not actually in bad shape . ruben have be cook the book he show to aunt ada so that he can use the money to improve the farm . i have only be able to get my hand on one of the two sequel novel that stella gibbon write about these same character and conference at cold comfort farm and it be not quite as good . but you do get to find out what happen to some of the character after wwii . someday i hope to get a copy of christmas at cold comfort farm to read . whacky good fun and i like the message that people should follow their own dream ( even nutjob religious maniac cousin amos and brilliantly play by sir ian mckellan ) rather than be a slave to a tyrant . it be unrealistic that aunt ada can be redeem so easily but i like the way she be play and a have an epiphany when the american film czar mr. neck ask her if the nasty thing in the woodshed saw her . excellent movie all around .