The Darling Buds Of May

[melanie]

Is anyone else a fan of this show? I absolutely love it! I adore the 50s decor and clothes that are in this show, and it seems like such a gentler, more peaceful time to live in.

 

[dhermann1]

I've seen the series once, a few years ago. Problem was, each episode is two hours long. WLIW on Long Island would broadcast the first hour one week, and the second hour the next. So far no problem. But there were 6 2 hour episodes, and they broadcast them in REVERSE chronological order! The Truck (aka the lorry) starts out blue, then becomes olive drab, then they acquire it. The young couple starts out having marital problems, then are in mid romance, then they just start. How to totally wreck a series for the viewer! I've never seen it broadcast again since.
One of the things to look for is a very young Catherine Zeta Jones, but everybody is great in it.
I'll bet it would be really wonderful in the correct sequence!

 

[Wire9Vintage]

Oh, I LOVE that show! Two things about it will always stick in my memory: the "dinner baths" they have, and in one episode, Catherine Zeta Jones' character was trying to sell Tupperware to make some money. All the older women were appalled at the smell of the plastic and one said, "Oh, I wouldn't put FOOD in THAT!"

Fun show. Wish it was still on here!

 

[melanie]

It is a wonderful show, I have the dvds and I watch them over and over again, I love them. Perhaps you could both try buying them from Amazon.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

"If you love D.B.O.M you will certainly fall for "love on a Branch Line" same era similar plot!"

Set in the 1950s, Love on a Branchline was a four part BBC TV series based on John Hadfield (only) novel of the same name and shown on UK television in June 1994. Filmed in various Norfolk locations, including Heydon and Oxburgh Hall, the story revolves around the eccentric Lord Flamborough (Leslie Phillips) and his equally odd wife and three daughters who own Arcady Hall but which is actually occupied by just three civil servants as the long forgotten Government Department of Output Statistics. Lord Flamborough prefers to live on his train which runs on its own isolated length of track.

The "hero", Jasper Pye (Michael Maloney), is sent by Whitehall to inspect and report back with the intention of recommending it be closed down. He is however, caught by the magic of its rural lifestyle - as well as by the charms of Lord Flamborough's daughters.

One of these daughters is married to alcohol loving and lovable rogue Lionel Virley (David Haig) who nearly succeeds in ensuring that both he and Jasper miss the climax of the saga - the local cricket match. The cricket match was filmed at Hillington & Flitcham Cricket Club's ground at Hillington Hall and a number of Flitcham and local members were employed as extras for the match: Kevin Ely, John Farrow, Neil Farrow, Andrew Jarvis, Mark Jarvis, David Manning & Peter Scarffe. These pages are a record of their involvement.

The series is still available on DVD (Certificate 12 - try Amazon) but it is surely time for the BBC to consider reshowing this series - it really is very good and David Haig's portrayal of Lionel is a delight - as one of the main characters, why he is not featured in the cover credits is a bit of a mystery.

(The original story was reputedly based on the fourth Earl of Cranbrook in Suffolk although Hadfield apparently never divulged the source of his inspiration), but at a recent Art Opening he told me it was a lot of Phooey.

 

[melanie]

Oh thanks, I'll check that out.

 

[Wire9Vintage]

Oh, and then there's also Goodnight, Sweetheart. That had some great 40s flavor. And don't we all wish we could find that alley back in time?

 

[melanie]

Yes indeed! That is actually been repeated on cable over here, I think I will watch it.

 

[Miss Scarlet]

I just bought the whole of Goodnight Sweetheart for 20 squids, I used to love it as a child. I'm on series five and it only arrived 3 days ago. I've literally been watching it non-stop. I love it so much! Not keen on the second Phoebe though.

 

[Warden]

Catherine Zeta Jones and jodphers, enough said really

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJX9O-OgP3E

 

[Warden]

The Darling Buds of May farm in Kent for sale for £1.35m

See BBC new report http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-19819288

 

[angeljenny]

The Darling Buds of May farm in Kent for sale for £1.35m

See BBC new report http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-19819288

If I only could afford it!

I used to watch the programme and dream of living there!

 

[50s Mick]

This hasn't been mentioned for a while so, as a new member, I thought I'd bump up this thread. Yes, Buss Farm has been sold to businessman and Darling Buds of May fan, Simon Coulson, and he has a website featuring his new home: http://www.darlingbudsfarm.co.uk/

Other Darling Buds of May related websites and pages are:

http://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/moviemap/darlingbuds-thetrail/darlingbuds-behindthescenes/
http://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/moviemap/darlingbuds-thetrail/
http://www.darlingbudsfarm.co.uk/event/carshow/

Mention should also be given to the author H.E. Bates (1905 - 1974) , who brought us into the world of Pop Larkin through his five Larkin novels. He was also one of England's finest short story writer and novelist, author of hundreds of short stories, novels, gardening essays, etc. Quite a few of his novels have been adapted for TV or into Hollywood films - The Purple Plain for instance, starring Gregory Peck. He is to my mind the finest writer we've produced in regard to pastoral England. There are a couple of websites specifically set up in regard to H.E. Bates, and are as follows:

http://www.thevanishedworld.co.uk/
http://www.hebatescompanion.com/

As many members are on the other side of the pond as it were, they could be forgiven for thinking that Catherine Zeta Jones is the star of the TV series, given that she's now an Oscar winner and wife of Michael Douglas. Not so. The star of the TV show is David Jason, aka Pop Larkin. David Jason is one of our most beloved actors in both comedy and drama, with a career stretching from the '60s to the present, and a far more accomplished actor than Catherine Zeta Jones, despite her Oscar win. He's certainly the bigger name over here. As far as the U.K. is concerned, The Darling Buds of May is probably her biggest accomplishment. She did appear in a few other things, but nothing as hugely popular. I certainly not knocking CZJ, for she was picked out of three hundred girls to play the part of Mariette, and I can't think of anyone better they could have picked. Anyone who has read the Larkin novels will see what a brilliant job of work David Jason did in bringing the character of Pop Larkin to life. I can think of no other actor who could have played the part so completely and made it his own. Pam Ferris who plays Ma Larkin also did a wonderful job - in fact they all did. Such a shame that more programmes aren't being made like it.

It seems that they've made a bit of a mess when broadcasting the show in the States. When it was originally shown over here it was as twenty episodes, lasting an hour each - well, fifty minutes if you remove the commercial breaks. Unlike one forum member, I can't remember Pop's gentian-blue truck turning a different colour! A few of the first episodes were based on the novels, but after that they were new stories based on the characters of the original novels. Richard Bates, son of H.E. Bates, served as executive producer of the TV series.

Any questions that fans may have about the show, such as locations used, etc, I'll gladly try to answer.

P.S. Here is a video featuring the new owner: http://vimeo.com/68379187

 

[tuppence]

They replayed it here, last year, late at night. David Jason in 'Open All Hours' is my absolute favourite.

 

[angeljenny]

I bought the books last week in a charity shop! Loved that television show so much especially the early episodes!