New Delhi

In 1928, English author DH Lawrence got his final novel 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' published privately through a little-known Italian publisher. Judging by the clandestine nature of the publishing, he must have had some idea as to the kind of storm the novel, about an erotic extra-marital relationship, would create. The moral views from the Victorian era persisted, and the novel was widely condemned, even termed obscene.

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(This particular word 'obscene' and its adjective form 'obscenity would come to mean a lot to the novel's future publisher, Penguin, which won the obscenity trial against the Crown in 1960, ushering in a new era of erotic fiction.)

The story had numerous and detailed descriptions of sexual acts in an illicit relationship, and not surprisingly scandalised many. But as so happens with illicit things, the novel became a much-discussed topic, albeit in hushed tones. That time was the beginning of the sexual revolution, which enabled an era in which sex and related concepts, at least in the western world, could be discussed openly.

'Lady Chatterley's Lover' proved to be catnip to that generation.

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However pathbreaking and scandalous it was in 1929 though, today, the 'bodice-ripper' content in the novel cannot hold a candle to the erotic novels of today. The story's current appeal lies in what it wants to say, beyond all the sex.

Laure de Clermont-Tonnerr's adaptation, streaming on Netflix, is an almost straight adaptation of the story. The original tale has admittedly aged incredibly well. The story follows a young woman called Constance Reid (Emma Corrin) who is married to an upper-class husband, Sir Clifford Chatterley. Paralysed from the waist down due to an injury during his service in World War I, Clifford is decent enough but like many rich British men of that era, loves things more than he does people. 

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Also, due to the nature of his injury, Clifford requires constant care but would only allow Reid, now called 'Lady Chatterley', to help him. She abhors the isolation of the country manor, and also misses the crowded streets and culture of London.

Alone and dissatisfied, both emotionally and physically, Lady Chatterley finds herself attracted, sexually, to the gamekeeper Oliver Mellors. The idea may even have been put, unwittingly, in her mind by Clifford, who wants a child to inherit his wealth and would not mind one out of wedlock, so long as the act of sex is purely practical and Constance does not get emotionally involved. 

Initially outraged, she comes to find virtues in Clifford's idea. With Oliver, Constance finds not just sexual pleasure, but love and emotional support — something her husband had failed to provide.

Corrin, who was brilliant in the difficult role of Princes Diana in 'The Crown', is absolutely magnetic and lovely as Constance. Just like she silenced her critics with her performance in the royal drama, she proves herself more than capable of handling the complex role. She perfectly embodies Constance's vulnerabilities and struggles as an independent-minded woman forced to become something akin to a scullery maid in service of her stuck-up husband. Her performance is immaculate down to small details. 

lady chatterley's lover

Jack O'Connell as Mellors portrays a rough-edged man with a heart of gold. Also a veteran of the Great War, he was spurned by his wife, who did not even have the decency of granting him a divorce. Like Constance, he is something of a contrarian as well. He now lives a quiet life spends his time caring for chickens and reads James Joyce's books (Joyce was a controversial author then) in his cottage. 

And when things get steamy, his chemistry with Corrin appears to come across from the screen in waves. Preceding any, um, NSFW act, there is sexual tension in the air between the two thick enough to be cut with a knife. Earlier lost in the stuffiness of her husband's mansion, Constance finally breaks free in Mellors' arms. And with him, she becomes a woman unleashed. 

Of course, retaliation comes. Not only has Constance broken the supposed sanctity of marriage, but she has also fornicated with a man from the working class — an unforgivable sin in contemporary British society.

'Lady Chatterley's Lover' has a lot to say about the feudal nature of the 1920s British society and the place of women in it. It also offers a sharp commentary on the modern world, and it is frankly shocking how much the perspectives towards women and their sexual freedom hasn't changed. The original story, and thus the film, was smart to portray Clifford not as a monster, but as a product of his class and background. Even in the end, he did not realise he had done anything wrong. 

One can argue that 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' does not do enough to give the story a modern update. In my books, I thought David Magee's script was lean and well-written with strong dialogue. For while the sexually-charged passages may have become tame to modern audiences exposed to pornography and sex scenes in movies, the novel's themes, themes, however, have remained as relevant as ever. Some might say, the themes, of class and gender, sex and masculinity, mind and body, have somehow only gained relevance over the last century.