The Making of a Lady movie

Reviewed by Gerti

You surely know author Frances Hodgson Burnett from her book “The Secret Garden”, which is a beloved children’s story and has been adapted for the screen several times now. This is one of her lesser known works, originally called “The Making of a Marchioness” which the filmmakers changed to “The Making of a Lady” since no one here in the United States would know what a Marchioness was. This is the story of educated but penniless British orphan Emily, who is trying to make her way in a world which has only caused her misfortune so far. She is played brilliantly by unknown to me Lydia Wilson, and her first employer is Joanna Lumley of “Absolutely Fabulous” fame. While not playing a man-crazy drunk here, Lumley as Lady Maria is a terrible person who is withholding her wages until she can sack Emily after she switches place cards at a dinner party.

You might think Emily is finally getting a break when Lady Maria’s widowed nephew, devilishly handsome in his army uniform Lord James Walderhurst, falls for her and offers to marry her and take her away to his family estate. But Emily has more to endure, for when James patriotically decides to rejoin his regiment in India, her husband’s good-for-nothing nephew Alec Osborn and his Indian-born wife Hester come to stay at the manor house, with a letter they say James sent them, asking the couple to look after his friendless young wife.

Things go from bad to worse for Emily, who soon discovers she is pregnant (yes, she and James have fallen in love!), but Hester’s calls her old ayah from India to the house to doctor her. That is, she comes to poison her, as Alec and his wife will inherit the estate if James is killed without an heir, and that is exactly their plan! Thankfully, Emily had her friend Jane from the big city come to work as her lady’s maid, and while Alec tries to seduce the girl, she remains (mostly) true to Emily, and eventually has to shoot Alec to keep him from killing them both. Emily has not been getting James’ letters to her, thanks to the conspiring couple, nor has he been getting her letters (same cause), and so she doesn’t know he is on his way home to save her. When he arrives, the Indian servant says Emily is already dead and Hester confirms it until she breaks, telling James the truth in enough time for him to keep the nanny from smothering Emily with a pillow.

The “saved by the bell” storyline is old-fashioned, yes, but the drama is real. This is a beautifully shot story filled with all the tension of a gothic romance, and the gorgeous costuming of a BBC period piece. Made in 2012, it boasts breathtaking sets and first-rate acting from the entire cast, and the men aren’t bad to look at either! Hero-husband Linus Roach made my heart go pitty-pat and evil wastrel James D’Arcy is also a pleasant eyeful, even if I as a viewer was not fooled by his act of friendship as was the good-natured Emily.

Written with intensity by Kate Brooke and directed by Richard Curson Smith, this movie should not be missed by mystery lovers or those who love a gothic yarn.