Dulcima

Dulcima (Carol White) is a carefree girl who begins working as housekeeper on a run-down Gloucestershire farm, owned by the miserly Mr. Parker (John Mills). The farmer quickly becomes enamoured of the pretty and lively girl and invites her to live-in.

Parker lives in a disorganised way, and lets his chickens roam the house. He is unshaven and smokes roll-ups. He is also somewhat older than Dulcima. Dulcima keeps him at arm's length by creating a fictitious boyfriend, Albert.

Parker takes her to a cattle auction. She is bemused by the very subtle indications made by the farmers that they are bidding. Parker bypasses the auction and buys 4 cattle for £60 apiece from a stranger at market. He then promptly sells them at auction for £72 apiece.

Parker tries to spy on Dulcima through the frosted glass of the bathroom door. He invites her to join him for a beer in the parlour but she declines. The next day, she meets Ashby, a young gamekeeper from the next house, Compton Wood. He asks permission to round up pheasant on Parker's land. Later, he is seen herding the pheasant from Parker's land to his. Parker spots him. When he tells Dulcima, she says it is Albert. she makes moves to leave to try to get Parker to pay her the wages owed. He owes her £20 but she says £40. He says he is putting it in her drawer but only puts £15. She takes the £25 shortfall from his cash tin. They begin a sexual relationship.

Parker wants to marry her. However, Dulcima becomes attracted to a local gamekeeper.[2] In town, she spots him in a bus queue and purposely gets the bus.

Parker starts to tidy himself and the house.

Dulce goes to visit Ashby. He says he comes from Bristol. They clearly like each other.

Parker buys a dress as a wedding dress. Dulce doesn't want to look. She says she is visiting a friend. Parker follows her and sees her meet Ashby in a field and kiss him (he still thinks this is "Albert"). Ashby and Dulce go dancing. Parker is furious (and drunk) when she returns. She hides herself in her room and says she will leave in the morning. When she goes downstairs, the livingroom is wrecked. She finds the dress, and a wedding ring in a box. Ashby is waiting outside. She says she cannot go with him.

A shot rings out and Ashby falls dead. We see Parker at an upper window with a rifle.

• Carol White as Dulcima Gaskain
• John Mills as Mr. Parker
• Stuart Wilson as Ashby the gamekeeper/Forest Warden
• Bernard Lee as Mr. Gaskain
• Sheila Raynor as Mrs. Gaskain
• Dudley Foster as Symes
• Cyril Cross as Harris

The story was taken from a novella of the same name by H. E. Bates which was published in the 1954 collection The Nature of Love.[3]

The Canadian television film Dulcima (1969) was based on the same novella, with the setting transferred to a small town in Ontario.[4]

In 1969, Bryan Forbes was appointed head of production at EMI Films. Dulcima was announced as part of his initial slate of productions with John Mills and Frank Nesbitt attached from the beginning.[5]

The bulk of the film was shot on location on a farm, over the summer in and around Minchinhampton and Tetbury in Gloucestershire.[6] Shooting was plagued by rain.[7]

In 1982 Nica Burns adapted the show for the stage.[8]

• Dulcima at IMDb
• Dulcima at Letterbox DVD
• Dulcima at BFI
• Dulcima at TCMDB