Movie adaptations of Barbara Cartland’s romances found their way onto the screen from the 1970s to the 1990s, with some films still available to watch for free on the internet.
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Old School Romance Novels on the Big (and Small) Screen
It’s surprising that despite the numerous romance novels written in the 20th century, especially in the last quarter, they were rarely adapted for the screen.
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss had been in talks with studios to have Shanna released on film, but negotiations fell through. Most adaptations were small-budget numbers released on television.
The 21st century has been markedly different. Twilight, Fifty Shades of Grey, Outlander, and the Bridgerton series are all popular now. Francine Rivers‘ Redeeming Love was recently released as a film.
Romance novels were rarely adapted for the screen, except for miniseries based on authors such as Jackie Collins and Danielle Steel, who generally wrote romantic fiction, not romance.
One exception is Dame Barbara Cartland. The very prolific British romance novelist wrote over 700 books, most of them romances, and sold over 750 million copies worldwide.
Barbara Cartland Romances on Film
EXPLORE THE BARBARA CARTLAND ETERNAL COLLECTION SERIES ON AMAZON KINDLE
Barbara Cartland might not be the first name that comes to mind when one thinks of popular romantic films from the past.
But it should, as a few of her romance novels were adapted into made-for-television movies from the 1970s to the 1990s.
Most of these adaptations are still available on YouTube on Amazon. These movies provide genuine romantic entertainment.
The Flame Is Love by Barbara Cartland (1979)
The Flame Is Love starred Timothy Dalton. I haven’t had the chance to watch it yet, but it sounds like a blast. It’s in my To-Watch queue.
Summary:
Linda Purl stars as a turn-of-the-century American heiress who, while en route to her betrothal to an English Duke (Timothy Dalton), encounters love and intrigue in the arms of a French journalist (Shane Briant).
A Hazard of Hearts by Barbara Cartland (1987)
Back in the early 1990s, I was delighted to catch A Hazard of Hearts on TNT. This was memorable for several reasons, including an early starring role for a young Helena Bonham-Carter, who, at the time, seemed destined to be forever typecast as a vulnerable damsel-in-distress in period dramas.
I LOVED this one. The hero Lord Justin Vulcan, played by Marcus Gilbert, was to die for! And Diana Rigg, in the role of the evil mother-in-law, was divine!
A Hazard of Hearts is available to watch for free on Amazon Prime.
Summary:
Compulsive gambler Sir Giles Staverley (Christopher Plummer) loses his estate and all of his money playing dice, then plays a final game where he loses his most valuable treasure: his beautiful young daughter Serena (Helena Bonham Carter). He kills himself after losing to the wicked Lord Harry Wrotham.
Lord Justin Vulcan then beats Wrotham in a wager, winning Staverley’s estate and Serena. With no idea what to do with either, he sends Serena to his family home, Mandrake, a forbidding cliff-top mansion, where the girl must deal with opposition from his mother.
The Lady and the Highwayman by Barbara Cartland (1988)
This one stars Lysette Anthony in the heroine’s role. Remember her from the incredibly underrated 1991 reboot of Dark Shadows as Angelique?
Also, check out a young Hugh Grant as the highwayman. Hubba-hubba.
Anyway, I liked this one.
Summary:
A swashbuckling tale of romance, betrayal, jealousy, banditry, murder, and court intrigue set in the 1660s during the Restoration.
A Ghost in Monte Carlo by Barbara Hazard (1990)
Again, here is Lysette Anthony starring in another Cartland TV movie. The handsome hunk–Marcus Gilbert—is the hero in this one. That’s reason enough to watch.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a full version of A Ghost in Monte Carlo.
Summary:
Weary of her very public life in Paris, an aging courtesan takes her orphaned niece from her convent home and relocates to Monte Carlo.
Here’s a clip of the trailer.
Duel of Hearts by Barbara Cartland (1991)
The lovely actress Alison Doody from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was the leading lady in the adaptation of A Duel of Hearts.
She and her handsome, blond leading man made a beautiful couple.
Summary:
A lady posing incognito (Alison Doody) helps a lord (Benedict Taylor) framed for murder by his greedy cousin (Michael York) in 1820s London.
Your Opinion
Have you seen any of these Barbara Cartland movies? If not, you should definitely give them a watch. They’re pretty cheesy but can be a lot of fun!
They might be somewhat cliched and a little over the top, but that’s what makes them perfect comfort food. These adaptations feature captivating characters, grand settings, and genuinely romantic moments. From the costumes to the music, everything about these films exudes a sense of old-fashioned charm that can be hard to resist
Do you wish more films based on romance novels—real romances, not romantic fiction—had been filmed fifty to twenty years ago? What older books would you have liked to see on the screen?
Please drop a comment, and let’s talk romance.
Links
- A Duel of Hearts, IMDB
- The Flame Is Love, IMDB
- A Ghost in Montecarlo, IMDB
- A Hazard of Hearts, IMDB
- The Lady and the Highwayman, IMDB
- Literary Hub
- Wikipedia
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The Lady and the Highwayman is also famous for starring a very young Hugh Grant.
Yes, how could I forget him with that long dashing hair?
Thanks, Jacqueline. Except for “Duel.of Hearts”, I’ve seen all these movies. Though it’s been a while.
IMHO the best Barbara Cartland screen adaptation is easily “The Lady and the Highwayman”. A lively romance full of swashbuckling adventure and high drama. And it takes place in Restoration England, a colorful setting that isn’t used enough.
Just saw Our Lady and The Highway man and Hazard of Hearts on YouTube. FUN.
READ A TON OF Dame Barbara as a young person and have rediscovered them. Pure escapism but I need that right now.
28 isn’t all that young. He had already starred in MAURICE.
That was meant as a response to Ros, obviously. Hughie was on his way. Rowing with the Wind was also 1988.
I found A Ghost in Monte Carlo, in full, parked here:
https://rarefilmm.com/2018/08/a-ghost-in-monte-carlo-1990/
I’ve seen all of these titles but Duel of Hearts (so please let us know if it turns up). I remember, at 16, just loving The Flame is Love when it came out, but, it didn’t really hold up as well as the others.
I have enjoy them all. It is a pity young generations do not give value to the culture of romance. And too bad there are no more novelists like madam Cartland.