Women in Love is set in 1920s England, where free-spirited artist Gudrun (
Glenda Jackson) and her schoolteacher sister Ursula (
Jennie Linden) make the acquaintance of lifelong friends Gerald (
Oliver Reed) and Rupert (
Alan Bates). The foursome attends a picnic in honor of a pair of newlyweds, who put a damper on the proceedings (literally!) by drowning in a nearby lake. Evidently unscathed by this tragedy, Gerald and Rupert participate in a nude wrestling match later that evening (this was the sequence that got the most press, thanks to fleeting glimpses of the male stars' privates). Gerald marries Gudrun, Rupert weds Ursula, and the foursome embarks upon a Swiss honeymoon. The holiday is marred by infidelity and sudden death, leaving Rupert to wonder aloud just what it is that makes men and women "tick." An Academy Award went to
Glenda Jackson, while nominations were bestowed upon screenwriter Larry Kramer and cinematographer Billy Williams (who received an uncredited assist from director
Ken Russell). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide