Connie Reid becomes Lady Chatterley upon her marriage to a British aristocrat, but her elevated status does not make up for the lack of romance in her life. When she meets a humble gamekeeper at her husband’s country estate, she’s unable to deny her attraction to him.

Lady Chatterley’s Lover is based on the controversial classic novel by D.H. Lawrence, published nearly a century ago. The film stars Golden Globe winner Emma Corrin (The Crown, My Policeman) and is directed by Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, whose debut feature film, The Mustang, won the Sundance Institute/NHK Award at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

Release date

Lady Chatterley’s Lover will be available on Netflix Dec. 2.

Trailer

Watch the official Netflix trailer for Lady Chatterley’s Lover.

Cast

In addition to Corrin, the cast of Lady Chatterley’s Lover features Jack O’Connell (Godless, Unbroken), Matthew Duckett (A Confession, Doctors), Joely Richardson (The Sandman, Nip/Tuck) and Faye Marsay (Andor, Game of Thrones). Read this cast guide for more info.

Plot

🤐 SPOILER ALERT 🤐

After a whirlwind courtship, Connie (Corrin) marries Clifford Chatterley (Duckett) shortly before he goes back to the front during World War I. Clifford returns paralyzed below the waist, and they move from London to his country estate.

Initially optimistic, Connie becomes depressed, caring for Clifford daily and lacking the physical intimacy they once shared. Meanwhile, Clifford laments his inability to father children and suggests that Connie discreetly get pregnant by another man to provide him an heir, which only deepens her loneliness.

After seeing Connie’s emotional state, her sister Hilda (Marsay) confronts Clifford and informs him that his childhood nursemaid, Mrs. Bolton (Richardson), will return to be his caretaker. While Connie is relieved to have Mrs. Bolton around, she also feels more alone as Clifford pays even less attention to her.

Over time, she finds herself drawn to the estate’s quiet gamekeeper, Oliver Mellors (O’Connell). While he remains deferential to her as the lady of the manor, she eventually acts on her desires and they begin an affair. As their passion grows, they must face the reality of their situation and decide whether they can risk everything for love.