Christina Cole may not be a household name, but she should be, as she excels at playing the icy, upper crust, blond bitch in any number of historical costume movies and TV shows. From Blanche Ingram to Caroline Bingley, Cole is frequently one of my favorite characters in a show. Let’s take a look at her work!
Foyle’s War: “Among the Few” (2003)
As “Violet Davies” in this episode of the World War II-era mystery series.
Agatha Christie’s Marple: “The Murder at the Vicarage” (2004)
As Lettice Protheroe, the teenage daughter of the victim; I think this is set in the 1930s, but I know you will correct me if I’m wrong!
He Knew He Was Right (2004)
Oh god, I hated this 1860s-set Anthony Trollope adaptation, so I can’t remember whether Cole was any good as Nora Rowley.
Jane Eyre (2006)
As Blanche Ingram, the fabulously upper crust competition to plain Jane.
Doctor Who: “The Shakespeare Code” (2007)
As Lilith in this late 16th century-set episode.
Lost in Austen (2008)
As Caroline Bingley (aka “Frosty Knickers”) in this time-traveling take on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008)
I can’t remember Cole’s part (Charlotte Warren), but it looks like she’s in the fashion show scene?
Poirot: “Appointment with Death” (2008)
Yet another Agatha Christie murder mystery, set in 1937. Cole plays Sarah, a young doctor.
Emma (2009)
Another icy Austen bitch – the snobby Mrs. Elton!
Partners in Crime (2015)
Yet MORE Agatha Christie, this time set in the 1950s!
SS-GB (2017)
A murder mystery set in an alternative history where the Germans have won World War II. Cole plays the sadly frumpy “Mrs. Sheehan.”
What’s your favorite of Christina Cole’s historical roles?
I finally got around to watching Lost in Austen and boy, did I ever want to know what happened to Caroline in the end. Christina gave her a surprising amount of depth.
That would be a fabulous sequel!
I remember her as the rather evil stepsister in What a Girls Wants with Amanda Bynes and Colin Firth. Haven’t watched that in years!
Ah, Amanda Bynes in her prime.
YES.
That entire movie is great. Especially Colin Firth trying to squeeze himself into those leather pants. LOL
So so good!
In Miss Pettigrew she’s the competing actress with Amy Adams’ character. They’re both sleeping with the young producer to get the role. Delysia calls her “the rabbit”. (Can you tell I watch this movie a lot? Ha!)
It’s a fabulous movie and worthy of repeat watching!
Since the first thing I ever saw Christina Cole in was “Hex”, I never really associated her with bitchy roles.
By the way, “The Murder at the Vicarage” was set in the early 1950s. And her hairstyle in “He Knew He Was Right” (a rather good production, I thought) does not look Edwardian to me.
Yeah, it’s less the hair and more the collar…
She’s “his Hortensia, to be enjoyed in every way.” She didn’t have a lot of lines, but she was a sexy, vulpine foil to Amy Adams, and it was wonderful.
oops…. i posted my reply to the wrong comment. This was supposed to go with Bronwyn’s comment.
I loved Hex!!!
I liked the portrayal of Blanche Ingram in the 2006 version of Jane Eyre because they changed her from the stock bitchy mean girl she is in the book and actually gave her a modicum of self-awareness. Although they still fell victim to the “make the antagonist blonde to contrast with the brunette heroine” trope.
Well yes of course, Jane MUST be brunette and Blanche MUST be blond! Isn’t there a law somewhere? ;)
She will always be Frosty Knickers to me. She is just so good!
Icy blond types don’t do it for me, but Cole is very skilled. She brings up a question, though: Why is Blanche Ingram so often cast as blond? Bronte describes her as tall, well built, and quite dark, “dark as a Spaniard,” or something like that. Speaking of which, is she the novel-to-film version of petite, fair-haired Katharine of Aragon, almost always played by a brunet?
Hmm! Modern ideas of contrast vs. 19th century, I suppose! I assume in the book Jane is pale and dishwater-y?
(It’s been to long since I’ve read JE!)
Yeah, in the book, Jane Eyre is small and pale and has “irregular” features. So, as you point out, for contrast mean-girl Blanche is tall, dark and gorgeous. Being a smart guy, Mr. Rochester understands that Jane is admirable and his soul mate and all that, while Blanche is a gold-digging bitch.
Bet it made the rather odd-looking Charlotte Bronte feel WONDERFUL to put all that on paper and see it become a best seller. I’ve never read a novel so fiercely on the side of its narrator and so skilled at winning the reader’s empathy as well.
Thank you for including Lost in Austen! Her Caroline Bingley is fantastic!