A Hazard of Hearts

A Hazard of Hearts is a 1987 made-for-television romantic drama film starring Helena Bonham Carter in one of her first major roles. It is based on a 1949 novel by Barbara Cartland.

Plot
Sir Giles Staverley, a compulsive gambler, is tricked into gambling away his home by his old adversary Lord Harry Wrotham. As Staverley is distraught and desperate, Wrotham gives him one last chance - he will gamble everything Staverley has lost against Staverley's daughter's hand in marriage and her trust fund of 80,000 guineas. Staverley agrees, despite Nicholas, who is his nephew and Serena's much-loved cousin, desperately attempting to persuade him against it. He loses once again.

Unable to face his daughter, Serena, Staverley kills himself. Lord Justin Vulcan, a notoriously cool, clear-headed gambler, challenges Wrotham for the house and the girl. Much to Wrotham's disgust, Vulcan wins. Justin now finds himself in possession of the house and Serena, but has no idea of what to do with them. Nicholas races to Serena and informs her of the turn of events, begging her to marry him, in order to shield her from the infamous Lord Vulcan. However, Serena stoically refuses, due to Nicholas' love for Isabel Gillingham, and declaring that the Staverley's have always paid their debts.

However, Lord Vulcan appears neglectful, failing to visit the Staverley estate for several days, claiming that his victory had 'slipped his mind'. Isabel Gillingham, who is in turn madly in love with Vulcan, is jealous of the mysterious Serena who has not yet appeared in society. After meeting Serena and realising that she is much younger and more attractive than he had imagined, Vulcan installs her as a guest at Mandrake, his ancestral home next to the sea. This decision is made despite the opposition of Justin's mother, Lady Harriet Vulcan.

As Lady Vulcan attempts to marry Serena off to anyone except her son, Serena and Justin form an unexpected friendship and he teaches her about Mandrake, the home he loves. However, the innocent and unworldly Serena is soon thrown into intrigues and plots involving corrupt gamblers, violent smugglers and highwaymen.

Soon, a crisis forces Serena and Justin to confront their feelings for each other. Can the course of true love run smoothly for them?

Cast

 * Helena Bonham Carter - Serena Staverley
 * Marcus Gilbert - Lord Justin Vulcan
 * Edward Fox - Lord Harry Wrotham
 * Diana Rigg - Lady Harriet Vulcan, Justin's mother
 * Christopher Plummer - Sir Giles Staverley, Serena's father
 * Stewart Granger - Old Lord Vulcan, Justin's father
 * Fiona Fullerton ...  Lady Isabel Gillingham
 * Neil Dickson ...  Nicholas
 * Anna Massey ...  Eudora, Serena's Maid
 * Eileen Atkins ...  Lady Harriet's Maid
 * Gareth Hunt ...  Joker, a highwayman
 * Robert Addie ...  Lord Peter Gillingham
 * James Gaddas ...  Lord John Burley
 * Christopher Villiers ...  Captain Jackson

Production
The novel was published in 1949. "This was my first costume book," Cartland said, "so I put in everything - highwaymen, jewels, the kitchen stove."

It was intended to be the first in a series of Cartland adaptations by producer Albert Fennell for CBS. He had optioned the novels ten years earlier and tried unsuccessfully to get finance. His option lapsed and producer Ed Friendly made The Flame is Love for NBC, which Cartland did not enjoy ("it was frightfully badly cast"). She was involved in A Hazard of Hearts from the beginning.