Far from the Madding Crowd

What a treat to see an adaption of this marvellous but hard going book, of course it's always worth the effort to read Hardy, but it takes getting into, you have to be in the right mind frame, so dramatisations of his wonderfully rich characters are always wonderful to watch, and open up his work to a wider audience I should imagine.

This film in particular was pretty true to the script, if a little condensed, in places. I felt Alan Bates was just fantastic on screen, but probably had the right amount of charm and screen magnetism for the box office, but a little too much to be a true Farmer Oak as described by Hardy, what women in her right mind would ever turn him down,being so sweet and looking like that, I must watch more of his films.

Everyone else was just brilliant as well, and it was lovely to see the beautiful Dorset I visit often so on the big screen and note it really hasn't changed that much at all since the filming in the 60's.

An excellent film, don't miss it !!!

In this sprawling adaptation of the Hardy novel, a beautiful woman in 19th century English countryside must select a suitor among three men. It has become fashionable to bash this film but it is quite an impressive production. Although she may not be exactly what Hardy had in mind, Christie is radiant as the heroine. The men pursuing her are well played by Finch as a rich landowner, Stamp as a cad, and especially Bates as a poor sheep farmer. Schlesinger's direction is leisurely and meticulous but he sustains interest despite the nearly three-hour length. The cinematography by Roeg is breathtaking and Bennett's score adds a haunting quality to the film.

There's a man or two who've taken quite a shine, they want to be your love, eternally entwine, one's a shepherd who has nowt, the t'other carries lots of clout, but desires from your side, just don't align. Then a soldier takes a glance and your enraptured, taking all you have to give and you've been captured, you're in love, and now so happy, you get wed, it's rather snappy, that's when ties begin to break, becoming fractured. Soon the man who you have loved, leaves you in tears, as he vanishes, dissolves and disappears, opens a door for the rich neighbour, who wants to offer you his sabre, and is prepared to wait a while, a long six years.

Fabulous performances by some rather splendid actors in a tale that engages and engulfs.

I first saw this movie in 1968 when I was 14 as an assignment for school. The other day I saw it again late one Saturday night on my local PBS station. I remembered how entranced I was in the mood and the music, and that was still the same now. The movie was nominated for a Golden Globe as best picture(drama) and it won for best score.

But after living for 30 years I really see it as a great story about the relationship choices we make in life. It really made me reflect on my own choices in life.

The main character is played by Julie Christy age 26, who is the owner of a sheep farm in England. She is very beautiful and more than one man is in love with her. I won't say which man she marries but even after the movie was over I felt perplexed as to any one right outcome. That we all make choices at different times in our lives and sometimes the reasons are the same and sometimes they are different. Sometimes we make emotional choices and sometimes intellectual ones. But they are all choices we have to live with.

A British period drama; A story about a beautiful woman who arouses the ardour of three rival suitors in 19th-century rural Dorset. Headstrong, and having flirted and toyed with their affections, she chooses to marry one that leads to trouble. John Schlesinger's adaptation of Thomas Hardy's classic novel is a superbly photographed production thanks to cinematographer Nicolas Roeg. The screenplay is faithful to the original story whilst maintaining the wit necessary for it to be engaging. Richard Rodney Bennett's wistful score works very well. Julie Christie is a fascinating presence. She is convincing as one, under whose spell, many a man could fall.