The Mayor of Casterbridge

'Casterbridge' is Dorchester, not Oxford. You can still stand in the street in Dorchester where Michael Henchard's wife stood, opposite the hotel where he was holding court as the mayor.

Two lines stand out from this memorable movie, lines for which I suppose Thomas Hardy must take most of the credit.

Henchard's first words on meeting his wife after twenty years: 'I don't drink.'

And his wife's explanation, when speaking of the man who had bid five guineas for her and her baby at the fairground auction: 'I couldn't leave him, Michael. Not after he'd paid all that money for me.'

(Both quotes from memory, but I think they are accurate.)

This brilliant adaption of a typically grim hardy novel was filmed in Corfe Castle, Dorset, but is set in Dorchester (aka Casterbridge). Given that it is 45 years old and it stands up well. Technically. Bates is of course the star. Sadly, Farfrae and Lucetta are poorly caste (the newer version being much better) but it is good to see the story told as written (mostly) and no one afraid to take a long time about it. It shows a man recovering from an early failure of character, who then does well. But then he lets himself down again and starts to fail. He makes a recovery of sorts, only to let himself (and others) down again. In short. This is a story about karma and how we control our own fortune. For those of us who are able to concentrate for an extended period of time it is well worth agonising over his life.

10 is not a high enough rating for this masterpiece. Even as we see the gorgeous and extremely talented Alan Bates as the mayor, making mistake after mistake, acting like a fool, struggling with his conscience, and sometimes making things right only to screw up again, we are moved by him. We have pity for a man who cannot get out of his own way, who is his own worst enemy.

The acting is superb, the scenery/sets beautiful and fitting of the time and place. Often meanings are conveyed through looks, expressions, and not an excess of words. The score by Carl Davis is appropriate and adds to the feel of the series, enhancing the whole thing.

What luck that this is on DVD, complete with biographies on Sir Alan Bates and Thomas Hardy, among other things. Don't miss this gem.

Please pardon the substandard Americanism, but "who'd a thunk" that the insanely imaginative bete noire of British television writing, Dennis Potter, could have written such a disciplined, book-faithful, beautifully-paced script as this. He pays full and respectful homage to the great Thomas Hardy's masterpiece.

No repetition of the accolades of prior reviewers is needed here. They're spot on.

What I would like to see, if I had control of casting of both the 1978 and 2003 versions, is a redistribution of the cast. For this exercise, I need a time warp.

Understanding, for example, that Polly Walker, who plays Lucetta in 2003, was only 12 years old in 1978, I would have preferred her (as she was in 2003) to Anna Massey as Lucetta in 1978. Walker has some beauty and magnetism and is believable as a man- hungry "fallen woman." Massey was undeniably an excellent actress, but as a vamp she simply can't cut it. To think Farfrae or Henchard could be attracted to her sensually is laughable. The suspension of disbelief here is too much for me to make. (By the way, her miscasting as Laura in the Pallisers is equally disturbing, as there is NO spark between her and Donal McCann in that series.)

Then I'd grab Juliet Aubrey out of the 2003 version and cast her in place of Anne Stallybrass - Aubrey portrays Susan more sensitively, more skilfully.

Janet Maw is superb as Elizabeth-Jane, so I'd leave her there, and not import Jodhi May into 1978 - May is too stilted as E-J. Both Purefoy and Galloway are very good as Farfrae, but Goodman is so very good in the minor role of Jopp that I would pull him out of 2003 to replace Lacey,

And last, I leave it to you as to Hinds or Bates as Henchard. They both turn in the most remarkable performances of their careers in Mayor of C. And that's why it's such a pleasure to watch both versions. despite the dreadful editing of Hardy in 2003.

This is an excellent British TV production of Thomas Hardy's classic novel. I watched it after I saw the updated version on A&E starring Ciaran Hinds (which is good too). This version is about 3 times as long and more true to the novel. Excellent acting and on location filming make this a winner. It's in a live play style. Its about a drunken husband who sells his wife and daughter to a sailor at a rural fair because he can't support them. Years later, this decision comes back to haunt him. Good morality story of how a bad decision can ruin people for life.