"Far from the Madding Crowd" is a very long movie. Not only does it clock in at nearly three hours, but its slow, deliberate pace makes it seem longer. Now this might sound like I disliked the movie....well, I didn't. But I am warning you, as not everyone is like me and willing to watch something this long.
The story is from a Thomas Hardy novel, his first successful one at that. But unlike most films based on novels, I was shocked to read a summary of Hardy's story...and it's pretty much the film! And, I really do appreciate that the filmmakers didn't change the plot or tack on a happy ending or the like!
The story is about a most unusual woman for the 1860s. Bathsheba (Julie Christie) is a single woman who has inherited a large farm in England. Back then, women just didn't run large farms...they either hired a man to do it or, more likely, they married a guy so he can run the place. But Bathsheba has unusual notions for the time...such as not wanting to marry anyone who she didn't love first. This means that she did have suitors but instead of trying to date her and get to know her and win her heart, two of them (Alan Bates and Peter Finch) just asked her to marry her without any sort of prelude! Seen back then, this wouldn't have been so unusual...but you can understand a pretty young lady being taken aback from proposals that lacked any sort of romance! Unfortunately, the only man who actively tried to woo her during the film was a complete ne'er do well (Terence Stamp)...a man completely unworthy of her love. Where does all this go and how does the story end? See the film...and be prepared for a few surprises!
The film is simply gorgeous. The cinematography is lovely and appropriately gray, the music is terrific and the acting far better than I expected. Overall, one of Christie's best, if not her best. Despite her winning an Oscar for "Darling" and the fame of her film "Dr. Zhivago", I think here she is at her best.
So, if you see this one...give it a chance. Yes, it's slow...but it's also Hardy's vision and a sad yet enjoyable story as well....with a somewhat happy ending as well.
The story is from a Thomas Hardy novel, his first successful one at that. But unlike most films based on novels, I was shocked to read a summary of Hardy's story...and it's pretty much the film! And, I really do appreciate that the filmmakers didn't change the plot or tack on a happy ending or the like!
The story is about a most unusual woman for the 1860s. Bathsheba (Julie Christie) is a single woman who has inherited a large farm in England. Back then, women just didn't run large farms...they either hired a man to do it or, more likely, they married a guy so he can run the place. But Bathsheba has unusual notions for the time...such as not wanting to marry anyone who she didn't love first. This means that she did have suitors but instead of trying to date her and get to know her and win her heart, two of them (Alan Bates and Peter Finch) just asked her to marry her without any sort of prelude! Seen back then, this wouldn't have been so unusual...but you can understand a pretty young lady being taken aback from proposals that lacked any sort of romance! Unfortunately, the only man who actively tried to woo her during the film was a complete ne'er do well (Terence Stamp)...a man completely unworthy of her love. Where does all this go and how does the story end? See the film...and be prepared for a few surprises!
The film is simply gorgeous. The cinematography is lovely and appropriately gray, the music is terrific and the acting far better than I expected. Overall, one of Christie's best, if not her best. Despite her winning an Oscar for "Darling" and the fame of her film "Dr. Zhivago", I think here she is at her best.
So, if you see this one...give it a chance. Yes, it's slow...but it's also Hardy's vision and a sad yet enjoyable story as well....with a somewhat happy ending as well.