Far From the Madding Crowd—Movie Review

by Peter J. O'Connell

Far From the Madding Crowd. Released: May 22, 2015 (USA). Runtime: 119 mins. Rated: PG-13 for some sexuality and violence.

Thomas Hardy's classic 1873 novel Far From the Madding Crowd takes its title from some lines in Thomas Gray's classic poem of a century earlier, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard:”Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife . . . They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.” But Hardy's novel, and now the film made from it by Thomas Vinterberg, show how hard it is to keep that “noiseless tenor” when love and luck, hate and fate keep interfering.

The film begins with Bathsheba Everdene, an attractive young woman, galloping across moors and meadows in the bucolic English countryside of the mid-19^th century. Bathsheba (played by Carey Mulligan) has recently moved to the area to live with relatives on their farm. She has an independent streak and enjoys riding in positions not considered ladylike. Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts), a strong, silent type who owns a small sheep farm, observes Bathsheba and is much taken with her. In fact, after a short while, he proposes marriage. Bathsheba likes Gabriel but is not yet interested in marriage to anyone.

A dramatic occurrence causes Gabriel to have to sell his farm. Bathsheba, however, inherits a middle-sized farm. Then another dramatic occurrence results in the now-landless Gabriel going to work for the now-landowning Bathsheba. Bathsheba, aided by Gabriel, doesn't simply own her farm, she actively manages it, which causes some controversy in the area as her independent attitude clashes with the constricted cultural conceptions of women's roles in Victorian times.

William Boldwood (Michael Sheen), an older, somewhat reclusive large landowner and lifelong bachelor, finds himself falling in love with Bathsheba, and he, too, proposes to her. But Bathsheba is still not ready to marry. At this point, Frank Troy (Tom Sturridge), a dashing soldier, is posted to the area. Frank begins to cast a romantic spell over Bathsheba. The heavy-drinking Frank, however, is a cad—with a capital “C.” Passions start to swirl; surprising events occur; and violence and death enter the pastoral picture.

Far From the Madding Crowd successfully recreates the place and period details of Hardy's novel, while unobtrusively bringing out aspects of the story and characterizations that are relevant for our time. All of the actors, particularly Mulligan and Schoenaerts, fit their roles to a “T.” And the cinematography beautifully brings out the green and pleasant aspects of “England's green and pleasant land.”

“Footnotes” to the film: (1) Almost 50 years ago (1967), John Schlesinger directed a worthy, lengthy version of Far From the Madding Crowd starring Julie Christie, Alan Bates, Peter Finch and Terence Stamp. (2) Stephen Frears' Tamara Drewe (2010) is a clever, offbeat version of the story in which a group of writers interested in Hardy gather in the English countryside, where a beautiful young woman (Gemma Arterton) stirs up much interest. (3) Hardy's heroine apparently made an impact on the author of The Hunger Games trilogy, which has been made into a series of blockbuster films. That heroine is named Katniss Everdeen.