2015 Movie
Dir. Thomas Vinterberg · United Kingdom, United States of America · English, French
Thomas Vinterberg and David Nicholls team up for an enchanting, yet grounded modern interpretation of the classic countryside novel
Far From the Madding Crowd is a classic tale, but in terms of story, it has the familiar thread of a lady having to choose between multiple swoon-worthy suitors, which is a common story of many lengthy, overly melodramatic period dramas. However, with the restrained direction of Thomas Vinterberg, and the writing of David Nicholls, known best for his decades sprawling romance in One Day, the fifth film adaptation captures the magic of the classic countryside novel, elevating the old-fashioned romance with an easier, faster flow, and carried by the powerful performance of its cast. Fans of the novel or the 1967 adaptation might feel disappointed at how much was removed, but overall, Far From the Madding Crowd is an exemplary drama adaptation.
In Victorian England, the independent and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene attracts three very different suitors: Gabriel Oak, a hardworking young sheep farmer; Frank Troy, a handsome and reckless Sergeant; and William Boldwood, a prosperous and mature bachelor.
"Mulligan is spot-on, the rest hovers between solid and forgettable."
— Trevor Johnston
England, 1870s. The independent heiress Bathsheba Everdene catches the eye of shepherd Gabriel Oak, though she refuses his offer of marriage. Despite this, their lives continue to intertwine as Everdene hires him for her uncle’s farm, with Weatherbury bringing contrasting fortunes to both of them and new suitors for Miss Everdene.
The music. The score is just so ethereal, but the way Craig Armstrong incorporates the folk and church songs into the story helps to recreate the way these farmers must have lived before, tugging at a collective history in a way not many period dramas have done.
What happened to men giving you a lamb for a proposal?
Oscars
1 nom
Golden Globes
3 noms
BAFTA
2 noms
Nat. Board of Review
3 wins
Isabella Endrinal is a curator at A Good Movie to Watch. She's now free from the corporate night shift. Previous articles have been published in outlets such as NANG Magazine. She's currently catching up on some classic films… if she isn't coping with the fact that the Haikyu anime will end soon.
"This adaptation of Thomas Hardy's towering 1874 novel is triply smart. It uses dramatic concision, snappy country-life couture, and bold, graphic-novel colors to bring a contemporary tang to a capacious Victorian classic."
— Michael Sragow