Page vs Screen: Far From The Madding Crowd

Earlier this year, I read Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy and absolutely adored it. A week ago, I went to see the new film adaptation of the book, so I thought I would share my thoughts around that.

Summary:
Bathsheba Everdene is an independent, proud woman whose life is complicated by three men; the devoted and loyal Gabriel Oak, the respectable and rich Mr. Boldwood and the seductive and impulsive Sergeant Troy.

The Book:
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I absolutely love Hardys writing and the characters in this. I could prattle on about this book forever, but I'll just stop at saying that I love it.

You can read my full review of the book here.

5/5

The Movie:

Personally, I really enjoyed this adaptation, though I'm not sure everyone would.

This film is, aesthetically, extremely beautiful. The setting of the country in England is depicted beautifully; the ocean, the vast fields, the forest, the farms. I think especially the use of the light is what makes this movie so lovely. I also found the music very fitting, and especially enjoyed the song in the opening sequence.

I thought the characters were very well casted and did an excellent job of portraying their characters. There are a few more minor characters you get to know in the book that aren't in the movie, but it's the kind of sacrifice I understand for when you adapt something to film. I especially noticed Matthias Schoenaerts as Gabriel Oak and the way he captured that silent suffering in his character that makes him so swoon worthy.

Now... the reason I don't think everyone would like this is that I'm not sure it's as enjoyable if you haven't read the book. I felt like I enjoyed it because I knew all the characters beforehand and I knew the story. I don't think time progress in this was captured very well. In the book, the story progresses over several years, and this felt like it was all crammed into a few seasons.

4/5

Overall, I enjoyed this movie very much, and I will definitely see this over and over again. I feel about this what I feel about Pride & Prejudice - it's the kind of great movie to watch when you want to revisit an old favorite without rereading the novel. I would highly recommend it if you've read the book. You could also just watch it to swoon over Gabriel Oak; I wouldn't blame you for a second.

You can read more about the movie here, or get the book here.