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.
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
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
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.