In Victorian England, the independent and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene attracts three very different suitors: Gabriel Oak, a sheep farmer; Frank Troy, a reckless Sergeant; and William Boldwood, a prosperous and mature bachelor. [IMDb]
Imagine this if you will…you’re a young, single, educated woman in late 19th-century England (Dorset, to be precise). Your parents have passed, you’ve no prospects and you’re living on a small piece of land belonging to your aunt. Sure, there’s a lovely, uncomplicated shepherd living nearby, who tries to sweep in and make you his bride, but you tell him you’re too independent to marry and it’s unlikely he’d be able to tame you. In just the first 10 minutes of the 2015 adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd, we learn that our heroine Bathsheba Everdene is a bit of a unicorn. She is way ahead of her time–partially because of who she is as a person and partially because of the fate that awaits her.
In short order, Bathsheba inherits her uncle’s estate–a large farmstead–which means this independent-minded woman becomes truly a woman of independent means overnight. This twist of fate makes her a rarity among Victorian women, most of whom weren’t permitted to do very much at all without a man’s permission. So, Bathsheba's circumstances are quite unique, especially in sleepy Dorset. She takes to farm management with gumption and innate skill, turning the failing venture into a booming success. Some of that success is owed to her former sweetheart, the shepherd Gabriel Oak, who still holds a torch for Bathsheba but keeps his feelings close to his vest.
While Gabriel toils away, ever the loyal friend and worker, two other men pursue his unrequited love interest. Yet, he handles these suitors with grace and restraint; this is played subtly and beautifully by Matthias Schoenaerts. You get the sense he’s watching life play out in front of him but is unable to participate. There is a solemn, yet palpable sadness in his demeanor and no utterances of his enduring heartbreak.
Just as sympathetic is the wildly wealthy William Boldwood, played by Michael Sheen. William was jilted early in his life and never entertained the idea of joining his heart to another…until Bathsheba. When he falls, he falls hard. And, it’s really hard to watch because it’s played so heartbreakingly well by Sheen. His longing for Bathsheba turns from a hopeful second chance at love to act of desperation. Having glimpsed a future he never thought he’d never see come to fruition only to watch it flit away was a bridge too far for this broken-hearted suitor. He descends into a quiet mania and meets an unfortunate fate. But, I wouldn’t expect anything less from Hardy as he’s known for eviscerating the hearts and minds of his readers.
Just when we’re certain Bathsheba won’t marry because, after all, she doesn’t need to–she falls headlong into the biggest mistake of her life. Enter Sergeant Frank Troy, a soldier in the Queen’s army who’s nursing a bitter and broken heart after his sweetheart leaves him at the altar (or so he thinks). Frank finds his way to Bathsheba’s farm and in literally no time at all elopes with her, much to the chagrin of her two former suitors. Frank is bad news, plain and simple. He has an angry streak, he’s reckless, he’s a drunk, and he's a gambler. Bathsheba really hit the jackpot with her choice of husband, a mistake that we assume will cost her everything she owns, as well as her self-respect.
But, as chance would have it, Frank disappears after learning that his former sweetheart, who hadn’t jilted him after all and was carrying his child, died just after giving birth. With Frank presumed dead, it seems Bathsheba can reclaim her life, but is now strapped with the many debts her husband left behind. Boldwood attempts to remedy those debts by proposing marriage a second time, but again -- and in true Hardy style -- fate re-emerges in a most unexpected way. I could tell you how it ends, but I’ve revealed enough to whet your appetite. This film is required viewing for any literary bookworm and period piece enthusiast. Carey Mulligan is a triumph as Bathsheba. She’s entirely believable as the strong-willed, independent, intelligent, capable Victorian heroine we want to see succeed. She’s supported by a cast of suitors who you will root for, ache for, and despise. As for production value, Far from the Madding Crowd is a feast for the eyes. The cinematography is a thing of beauty to behold. To be honest, I had shied away from this film for many years–mainly because I’d been burned by Hardy decades earlier in college having been assigned to read Jude the Obscure. I will never forget that depressing, miserable experience for the rest of my life and wasn’t keen to tread those waters again. I’m glad I reconsidered and finally sat down to watch this adaptation. I won’t lie to you, I did have a good cry for a long while after the credits rolled, but in this case, it was well worth the tears.
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