Far from the Madding Crowd

This is a post by JBFC Marketing Intern, Stacy Zakalik

Thomas Hardy’s Far From the Madding Crowd, directed by Thomas Vinterberg, arrives at the Burns on May 8. Following the 1967 classic film, it has huge shoes to fill, and fill them it does.

Carey Mulligan, in a standout role, stars as Bathsheba Everdene, a fiercely independent woman in 1874 Dorset. Mulligan brings an intelligent gravitas to a role that could be hard to grasp for some people. The film follows Bathsheba as she is followed by three suitors, who each want her hand in marriage: William Boldwood (Michael Sheen), Bathsheba’s neighbor, is a wealthy, middle-aged landowner, Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts) is a sheepherder who, after having an untrained sheepdog run sheep off a cliff, begins working under Bathsheba to make money, and Sergeant Troy (Tom Sturridge) gets Bathsheba’s attention with his sword-fighting skills. All three of these men ask Bathsheba for her hand in marriage, but only one gets the girl.

Bathsheba is an interesting character to look at from a feminist perspective. Orphaned and fiercely independent, she inherits the farm after her uncle’s death. She is plucky and strong-willed and able to think for herself, which causes suitors to come many and quickly across her path. Carey Mulligan does a great job showing the complexities of Bathsheba’s character, as her suitors, more one-dimensional men, flesh out her character even more in comparison.

Fans of Thomas Hardy’s novel will be happy that not much has changed from the pages his classic novel, and that Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba is an absolute joy to watch. And along with the wonderful story, and great acting, it’s a beautiful film with great cinematography and gorgeous costumes and scenery. Far From the Madding Crowd is the perfect recipe for a wonderful movie-going experience.

Definitely don’t miss Far From the Madding Crowd when it opens at the Burns on Friday, May 8. Tickets are on sale now!

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