The Fundy Film Society

Far from the Madding Crowd

Based on the literary classic by Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd is the story of independent, beautiful and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan, Inside Llewyn Davis, An Education), who attracts three very different suitors: Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts, Rust and Bone), a sheep farmer, captivated by her fetching willfulness; Frank Troy (Tom Sturridge, Pirate Radio), a handsome and reckless Sergeant; and William Boldwood (Michael Sheen, Midnight in Paris, The Damned United), a prosperous and mature bachelor. This timeless story of Bathsheba’s choices and passions explores the nature of relationships and love—as well as the human ability to overcome hardships through resilience and perseverance.

Far from the Madding Crowd is the first mainstream English-language film from Danish director Thomas Vinterberg, a charter member of Lars von Trier’s Dogme movement who is best known for The Celebration (1998) and The Hunt (2012). The sublime production—particularly the gorgeous cinematography, deft editing and beautiful musical score—transports the viewer into the English countryside. With its artfully composed scenes, the film has a painterly quality.

“Carey Mulligan is magnificent as the courageous, uncertain heroine in a ravishing new adaptation of Hardy’s novel… [Vinterberg] has accomplished something that is both extremely simple and extremely difficult: This is a gorgeous literary adaptation true to its period and its source material in almost every respect, largely shot in the ‘Hardy country’ along the south coast of England. It’s also a film that feels charged with life and hunger and romantic-erotic energy.” (Andrew O’Hehir, Salon.com)

“Director Thomas Vinterberg’s romantic rollercoaster honors Hardy’s rustic vibe. Remarkably, too, he’s made a thoroughly modern film anyone can relate to—it’s like a ‘what a woman wants’ discussion set in Victorian times. It’s also an instant classic.” (Graham Fuller, New York Daily News)

“Handsomely mounted, this is a period drama in which both unspoken demands and stated appetites drive the emotions that simmer below the surface from the first frame… few movies are delivered with this much craft and care.” (Kevin Jagernauth, The Playlist)