In the same way “Citizen Kane” uses a certain object as a metaphor for lost youth, “Madding Crowd” finds meaning through colliding social forces. Hardy’s well-observed plot merges a complex romance narrative into vital social allegory, brought to fruition through the power of symbols. Allegiance becomes a fraught over thing, and how they behave not only with Bathsheba but between each other reveals their character.Īs an example of early feminist lit, Thomas Hardy’s 19th century classic couldn’t be more relevant. This is a better story than one where each of these three men’s bids for affection is siphoned off, and how they interlock and slowly come to a confrontational boil is when “Madding Crowd” entertains most.

The third is the sensual Sergeant Frank Troy ( Tom Sturridge), whose impetuous charm amusingly captures the artificial allure of foreign intervention. The second is William Boldwood ( Michael Sheen), an extraordinarily wealthy but rigid man lacking, amongst other personal qualities, a sense of humor. Rigorously hard-working and an honest man, he is the easiest to root for. He owns a farm adjacent to Bathsheba’s, but amidst courting her his farm falls to ruin and he’s forced to relocate. The first suitor is the rugged farmer Gabriel Oak ( Matthias Schoenaerts), who as his name heavy-handedly reveals, symbolizes the natural world. Reshaping the present for a better future is a thematic throughline present in many of the story’s settings, characters, and indeed even the plot itself, and the push for a more magnificent estate mirrors Bathsheba’s own hope for a better future. She inherits a vast property previously owned by her parents, and while it has not fallen to ruin, it is in much need of tighter upkeep. She says no to at least two of them, and how the complexity of the narrative gradually builds is one of the film’s pleasures. She deems no man worthy of the challenge, and over the course of the book (and so the film’s) timeframe, three men, personifying the three varying ideas, propose to her in marriage. But there are treasures here, and if you’re willing to spend the effort to dig them up “Madding Crowd” proves to be a rewarding experience worth exploring.īathsheba Everdene is an independently wealthy woman who is, herself, fiercely independent and in her own words, in need of taming. But “Madding Crowd “ lacks the fiery passion that modern audiences are accustomed to, and the lax, deliberate pace may provide a monotonous, sour experience for the uninitiated. A troop of terrific actors are led Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba Everdene, and the feminist bent of her character makes this period costume drama germane to our times. Thomas Vinerberg’s “Far From the Madding Crowd” is an unnecessary but unusually handsome adaptation, executed with enough artful wit to still feel fresh. Rating: PG-13 (for some sexuality and violence) Directed by: Thomas Vinterberg (based on a story by Thomas Hardy)

Far from the madding crowd book review