'Far From The Madding Crowd': Counterprogramming Writ Victorian
Genre flicks on steroids — that's the general rule for this time of year, whether we're talking superheroes, supercharged cars, or romance — and in that context, the lush, overstuffed costume epic, Far From the Madding Crowd is a perfect fit.
It's romance — and in an Avengers-dominated week, also counterprogramming — writ Victorian: a feisty heroine in crinoline, romanced by sturdy heroes who are handsome, reliable, smoldering men of few words. So few, in the case of shepherd Gabriel Oaks (Matthias Schoenaerts), that he's said a total of maybe 10 syllables to pretty, spunky Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan) before surprising her one afternoon at her cottage door with a baby lamb and a proposal of marriage.
"I've never asked anyone before," he stammers embarrassedly when she doesn't immediately say yes.
"No," she smiles, "I should hope not."
Now, there's a subtext to this encounter. He's got a herd of sheep and what he figures are pretty good prospects. She's living off the kindness of relatives and has an education, which, for a woman in Victorian England, counts for not much. By that era's lights, he's kind of doing her a favor, with this marriage proposal, clumsy though he is. Still she turns him down, which looks like a smart move a few days later when their fortunes reverse — he watching helplessly as his sheepdog herds his entire flock over a cliff; she inheriting an estate from a wealthy uncle.
In no time, there's another guy — a wealthy land-owner (Michael Sheen) — making goo-goo eyes. And where in most romances, two handsome, sturdy men-of-few-words would suffice, this one has a third — a callow young soldier (Tom Sturridge) who speaks with his, um, sword, let's say (and yes, novelist Thomas Hardy intended that double-entendre).
I confess I wondered why anyone would want to remake Far From the Madding Crowd until I went back and watched some of John Schlesinger's 1967 version. Long, lavish and, Julie Christie notwithstanding, pretty dull, it doesn't stint on landscape, but isn't terribly compelling. Christie was a lovely flirt, but that's kind of all that the pre-women's lib version asked her to be.
This time, Carey Mulligan plays Miss Everdene, and like Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games heroine who would become her namesake a century or so later, she's made of sterner stuff, whether wading into a sheep-bath on a dare, or meeting the skeptical staff of her inherited estate.
"It is my intention to astonish you all," she tells them.
And astonish she does, at least judging from the looks she gets from the men in her orbit.
Director Thomas Vinterberg has shaken off all vestiges of the pared-down minimalism that guided him when he made his Dogme classic, The Celebration. Here he's all about lush music, gorgeous landscapes, and romantic action in a story he and his screenwriter have tightened and intensified.
This Far From the Madding Crowd is almost an hour shorter than the '60s one, which means the madding now comes so close on the heels of the gladding and the sadding, that it isn't until the very end, that you realize you've been artfully shepherded — stampeded, really — right off an emotional cliff.
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Transcript
MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:
If comic books aren't your thing - or even if they are - a reminder that there are plenty of other movies in the theater besides "The Avengers: Age Of Ultron." Our critic Bob Mondello says there's a less crowded alternative to look out for. It's appropriately titled "Far From The Madding Crowd."
BOB MONDELLO: Genre flicks on steroids - that's the general rule for this time of year, whether we're talking superheroes, supercharged cars or romance. "Far From The Madding Crowd" is romance-writ Victorian - and they really do not write them like that anymore - with heroes, say, sheepherder Gabriel Oaks, who are sturdy and handsome and men of few words - so few that he's said a total of maybe 10 to pretty, spunky Bathsheba Everdene before surprising her one afternoon at her cottage door.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD")
MATTHIAS SCHOENAERTS: (As Gabriel Oaks) I brought you a lamb.
CAREY MULLIGAN: (As Bathsheba Everdene) Oh.
SCHOENAERTS: (As Gabriel Oaks) The lamb is not why I came.
MULLIGAN: (As Bathsheba Everdene) Go on.
SCHOENAERTS: (As Gabriel Oaks) Well, Miss Everdene, I wanted to ask, would you like to marry me?
MONDELLO: Now, there's a subtext to this encounter. He's got a herd of sheep and what he figures are pretty good prospects. She's living off the kindness of relatives and has an education, which for a woman in Victorian England counts for not much. By that era's lights, he's kind of doing her a favor with this marriage proposal, clumsy though he is. Still, she turns him down, which looks like a smart move a few days later when their fortunes reverse - she inheriting an estate, he losing his sheep. And soon...
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD")
MICHAEL SHEEN: (As William Boldwood) Good hunting, Miss Everdene.
MONDELLO: ...There's another guy making goo-goo eyes, this time a wealthy landowner.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD")
SHEEN: (As William Boldwood) Miss Everdene, I want very much to have you as my wife.
MONDELLO: And where in most romances two handsome, sturdy men-of-few-words would suffice, this one has a third.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD")
TOM STURRIDGE: (As Sgt. Francis Troy) I don't think I've ever seen a face as beautiful as yours. Meet me tomorrow. Nobody would know.
MONDELLO: A callow young soldier who speaks with his sword, let's say. And, yes, novelist Thomas Hardy intended that double entendre.
I confess I wondered why anyone would want to remake "Far From The Madding Crowd" until I went back and watched some of the 1967 version - long, lavish and, Julie Christie notwithstanding, pretty dull. She was a lovely flirt, but that's kind of all that the pre-women's lib version asked her to be. This time, Carey Mulligan plays Miss Everdene, and like Katniss Everdeen, "The Hunger Games" heroine who acquired her name a century later, she's made of sterner stuff, whether wading into a sheep-bath on a dare...
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: (As character) Miss Everdene's here now, so you better do your best work. I'm looking at you...
MONDELLO: ...Or meeting the skeptical staff of her inherited estate.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD")
MULLIGAN: (As Bathsheba Everdene) Don't suppose because I'm a woman I don't know the difference between bad goings-on and good. I shall be up before you are awake. I shall be afield before you are up. It is my intention to astonish you all.
MONDELLO: And astonish she does, at least judging from the looks she gets from the man in her orbit. Director Thomas Vinterberg has shaken off all vestiges of the pared-down minimalism that guided him when he made his Dogme classic, "The Celebration." Here he's all about lush music and gorgeous landscapes and romantic action in a story that he and his screenwriter have tightened and intensified. This "Far From The Madding Crowd" is almost an hour shorter than the '60s one, which means the madding now comes so close on the heels of the gladding and the sadding that it isn't until the very end that you realize you've been artfully shepherded - stampeded, really - right off an emotional cliff. I'm Bob Mondello.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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