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I watched "Far From the Madding Crowd" yesterday for the first time in many years and was once again moved and stunned. The setting, the music, the stories and the cast are all a masterpiece. Julie as Bathsheba we know, stunningly lovely, feisty, mischevious - and smart, but even so too slow to see that Gabriel is the one, so easily led astray by the dashing but shallow Sergeant, who was so cruel to poor Fanny. Peter Finch as Boldwood was never better, and the way he is shown falling in love at first sight with Bathsheba is beautifully done. Her calling out of the grain sellers in the market and then her singing (and Gabriel's playing for her was very significant) just enraptured him beyond saving. And Oak? Hardy did not name him so for nothing; was there ever a more solid, loyal, steadfast and honorable man portrayed on screen? When he lost his sheep - a total catastrophe - his first thought was: "Thank goodness I am not married." He accepted so gracefully Bathsheba's first rejection, and just carried on. Later - though still in love wlth her - he was not afraid to tell her how wrong she had been to send the Valentine Card, and she fired him - impetuous and unrealising what a treasure she had before her. But then in her own sheep disaster she wrote him a beautiful note from the heart she seems unable to admit to: "Please do not desert me." And of course he could not. But then he had to watch and wait long years in patience as she dallied with Boldwood and was seduced by the shallow peacock Sergeant Troy - until finally at the end she and Gabriel come together - and she would never find a more loving, loyal, devoted, hard-working man. Alan Bates deserved an Oscar for his utterly moving performance. He perfectly played a role-model for the ages. Thank you, too, John Schlesinger. I will always love you for giving us this masterpiece of Humanity. |
I am in two minds about the ending to this monumental love quadrangle. Once again, Hardy is rather naughty. On the one hand, it is a happy ending at least for Gabriel and Bathsheba - at last a comfortable life together of shared endeavour and company. BUT, the final scene shows us Troy's gift standing in the living-room, playing on the soldier blowing his trumpet and suggesting that she will always hold a candle for him in her heart - and perhaps a brighter one than for Gabriel. And did we EVER see the married couple actually TOUCH each other? Even when Bathsheba chased after Gabriel and asked him to stay and he gave his little speech: "When you look up, there shall I be, and when I look up, there you will be." they did not throw their arms around each other. At the beginning of the film Bathsheba was quick to tell Gabriel that she didn't love him (as she also told Boldwood) - but even at the end of the saga she cannot bring herself to say to Gabriel: "Please don't go: I need you - I love you." And neither did Gabriel say that to her. They did love each other in their way, but it seems a love without passion - certainly without the passion she felt for Troy, or that Boldwood felt for her. I don't think Hardy liked truly happy endings - or is the message that passion is overrated? Perhaps staying power, loyalty, devotion, togetherness and warmth are longer-lasting and ultimately more satisfying? I haven't looked this up, but it seems that in those times a man might ask for the hand of a lady in marriage without ever having had a "date" (or in modern parlance "hung out") with her! Did they even HAVE dates in those days? Could an intelligent man such as Boldwood really have supposed that Bathsheba could commit to marriage when she hardly knew him at all? It seemed to be the same for Gabriel right at the beginning of the film, but one supposes that they did at least know each other a little. Perhaps the book makes that clear, but the film didn't. |
