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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Our View: Learning to survive ... Techtoberfest event was a rousing success ... Jeffrey Gillespie: Hillary Clinton’s big night ... Our View: Learning to survive ... Techtoberfest event was a rousing success ... Jeffrey Gillespie: Hillary Clinton’s big night ... MOVIE REVIEW Victorian-era film 'Madding' engages Comment By Chris Honoré for Revels DailyTidings.com By Chris Honoré for Revels Posted May. 28, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Chris Honoré for Revels Posted May. 28, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Far From the Madding Crowd; 119 min; rated PG-13 Thomas Hardy wrote “Far From the Madding Crowd” in 1874, during the height of the Victorian era. It was a time when women deferred to the wishes of men and were considered property to be acquired and then ignored. Men, in contrast, offered women safe harbor and financial security. Hardy’s story has proved resilient and some might say timeless if not prescient, in great part because Hardy created in the character of Bathsheba Everdene, an atypical woman who is resiliently independent, desiring to live on her own terms and not those dictated by a husband. She declares to a suitor that she wishes to be no man’s property. The just-released film, starring Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba, is not only beautifully photographed, but Mulligan shines as she conveys the emotions of a woman who inherits a large farm and the title of mistress of all she surveys. She is determined to “astonish” all who now work for her and make a success of the farm, for she is no dilettante but a woman who wishes to live on her own terms in a society where women are cloistered by custom and social mores. However, for all of her sturdy values and willingness to work hard in the fields and lean forward, so to speak, in what is a man’s world, she is also a woman of emotions and passions. Hardy brings this to the fore when Bathsheba finds herself desired by three men, each vastly different. One is the farm’s shepherd, Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts), a quiet man who has no station in life but is ever willing to step into the breach when needed. The second is a wealthy gentleman farmer, William Boldwood (Michael Sheen), whose vast holdings run parallel to Bathsheba’s farm. Impulsively, she sent him a Valentine’s Day card and the result was more than she bargained for. The third is a soldier, Sgt. Francis Troy (Tom Sturridge), bedecked in scarlet and gleaming helmet, and someone who stirs in her emotions that prove to be reckless and far removed from her practical and grounded approach to all other aspects of her life. Suddenly this 19 th century woman begins to lose her moorings and is confronted with a series of choices that most women of this period could never have imagined. But her vulnerability stems from a confused heart, not from a lack of financial independence. She is, in effect, the female equivalent of William Boldwood, who also makes a life-changing decision. How Bathsheba sorts out this existential moment makes for a genuinely fine narrative, delivered by an excellent cast. As a period film, “Far From the Madding Crowd”is compelling and solidly engaging. Tangentially, the Brits adapted Hardy’s novel in 1967. Directed by John Schlesinger, the film starred Julie Christie, Alan Bates, Peter Finch and Terence Stamp. At the time, it was considered definitive (almost three hours), as well as a tour de force portrayal by Christie, whose startling beauty gave the film a far different look than this recent incarnation. Mulligan is in many ways a more interesting casting choice, her independence and allure drawn from her convictions and not overshadowed by her appearance. By Chris Honoré for Revels DailyTidings.com By Chris Honoré for Revels Posted May. 28, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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