Taunton Film Festival - Far From the Madding Crowd (1967, U)

A story about a beautiful woman who arouses the ardour of three rival suitors in 19th-century rural Dorset. Headstrong, and having flirted and toyed with their affections, she chooses to marry one that leads to trouble. John Schlesinger's adaptation of Thomas Hardy's classic novel is a superbly photographed production thanks to cinematographer Nicolas Roeg. The screenplay is faithful to the original story whilst maintaining the wit necessary for it to be engaging. Richard Rodney Bennett's wistful score works very well. Julie Christie is a fascinating presence. She is convincing as one, under whose spell, many a man could fall.

Thomas Hardy's novel is brought to life by a who's who of sixties actors at their absolute peak. Directed with flair also by John Schlesinger, Far From the Madding Crowd has many core themes that make the story Timeless -

Female Independence: Bathsheba Everdene (Julie Christie) rejects traditional subservience, choosing instead to run her own inherited farm and openly navigate life with multiple suitors.

Subversion of Victorian Norms: Hardy's original narrative—and its cinematic retellings—challenged conventional 19th-century prudery and moral expectations through frank depictions of desire, mistake-making, and redemption.

The Rural Landscape: The films treat the Dorset countryside not just as a backdrop, but as a living, breathing force that mirrors the unpredictable nature of human emotion and fate.

Refreshments available before the film starts.