Once more I need to write about the close link
between literature and films because we can´t deny that without the influence
of literature we wouldn´t have the opportunity of enjoying gripping and engaging stories which enable us
to discover new realities – contemporary, past and futuristic ones – realities,
possibilities and experiences which help us to broaden our minds or which are just pleasurable ones because that´s
the point of watching a film, isn´t it? On this occasion, the Danish film-maker
Thomas Vinterberg revisits Thomas Hardy´s Far
from the Madding Crowd to make a new film adaptation of the British novel. Far from the Madding Crowd (1874) was
Thomas Hardy´s fourth novel and thanks to it Hardy won widespread popularity as
a writer. The title of the film will probably appeal to English-speaking
audiences that are familiar with the work of the British author but even if we
are not so acquainted with Thomas Hardy (1840- 1928), we can still be intrigued
by a story written by the screenwriter David Nicholls and played by
an outstanding cast. David Nicholls is a writer whose famous novel One Day (2009) was also made into a
film. The novel gained very positive reviews and David Nicholls himself adapted
his book into a screenplay; the film was released in 2011. Us is his last novel and it has won the UK Author of the Year Award apart from being longlisted for the 2014 Booker Prize Award, an award for
novels written in English.
Even if the story of the film may be new to
some audiences, I´m sure most cinemagoers already know the actress who plays
Bathsheba – the protagonist of the story – as she has been part of the cast of
very well-known films; she has appeared in Pride
and Prejudice, The Greatest, An Education, Never Let Me Go, Shame or
The Great Gatsby to mention but a few.
Funnily enough, quite a lot of her performances are based on film adaptations
of classic books, mostly British ones with the exception of The Great Gatsby. Can you guess who I´m
referring to? If you´re thinking about a talented, young, British actress such
as Carey Mulligan, you´ve guessed correctly.
I wonder whether Carey Mulligan has a real liking for the kind of literary
parts that she plays or it has just been a matter of chance, maybe both things,
don´t you think? Film-makers might have realised that she is especially good at
playing these kind of characters and that´s the reason why she is offered this
sort of roles… Just wondering, who knows? Anyway, if you feel like learning a
bit more about the plot of Far from the
Madding Crowd, you may have a look at the BBC website where you can find
more information about it and the sypnosis which I have borrowed from its
web page: “Based on the literary classic by Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd is
the story of independent, beautiful and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene
(Carey Mulligan), who attracts three very different suitors: Gabriel
Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts), a sheep farmer, captivated by her wilful
spirit; Frank Troy (Tom Sturridge), a handsome and reckless sergeant; and
William Boldwood (Michael Sheen), a prosperous and mature bachelor. This
timeless story of Bathsheba’s choices and passions explores the
nature of relationships and love – as well as the human ability
to overcome hardships through resilience and perseverance.”
As I´m in the mood for writing about British
films, I´d like to recommend a film which I´m very fond of: What We did on Our Holiday. When it was
released, it was compared with Little
Miss Sunshine – in my view – a jewel of a film, perhaps not the shiniest
one but a jewel nonetheless. The parallelism can be drawn because both stories
centre on dysfunctional families but up to what point is the term
“dysfunctional” valid in our present-day society? Obviously, there are more
ingredients in the film that make those so-called dysfunctional characters
endearing ones so I encourage you to go to the cinema so that you can discover
a story which touches us in a very special way.
David Tennant and Rosamund Pike are the parents
of three children who are wonderfully played by Emilia Jones, Bobby Smallbridge
and Harriet Turnbull. All the members of the cast offer us outstanding
performances but I must draw special attention to the part of the Scottish
actor and musician Billie Connolly – one of the UK´s greatest comedians – whose
portrayal of a Scottish grandfather triggers off the plot of the story.
Have you
watched any of the films that I´ve mentioned? Do you often enjoy watching film
versions of classic books? Have you read any book by Thomas Hardy or David
Nicholls?
