Far from the Madding Crowd (1967)

Far from the Madding Crowd
Directed by John Schlesinger
Written by Frederic Raphael from the novel by Thomas Hardy
1967/UK
IMDb link
First viewing/Netflix rental

[box] Bathsheba Everdene: [to her workers] Don’t anyone suppose that because I’m a woman, I don’t understand the difference between bad goings-on and good. I shall be up before you’re awake, I shall be afield before you’re up, and I shall have breakfasted before you’re afield. In short, I shall astonish you all.[/box]

The complete package for a great literary adaptation.

Bathsheba Everdene (Julie Christie) lives a simple existence in the English countryside. She loves to flirt and sheep farmer Gabriel Oak (Alan Gates) asks her to marry him.  She refuses the proposal.  A freak accident causes Gabriel to lose his flock and he must seek employment.

Bathsheba unexpectedly inherits a large farm.  Defying society’s expectations, she intends to manage it herself and does a smashing job of it.  She hires Gabriel as her shepherd. She also flirts with a middle-aged prosperous neighbor, William Boldwood (Peter Finch). Finally, the handsome, but reckless and hard-drinking, Sergeant Francis Troy (Terence Stamp) tries for her hand.

I live for finding new-to-me movies to love.  Put it off because of its length and because I remember Hardy’s novels as grim.   I was immersed in the great story and acting the entire time.  The visuals and soundtrack are very beautiful.  Recommend to fans of this kind of thing.

Far from the Madding Crowd was nominated by the Academy for Best Music, Original Score.