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    Far from the Madding Crowd

    Reviewed by
    wmxy221@

    This truncated version of Thomas Hardy's famous Victorian novel is an ill-advised remake of the classic 1967 film with Julie Christie, Alan Bates, Peter Finch, and Terence Stamp-all veterans of stage and screen. Julie Christie, as Bathsheba, all fire and determination could eat the bird-like Mulligan for breakfast. Christie was a WOMAN, while miss humming-bird Mulligan is a girl. Her character is one step away from anorexia and could make use of a few mcmeals. Mulligan's expressions consist of either scrunching her face into self-satisfied grins or some version of feistiness. There are many close-ups which suggest that either the cameraman or director is smitten. She is not a femme-fatale and therefore it is hard to believe that any of the 3 suitors could be aroused by this barely post -pubescent (appearing) lass. So no chemistry is present and is not expressed in any tangible way when our suppressed lady makes her initial choice of the underwhelming (as portrayed by the bland Tom Sturridge), charismatically-challenged Sergeant Troy. Schoemaerts offers an acceptable Mr Adequate. What is plain as day, is that these 2 are the right match but as in a rom-com starring Katherine Heigl, only the audience is aware of this. Michael Sheen comes off best as the hapless oldster, Mr. Boldwood whose character generates sympathy. This masterpiece theatre crossed with harlequin romance effort is made for those with a limited attention span since many of the scenes are so pressed together that one does not have time to catch one's breath. Generally, period dramas are not meant for short attention spans and those who do attend historical pics are tolerant of a slower pace. In attempting to satisfy all customers, the filmmakers have forgotten this fact. In other words this one comes up a cropper.

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    wmxy221@  2.6.2015 age: 50+ 247 reviews

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