The Mayor of Casterbridge
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Movie Reviews of The Mayor of Casterbridge
Movie Review: Self-Made and Self-Destructive
Summary: 5 Stars
It opens with two obviously destitute people walking down the road into the mist of the Englsh countryside, a surly, desperate man, (Ciaran Hinds as Michael Henchard, superb in his role) followed by a downcast, chastised woman carrying a babe in arms. Their lot together worsens as they sit eating that evening, in a tent, surrounded by farmers marketgoers. The husband is obviously in his cups, the woman makes one sensible remark too many to him, and, in a temper he offers to sell her to the highest bidder. She finds a buyer during this mock slave auction, and as she is fed up with it all, seeing no future other than the past, she makes little effort to dissuade him, and takes the hand of a kindly sailor who makes the highest offer. It is not long afterward, that he realizes what he has done, and is grief stricken. This will become a too-familiar pattern throughout his life. He also leaves word at the same farmer's market with a subject he knows will always be there, for his wronged wife, should she return looking for him - which she ultimately does, but much later.
It takes 19 years, but the next chapter of the saga begins, and thereby lies the tale. It is about a man who, after moving on from the sale of his wife that day, becomes mayor of a small farming town, establishes a wheat trading point, and would have been respectable and complete in his own right had he been able to rein in the dark insecurities that seem to completely control him. He recognizes talent where he sees it, in the personable young stranger (portrayed by James Purefoy) he meets one evening at the Inn - a stranger who shows him the way to reconstitute moldy wheat, and Henchard offers him a job as his market manager, but he cannot rest once he discovers the younger man is more progressive, proactive and forward thinking than he is. He begins to compensate for the jealousies that begin to devour him by attempting to best the young man's ideas as they come up, which not only is impossible, but renders him a fool in the eyes of others in the process. His emotional illness is like a runaway train, picking up steam. Many a solid truth is uttered by this tormented man; we know he has it in him, but he just can't make it stay.
The supporting cast of characters provide excellent performances throughout; the cast-off, world-weary mother who has borne more trouble than any one person should be asked to do; the obedient, winsome daughter who has had virtually no life of her own; a beautiful femme fatale who comes out of the sordid shadows of the past under the cloak of respectability; the handsome, brilliant, soft-spoken Scotsman, (James Purefoy) master of everything he touches including love, who becomes the nemesis of our mayor just because of who he is within.
This was an enchanting story and I was immediately drawn into it by it's splendid cast, it's remarkable storyline that contained many twists of fate.
The remainder of the story deals with the final insult: the complete loss of pride beneath his own feet. It was larger than he was, after all.
This is for those who enjoy romantic Olde English Countryside tales a La Jane Eyre - so if that is for you, I recommend it as a very good, if somewhat lengthy movie.
Movie Review: Thomas Hardy's Greek tragedy played out in Casterbridge
Summary: 5 Stars
I have an affinity for Greek tragedies and Thomas Hardy's "The Mayor of Casterbridge" is decidedly in that tradition. I know that Hardy was interested in writing a novel that would combine his love of history with his love of Dorsetshire, but I find it hard to believe that he did not know something about the elements of classical Greek tragedy given everything that happens in this novel. You have "hubris" (excessive pride), you have "harmartia" (tragic flaw), you have "anagnorisis" (recognition) and "peripeteia" (reveral), all of which you find in "Oedipus Rex" and all of which play critical roles in "The Mayor of Casterbridge."
A drunken Michael Henchard (Ciarán Hinds) auctions off his wife, Susan (Juliet Aubrey) and infant daughter, Elizabeth-Jane to a kindly sailor. The next day when he sobers up, Henchard realizes the enormity of what he has done and vows to not touch strong drink again for 21 years. When Susan and a grown up Elizabeth-Jane (Jodhi May) come looking for him nineteen years later, after the sailor Newson is lost at sea, they find that serving as the mayor of the town of Casterbridge. In due course he learns their identity and arranges not only to take care of them, but to again live as husband and wife with Susan. However, although he confides in Donald Farfrae (James Purefoy), about his past, Henchard wants his dark secret to stay secret, and he and Susan agree to keep the truth from Elizabeth-Jane.
Henchard's sense of pride and his fear of having his shame made public, drive him throughout this story, but it seems the Fates have it out for him as his shame and secrets become more and more entwined. Every time it looks like Henchard has done something honorable, another twist is unveiled, as in his relationship with Lucetta Templeman (Polly Walker), and he finds another new level of hell on earth to endure. Complicating things are not only Henchard's business dealings with Farfrae but the young man's interest in Elizabeth-Jane. Henchard, who is poignantly given the final word in the production, seems as trapped as any Greek tragic hero, where all of his actions inevitably bring disaster and despair. Hinds provides a strong performance that allows us to condemn Henchard for his folly but still feel sympathy for his plight, fully aware that he is going to pay for all of his sins in some horrible way that only the gods could inflict on a human being. We also feel for his daughter, especially given May's touching performance as Elizabeth-Jane.
This mini-series version of "The Mayor Casterbridge" is much shorter than the 1978 version with Alan Bates in the title role, but that seems to just result in a more focused tragedy (I also find Hinds's performance to be superior because I can better buy Henchard's strengths of character). The first part ends on a particularly painful peripeteia that convinces you Henchard will never find happiness. But then one of the hallmarks of great tragedy is that you can see the horrible end coming, and the second part follows Henchard as he destroys everything he once held dear. That he pronounces his own fate and final just desserts only makes his demise all the more touching.
Movie Review: Why is this the best movie that I have ever seen?
Summary: 5 Stars
When I saw Alan Bates act Michael Henchard, I thought that I would never see acting any better than his, but I guess it was the role that I was identifying with, for Ciaran Hinds is the perfect Michael Henchard. He was wonderful as Bois de Guilbert in IVANHOE. He was indeed the rugged Captain Wentworth in PERSUASION and many have claimed him to be the very best Rochester in JANE EYRE. I think that Mr. Hinds performance in this movie goes a long way to make it the best movie that I have ever seen. Michael Henchard was a rugged selfmade man striving to follow his own star though that star is always the star of fate.
All that holds him back is the all encompassing past which wills him to destruction. He cannot escape himself or his fate.
To me he was Hardy's greatest creation. He is everyone.
Nearly every role that Ciaran Hinds has played has these same
dimensions and he handles each of them to near perfection which makes him my favorite actor and possibly the best actor of our time.
How can anyone love a character that would sell his wife and daughter even in a drunken state? Thomas Hardy and Ciaran Hinds
make us love this horrible man even as we love ourselves, and we
pray for his redemption. I think that Hardy himself wavered between redeeming Henchard or not.
It was not just Thomas Hardy and Ciaran Hinds that made this
incomparable movie. This is Mr. David Thacker's movie, and for a director with such a short list of credits, it is all the more astounding! He did it mainly with excellent casting. Jodhi May was great as Elizabeth Jane. Juliet Aubrey fantastic as the mother,James Purefoy wonderful as Donald Farfrae,and Polly Walker is the perfect Lucinda. He did it by pacing the movie a little faster than Hardy's literary gait. He made this movie happen by an unrelenting revelation of the time and of the nature of the land. Frame by frame, utterance by utterance, gesture by gesture,this movie marks excellence. There are many excellent people that made this happen that are not at the top of the credits, but we see their names over and over in great productions. We salute these great contributors, too, and selfishly wish them many more great successes.
Movie Review: BRILLIANT...BUT SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY JODHI MAY GETS HIRED!
Summary: 5 Stars
One need not echo everything written below. This is a major work of substance and sorrow.
The one exception to the otherwise perfect production is the perpetually confounding casting of actor Jodhi May. Here, she gives yet another one-note performance; her brow knit, and open mouth near drooling instead of acting. Not only is she unremarkable looking, in any way, but she is - and I will take flack here - a stereotype Jewish face.
Now wait! Before everyone jumps on me, remember that EVERYONE in film is cast not only for the way they act, but primarily (unlike stage) for the way they look; they look stereotypically Irish, or stereotypically Italian, or stereotypically evil, or stereotypically heroic. Unfortunately, not only does Ms May's look incessantly distract, which one could forgive a director for trying something uncoventional, she simply cannot act. And, critically, she bears no resemblance to any of the three actors of which she is supposed to be the offspring! She is an embarrassing English version of Tori Spelling - and must have a parent or relative controlling purse strings in the industry. Nothing else could explain why she is hired.
Hers is a key performance, for certain, but miraculously does not sink the ship. Ms May's forgettable presence is an annoying afterthought in the wake of Mr Hinds and the rest of the company - whose efforts render characters so devastatingly complete, they burnish your heart, leaving your conscious mind reeling and your sub-conscious never quite the same.
Movie Review: Hardy would approve
Summary: 5 Stars
4.5 stars
I'm guessing few of the naysaying reviewers here have read the book. This brief 3-hour movie covers much of Hardy's lengthy novel with the sort of solemnity and dour elan that Hardy would enjoy. Most of the key elements are still there, and above all Hinds is absolutely excellent as Henchard, with Purefoy's Harfrae (and Aubrey and May) not far behind. Most every actor here is very good, in fact. (Hinds and Purefoy and Polly Walker soon reunited for the fine HBO series Rome).
The cinematography is solid, and for a low-budget tv series this is far better than many big dollar movies these days. The script is a good, terse adaptation of the sprawling Wessex novel by Hardy, keeping most of the key character points and moments. It's not easy to film a classic novel well, especially in a low key version like this, but I rarely thought of budgets, mainly of good writing and great acting.
This is one case where I'd rather see the movie first and then read the book, because frankly Hinds is as good a Henchard as you could ask for, and seeing him in the mind's eye as Henchard is entirely apropos.