Under the Greenwood Tree
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Movie Reviews of Under the Greenwood Tree
Movie Review: Lighthearted and charming......
Summary: 5 Stars
"Under the Greenwood Tree" is a charming adaptation of Thomas Hardy's novel of the same name. And unlike Thomas Hardy's other dramatic and often tragic novels (think "Tess" and "Far From the Madding Crowd"), "Under the Greenwood Tree" is surprisingly lighthearted and carefree.
It is a tale about a lovely young lady named Fancy Day (Keeley Hawes of "Our Mutual Friend" and "Wives and Daughters") who returns to the village of Mellstock to teach and care for her father. Soon after her arrival she catches the eye of three very different men: Mr. Shiner (Steve Pemberton), the wealthy and determined landowner; Dick Dewey, a handsome yet poor carrier; and Rev. Maybold (Ben Miles of "Coupling" and "The Forsyte Saga"), the town's vicar. Fancy's father urges Mr. Shiner's suite but Fancy cannot make up her mind. Should she follow her heart and marry the man she truly loves or marry the man who can provide for her and her father?
"Under the Greenwood Tree" introduces some quirky and interesting characters and watching it is very much akin to sitting under a tree (greenwood tree?) and enjoying the breeze. Unlike most British period dramas that take several hours to conclude, "Under the Greenwood Tree" is less than 2 hours long and is a delight to watch. The story moves rather quickly and, as always, there are some misunderstandings and hurdles before Fancy finally makes her final choice.
I was especially struck by James Murray, who plays Dick Dewey with such charm, charisma and is so dashing that he almost outshines the lovely Keeley Hawes. I had never heard of him before but you can bet that I'll be keeping an eye on him from this day on. Ms. Hawes is always a pleasure to watch although this doesn't quite match her performances in "Our Mutual Friend" or "Wives and Daughters." Ben Miles, as always, does a creditable job as the solemn vicar. There are some other good supporting roles, most particularly by Tony Haygarth who plays Dick Dewey's father and Tom Georgeson who plays Fancy's father.
I would certainly recommend "Under the Greenwood Tree" to fans of British period films. It is a charming little period piece that is a delight to watch. There are some wonderfully romantic moments and the chemistry between Fancy and her most ardent suitor is irresistible. If you're looking for something fun, romantic and British, then this is right up your alley.
Movie Review: A light-hearted rural romance adapted from Thomas Hardy's work
Summary: 5 Stars
Having watched BBC adaptations of Thomas Hardy's Tess, Jude the Obscure and The Mayor of Casterbridge, I was delighted to come across an adaptation of Hardy's lesser-known work, Under the Greenwood Tree, which is not depressing as many of Hardy's other literary masterpieces, but is instead lighthearted and warm, and filled with the hope of romance.
Keeley Hawes [who was also in a memorable role in Wives and Daughters, 2002] plays schoolteacher Fancy Day, who arrives in the Dorset village of Melstock on Christmas Eve to take care of her ailing father. Her luminescent beauty captivates three men in the village - the young and down-to-earth but impoverished Dick Dewey [James Murray], the rich and arrogant Farmer Shiner [Steve Pemberton] and the ambitious Parson Maybold [Ben Miles].
The story is set against the beautiful background of the changing seasons as we witness Dewey's steadfast affection for Fancy, but what chance does the poor sod have when he has to contend with two rivals with much more standing and wealth than him? Will Fancy follow her heart or the wishes of her father [who wishes to see her wed and financially secure] or her wanderlust [which can be accommodated by Parson Maybold]?
The focus here is very much on the romance part of the story, but in Hardy's novel, there was much description of the traditional way of life in rural villages - which was eventually threatened and displaced by the onset of the Industrial Revolution. I had hoped that the adaptation would have incorporated this aspect as well but sadly, it glosses over this central theme in Hardy's original work.
Despite this shortcoming, this adaptation of "Under the Greenwood Tree" is still charming and quite compelling. It may be the 'frothiest' of Hardy's works, but it retains the love story at the heart of Hardy's work and Keeley Hawes does an admirable job of portraying the strong-willed and charming Ms Fancy Day who has to make an important life choice that will accommodate her own aspirations and inner desires. The cinematography is beautiful and so is the lovely score. All in all, another winning period drama from BBC.
Movie Review: So sweet! I can't believe this is Thomas Hardy!
Summary: 5 Stars
The course of true love never did run smooth, and Dick and Fancy certainly have their share of thorns in love's path. The eligible bachelors of a small country village pine for Fancy Day. Fancy reminds me of a 19th-century Lorelei Gilmore (Gilmore Girls) who is lucky enough to have all of the hot men interested in her. Dick is immediately drawn to Fancy and is not discouraged by the class difference. Fancy's father was the gamekeeper for the estate of his wife's family; his wife was spurned by her family when she eloped with Mr. Day. Fancy is well educated and takes a position as the local schoolteacher. Mr. Day encourages his daughter to accept the hand of a wealthy farmer, Mr. Shiner. Mr. Shiner is sweet and well-intentioned, but Fancy feels no love or attraction for him. I thought it admirable of Mr. Shiner to admonish Reverend Maybold to treat Fancy well or the parson will have him to answer to. Mr. Shiner wrongly assumes that Fancy is in love with Rev. Maybold when she refuses his hand. Fancy loves Dick who is loved in turn by a young woman of Dick's class. Thomas Hardy critiques class boundaries and reveals them as problematic in a far lighter manner than he does in his other novels. I never read this novel; in fact, I had never even heard of it. I'm used to downward spirals, thwarted love, and hanged heroines when I think of Thomas Hardy. This novel is a refreshing break from the darker pen of the great writer.
Dick is so handsome and passionate (the casting is perfect in "Under the Greenwood Tree") that I can't imagine refusing him! The scenes between Dick and Fancy are filled with electricity and are even erotic in an understated way. I love when Dick chides Fancy for lacking the courage to follow her heart and states that he would marry the lowliest milkmaid from the direst of circumstances if he loved her. Nothing would matter except Dick's love for the woman, even if he was a high-born, landed gentleman.
This short film is romanticism at its best. As I said in my title for the review: it's so sweet that I can't believe it's Thomas Hardy! Not to disparage his bleaker novels, but I really like this softer side of Thomas Hardy.
Movie Review: Delightful gem of a film: a lighthearted Hardy romance!
Summary: 5 Stars
I stumbled across this delightful gem of a film recently: as everything I've ever read & seen of Hardy is quite tragic, I was expecting quite the same from this...boy, was I in for a surprise! This light-hearted romance comes from the usually gloom & doom Thomas Hardy pen: well-acted & filmed, this movie is a nice treat...
When Fancy Day returns to Mellstock to care for her father & teach the local schoolchildren, she creates quite a stir: the townspeople don't quite know what to make of this educated girl & the parson's plans to replace their beloved choir with her playing of the "harmonia" (organ). Pretty soon the sweet & beautiful Fancy has attracted the eye of three men: a poor but handsome carrier, a rich but crass farmer and a gentlemanly but superior parson. Her father urges her to marry well, but Fancy wants to follow her heart: will true love win out in the end?!
For those of you worried about content, it is kept to a few stolen kisses between an unmarried couple; there is also some time when a young man is in the river with his shirt off & he & a young lady steal a kiss. There is some mild carousing, as a few of the townsfolk show up to the church a bit tipsy on cider.
I was quite impressed by this film: I kept waiting for the dark, depressing side of Hardy to come out & almost couldn't believe that the tone of the film seemed to be upbeat most of the time. Surprisingly, the film stayed on the happier side & ended quite nicely: I love Hardy's other stories, but it is quite refreshing to see that he was not always doom & gloom, and could pen such a sweet & spirited tale as this!! Highly recommended!
Movie Review: "We could have been more than friends, if you'd had the courage."
Summary: 5 Stars
Oh wow was this unexpectedly good. I spent my senior year blazing through Hardy's novels, which are great but a tad gloomy, with the exception of "Under the Greenwood Tree", which was written before Hardy himself became depressed and decided to depress high school students for generations to come. This BBC version differs from the novel in several key areas, and at the risk of committing literary sacrilege I will go so far as to call it an improvement.
The story is fairly simple; Fancy Day (Keeley Hawes) is the daughter of a nobody who has basically been in life training to marry someone rich. She returns to the town of her father, and immediately attracts three suitors, two acceptable and one really really not (the highly appealing James Murray). Guess which one she ends up wanting?
The film truly is a departure from the book, as Fancy is much more sympathetic here (she was kind of a twit in the novel), and Dick Dewey less of a country dolt and much more of a hottie. Hawes and Murray have spectacular chemistry, in fact they seem barely able to breathe in each other's presence. Another reviewer describes the music as repetitive; it is. But I happen to like the refrain, so I wasn't bothered by it. Besides, the end of the film contains a stunning acapella sung by the village men, a total and unexpected delight. The scenery is lovely, the story engaging, the acting splendid, and Murray gorgeous. I consider this film superior to "Wives and Daughters", and while not as complex and thought-provoking as "Berkley Square", certainly as much fun. Highly recommended.
Grade: A