We're on something of a Frederic Raphael retrospective. This was his Thomas Hardy adaptation. Why are they making this film at the height of the swinging sixties? I wondered. Well partly, I guess, because a strong and independent woman is the heart of the story. Julie Christie had just won the Oscar for Darling (as had Fred). I wonder whose idea it was. Alexander Walker claims that the plot reflected Darling too much and that Christie didn't have the presence to play Hardy's heroine. (I disagree with the first bit - it is her and three guys but the dynamic is totally different.) And it had a mixed response commercially and critically.
All I can say is we loved it. It's a seriously well made film. Nic Roeg's photography alone is wonderful: John Harris is the operator and Anthony Richmond the focus puller (later to win BAFTA for Don't Look Now).
Without knowing the original you can tell Fred's done a great job with the adaptation resulting in a 2 hour 40 film that never releases the attention. Its pull - that Bathsheba hopelessly falls for cad Troy but he has lost his heart to Fanny (Prunella Ransome); in fact the biggest surprise is that he ultimately does try and help her. With the added irony that both the other suitors Alan Bates and Peter Finch are much better suited - but love doesn't work that way.
It's a noticeably well edited film as well. Malcolm Cooke (who was the sound editor on Darling) is credited but actually fell way behind and Jim Clark was summoned to help. Jim was responsible for example for that brilliant opening with the mad dog killing the sheep, a sequence which builds beautifully and which he put together silent. He also cut the action sequences: fire, barn dance, storm, and the scene where Stamp woos the girl with his skills in swordsmanship; while Cooke managed the dialogue scenes. I noticed also some distinctive uses of sound anticipating the next scene - thus over the fire we hear the water running from the shot coming up. Clark thought it was Schlesinger's best film.
What else? A good cast, and we got to see Freddie Jones for the second time in one day (he was in The Duchess of Duke Street earlier). Alison Leggatt, Fiona Walker, Paul Dawkins, lots of unknowns but good.
Great score too by Richard Rodney Bennett. Very good production design, costumes, use of locations.
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