The Return Of The Native Film

[downing]

Does anybody from here have the film ,,The Return of the native''(1994), based on Thomas Hardy's book? Thank you!

[downing]

Or Far from the Madding Crowd(1967)

[Janine]

Hi, yes and no! I do own the film "Return of the Native", staring a very young and beautiful Catherine Zeta Jones. It is a Hallmark production and I would highly recommend it. It pretty much follows the book. The scenery is amazing and captures the austerity of that part of England. I do have "Far From the Madding Crowd", but the later film that was produced by Mobile Masterpiece Theater. I have seen the one you speak of; I believe that is the film staring Julie Christie and Alan Bates. This early version is quite condensed (as far as the book is concerned). I recall watching it and I don't think at the time I fully understood it; I had never read the book. Now I realise that was due to the shortness of the plot...too much was elimated. It is a good film but dated; I have not seen it for years. The other (newer) version is excellent! I would highly recommend it to you. It stars Paloma Baeza (younger than Christie was in the earlier film and a lovely young woman who better fits the original role of Bathsheba by Hardy). Nathaniel Parker plays Gabriel. It was directed by Nicholas Renton. The plot runs much closer to the book; this fim is about 416 mins; I owe the two tape version. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to acquire on DVD, or was at the time I purchased it from an Amazon ventor. I also have on film "Tess", directed by Roman Polanski, "Mayor of Casterbridge" (A&E), and "Woodlanders" (W - good but quite condensed) with Emily Woof and Rufus Sewell. I have seen "Jude" several times with Kate Winslett, but I do not own it. I recommend all of these excellent films to you, plus the earlier production of "Mayor of Casterbridge" with Alan Bates as Gabriel. A friend made me that DVD as a gift. Hope you have more questions about these films. I am an avid film buff and welcome discussion.

[kelby_lake]

The recent Far From The Madding Crowd is now available on DVD :)