Story
Based on the classic Thomas Hardy novel, Far from the Madding Crowd is set in Dorset, England, during the 19th century. Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan) is independent, headstrong and beautiful. She is also educated but lives a simple life on a farm. She meets a young neighbouring farmer, Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts), who immediately falls in love with her. He asks her to marry him, but Bathsheba has no plans to marry and turns him down.
Circumstances change suddenly when Gabriel loses his farm and everything he owns, while Bathsheba inherits a grand house and farm from her uncle. Gabriel becomes the manager of Bathsheba’s farm but never loses his love for her. A wealthy neighbour, William Boldwood (Michael Sheen), also falls in love with Bathsheba but she turns down his marriage proposal too. Bathsheba then foolishly falls in love with a soldier of poor character, Sergeant Francis Troy (Tom Sturridge), and marries him. Troy becomes master of the estate and promptly loses much of their money to drinking and gambling. Troy had previously been in love with a young girl, Fanny Robin (Juno Temple). When he finds her destitute and pregnant, he plans to leave Bathsheba. Fanny dies in childbirth and Troy, heartbroken, swims out to sea and is presumably drowned.
Bathsheba is now tempted to marry William Boldwood, who promises to clear Troy’s debts. But unexpected events lead to a different outcome.
Themes
Death in childbirth; animal distress; the position of women in society; murder
Violence
Far from the Madding Crowd has some violence. For example:
Sexual references
None of concern
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
Far from the Madding Crowd shows some use of substances. For example:
- Characters drink alcohol at various events.
- Troy supplies alcohol to farm workers, who all get quite drunk.
- Characters smoke cigars, and Troy smokes a cigarette.
Nudity and sexual activity
Far from the Madding Crowd shows some partial nudity and sexual activity. For example:
- Troy kisses Bathsheba passionately.
- Troy and Bathsheba have sex – not much is shown and there is no nudity.
- Troy strips off to swim out in the ocean but is shown from behind, waist up.
- Bathsheba and Gabriel kiss.
Product placement
None
Coarse language
None of concern
Ideas to discuss with your children
Far from the Madding Crowd is a historical drama based on the well-known Thomas Hardy novel. It is set in beautiful locations in the south of England and is a good retelling of the original story. It’s very well acted.
This movie will have quite wide appeal and is likely to interest teenagers, particularly those who are studying the book at school. Disturbing themes, as well as scenes of death and animal distress, make the movie unsuitable for children under 13 years. We recommend parental guidance for children aged 13-15 years.
The main messages from this movie concern the position of women in society and women’s need for self-determination and equality.
Values in this movie that you could reinforce with your children include independence, determination and Bathsheba’s desire to be her own person, not just a man’s companion.
You could also talk about the historical treatment of women shown in the movie. For example:
- Why won’t men buy Bathsheba’s grain?
- Why do men feel that women need protecting?
- How different is the situation of women today?