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Julie Christie, Terence Stamp, Peter Finch, Alan Bates, Prunella Ransome ... see more see more... , Fiona Walker , Paul Dawkins , Andrew Robertson , Julian Somers , Pauline Melville , Vincent Harding , Laurence Carter , Margaret Lacey , Harriet Harper , Denise Coffey , Brian Rawlinson , John Garrie , Owen Berry , Michael Beint , Alba , Peggy Ann Clifford , Freddie Jones , Alison Leggatt , Hugh Walker , John Barrett , Jonathan Newth , Frank Duncan , Peter Stone , Derek Ware , Bryan Mosley , Pruenella Ransome

This 1967 version of Thomas Hardy's novel should have done better at the box office than it did, given the star power of Julie Christie and the visual and aural fidelity to its source material. Julie ... read more read more...Christie plays Bathsheba Everdene, a country heiress who is loved by three different men: Terence Stamp, Peter Finch and Alan Bates. Convinced that she is the intellectual superior of all three, Bathesheba loses many early opportunities for lasting happiness. Finally shedding herself of her haughty attitude, Bathsheba unconditionally accepts the love of Bates. The euphoric exuberance of Nicolas Roeg's photography is matched by the direction of John Schlesinger and the screenplay by Frederick Raphael. Only the nittiest of nitpickers would complain that some of the medium shots don't match the closeups (watch Terence Stamp's clown makeup in one scene). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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78% liked it

886 ratings

PG, 2 hr. 45 min.

Directed by: John Schlesinger, Rosita Clarke

Release Date: October 18, 1967

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DVD Release Date: January 27, 2009

Stats: 118 reviews

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TERRY & JULIE TERENCE STAMP Far From the Madding Crowd JULIE CHRISTIE JULIE CHRISTIE Far From the Madding Crowd Terence Stamp JULIE CHRISTIE TERENCE STAMP Terence Stamp Elizabeth Estensen
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Flixster Reviews (118)

  • dunmyer
    December 14, 2011
    dunmyer
    John Schlesinger's surprisingly dull three-hour epic "Far From the Madding Crowd" is not so much a movie as a TV mini-series. It is grandly majestic in its look but puny in its content and perspective.

    Just because something is filmed in wide-screen Cinemascope and covers a l... read moreong chronological period doesn't mean it is broad in perspective. "Madding" has the look of a grand epic but the content of a soap opera. The Thomas Hardy novel upon which it is based must have some depth. But Schlesinger ends up providing the appearance of depth more than the real thing. His actors, who are almost absurdly talented, give a lot of meaningful looks, but they have little to say that is interesting.

    Almost everyone from England's 1960s acting royalty is represented here, including Julie Christie, Terence Stamp, Alan Bates and Peter Finch. But great actors cannot do much more than look regal when all they have is soap opera to play. This is the downfall of British television in general: almost without fail it puts aristocratic actors into petit-bourgeois soap opera.

    The film Schlesinger made after this, "Midnight Cowboy" (1969), is so much better than "Madding" that it's almost surreal. How could the same person direct these two films in the span of a few years? Amazing.

    (Incidentally, I still don't know what the hell "madding" means. Also incidentally, if you haven't seen "Midnight Cowboy," you are missing out on something extraordinary.)
  • jjnxn
    May 23, 2010
    jjnxn
    Absolutely gorgeous version of the Hardy classic, with some captivating scenes particularly the storm sequence. Some of the top talent of the acting world of the 60's is on hand making this an entertaining epic. A livelier pace would have made it more compelling however. All the... read more leads acquit themselves well but top honors go to Alan Bates, an actor of great skill.
  • Redlats
    October 3, 2007
    Redlats
    Typical Thomas Hardy - painful love stories. In "Far From the Madding Crowd", Julie Christie's character captivates one character after another - each with his different flaws.
  • fb1142797643
    September 3, 2010
    fb1142797643
    The costumes and scenery of this romantic saga are wonderful, and the direction is impeccable (John Schlesinger, with help from cinematographer Nicolas Roeg). But there's something curiously unsatisfying about this Thomas Hardy adaptation. Maybe it's that Julie Christie never ear... read morens much empathy as the heroine Bathsheba, and just seems irritatingly fickle. Maybe it's that she wastes so much energy on the terminally skeevy Francis (Terence Stamp), and neglects poor Gabriel (Alan Bates). Maybe it's the abrupt happy ending, which defies the tone of everything which precedes it. Or maybe the film is just overlong. But something doesn't fit.

    I do know this much: The scene where moronic Francis wins Bathsheba's heart through showing off his sword tricks is one of the most ludicrous scenes I can remember seeing in a movie which intends to be a classy drama. I was haunted by its embarrassing memory throughout the remainder of the film and beyond.
  • jimbotender
    October 5, 2008
    jimbotender
    The English can do no wrong.A rising star sitting in the director's chair having 4 future giants in front of the camera,deliberately tarnished cinematography for the social depiction of a counter-cultural status on Hardy's book.3 decades later Winterbottom would explore another H... read moreardy book in perfection,nevertheless,Schlesinger gives us a magnitude of a film.
  • graemii
    September 11, 2009
    graemii
    This is not the version I saw but they don't have it listed. The one I saw starred Nathaniel Parker and Paloma Baeza. This is the best I've ever seen of Mr. Parker however, what a freaking mess of a story. Bathsheba is selfish and "a player" in her own time. She didn't deserv... read moree Gabriel Oak who was a good man and truly loved her in spite of her flaws. Poor guy. God help him later on. And yet AGAIN I was robbed of seeing a kiss or even a hug. Damn I hate that!!!

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Critic Reviews

Anthony Del Valle
October 28, 2004
Anthony Del Valle, Las Vegas Mercury

A stunning-looking Julie Christie running about Thomas Hardy's countryside is the major excuse for John Schlesinger's under-dramatized picture postcard.

May 9, 2005
New York Times

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Roger Ebert
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

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Emanuel Levy
June 26, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Philip Martin
January 26, 2005
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

No review available.

January 26, 2006
Time Out

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May 24, 2003
Film4

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  • ***Julie Christie,Alan Bates And Terence Stamp Were Far From What***  Answer »
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