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This adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s classic novel is also a classic of English cinema. The beautiful Bathsheba (Julie Christie) is determined to consolidate her class position and refuses to accept a poor but devoted herdsman (Alan Bates) as her husband. Using her beauty and charm, she attracts the attention of a rich suitor (Peter Finch), but it is a frivolous womanising soldier (Terence Stamp) who wins her heart. This results in a disastrous marriage which threatens to destroy her fortunes. Schlesinger’s confident direction is beautifully complimented by Nicholas Roeg’s luscious cinematography which highlights the wild, stark grandeur of the south English coast, a perfect visual equivalent to Hardy’s expressive naturalist prose. This film is a passionate love story and a powerful investigation into the emotional treachery of the English class system.
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How to watch
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
306288
Language
English
Audience classification
G
Subject categories
Feature films → Feature films - Great Britain
Literature → English literature - Film and video adaptations
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Colour
Holdings
VHS; Access Print (Section 1)