Far From The Madding Crowd (1967)

VHS CASE

MPAA Certificate Number: 21301

Length of film:  178 Minutes

Rated: PG 

Genre: Drama, History, Romance

Director: John Schlesinger

Starring: Julie Christie, Terence Stamp, Peter Finch, Alan Bates, Fiona Walker, Prunella Ransome,

IMDB Rank: 7.2/10

Part 1 Time: 106 Minutes

Part 2 Time:  72 Minutes

Where does the first part end? Sergeant Troy (Terence Stamp) celebrates his marriage to Bathsheba (Julie Christie) with various farmhands throughout the night as a storm wags on. Meanwhile Bathsheba, with the help of Gabriel Oak (Alan Bates) is able to cover her piles of hay, thus saving her crop for the farming season.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: “Go in woman, go in” Gabriel speaking to Bathsheba after tying up multiple plies of hay in the storm.

First line of dialogue on the second part: “Half an hour!” Wife of a farmhand pulls her husband out of the church in the morning following the storm.

How jarring is it when the first part ends? Minimal, Bathsheba has married Sergeant Troy in a spur of the moment decision. Will this marriage succeed? Also, what toll will the storm have on Bathsheba’s farm?

Which part is better? In part one, we are introduced to Bathsheba and the three men willing to marry her. In part two, we see the results of these unions and the tragedies that befall many of them. Due to these tragedies, and character relationship conclusions, part two is the superior.

Academy Awards: Best Music- Original Music Score (Nominated)