Tess Of The D'Urbervilles (Reprise)

Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for fair use for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.


A revised and revamped version of the vid I posted a year ago, this time including more photos from the 1979 and 1998 versions of Thomas Hardy's 1891 novel, as well as stills from the upcoming BBC miniseries. The Prague Philharmonic Orchestra performs Phillipe Sarde's wonderfully rustic and heartfelt score from Roman Polanski's sumptous version which featured Nastassja Kinski as the ill-fated herione, Leigh Lawson as Alec D'Urberville and Peter Firth as Angel Clare. I have taken a larger liking to the A&E/London Weekend Television production, which starred Justine Waddell, Jason Flemyng and Oliver Milburn. The latest adaptation, a four-part BBC miniseries, has aired its first episode in the UK and will continue to do so over the next few weeks - when it will air in North America and be available on region 1 DVD has yet to be announced. Gemma Arterton portrays Tess; Hans Matheson is Alec D'Urberville, and Eddie Redmayne is Angel Clare, and the miniseries is directed by David Blair.

"Tess Of The D'Urbervilles" was one of Hardy's most popular works, although it was met with considerable critical scorn at the time of its initial publication. In order to please the general readership, Hardy edited his novel work for serial magazines of the period, but kept his original manuscript and published it later in a single volume. Despite its somewhat shocking and sordid (for the time) subject matter, the book became a bestseller in England and America. His herione, Tess Durbeyfield, a beautiful, gentle, sensitive girl, born into a poor family in rural 19th-century England, is sent to claim kinship at a wealthy estate, after her drunkard father learns that he is descended from an ancient noble family, the D'Urbervilles. Jack Durbeyfield and his light-minded wife, Joan, believe that their clan's situation can be bettered if their eldest daughter were to marry her rich "cousin". In doing so, they place the girl on a path to ruin and heartache when she is violated by the son of the house, Alec D'Urberville, who lusts after her the moment he lays eyes on her. Adding insult to injury, Alec's forbearers merely adopted the D'Urberville name in order to make themselves important. Hurt, disgraced and ashamed, Tess flees back to her parents' home, and unbeknowenst to Alec, gives birth to his child, a frail infant boy who does not survive babyhood. A few years later, she goes to work and live as a dairymaid and finds love with a parson's son, Angel Clare, a handsome, kind young man who fancies himself a free thinker, but in reality is as moralistic and hypocritical as the Victorian times they live in. After hesitating and fearing that her past will be exposed, Tess marries Angel, but decides to tell him the truth on their wedding night. But even after he has admitted to something simliar (a three-day fling with a married woman), he cannot bring himself to accept Tess's past, more specifically, that she is not a virgin and that she had a child with another man. Abandoning his wife, he sulks off to Brazil while Tess leaves home yet again and finds herself working as a fieldwoman and hardships at every turn, never more so when Alec reappears in her life, trying to use her family's situation to enslave her as his mistress, as much as he declares his love for her. Her father's death, and Angel's unresponse to her many letters to him leads her to accept Alec's offer. When her husband finally sees the error of his ways and returns to her, he finds the hardship that she has fallen into because of his actions compels her to a desperate act that will change both of their lives - and their destinies - forever.

Hardy's major themes are present, as fate, hypocrisy, and doomed love prevade in his works. There is almost always biblical parallels, here with Tess as Eve and Alec as the serpent, and the fact that her true love is named Angel also calls for comment. In a time where women had few advantages, and anyone who did not play by society's rules were scorned, however unfair and unjustified it may be, Hardy was able to put those realities to paper. (In this day and age, not only would Alec have been charged with rape and stalking, but Tess's parents would also be accused of child abuse and exploitation, as they essentially pimp her out). He also had a knack for making his central characters one with the landscape, in his beloved "Wessex", while the outsiders have some kind of luxurious occupation. The photos and illustrations come from various internet sources, the photos from the BBC adaptation are courtesy of GemmaArterton.net. Enjoy!

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Tess
• Of
• The
• D'Urbervilles
• Thomas
• Hardy
• Nastassja
• Kinski
• Justine
• Waddell
• Gemma
• Arterton
• OneTrueMedia

[joydarling314]

the best Angel Clair was in the 1998 version.

[Muirmaiden]

I agree. And the 1998 version also had the best Tess/Angel romantic chemistry. All three actresses who played Tess brought something unique and great to the role, and I think Gemma Arterton and Justine Waddell tie as Tess. While I love the 1979 version, it's a bit too subdued for my taste. I found the romantic chemistry lacking, as I did with the 2008 mini. However, that one had the best Tess/Alec dynamic. Oliver Milburn was the best Angel, and Hans Matheson was the best Alec, IMO.

[jemstone678]

My favourite girl who played tess was justine , she is so stunning ! and also what is the name of the song in the background ?

[Muirmaiden]

It's the soundtrack from the 1979 film version of "Tess".

[JaimeDaviesWelshHero]

Tess in 1998, the actress got her spot on for me (exactly as i had imagined her)

Hardy's novel is one of the best books I have ever read in my life, truley he was a genius of literature and I shall be looking into his other novels, any suggestions where to start after Tess? Iv heared Tess was his best however critosised at the time by the Victorian public. The defyance of the social norm is what made this book so special however.

[Muirmaiden]

Sorry for the late reply, but here are some suggestions. "Far From The Madding Crowd "(1874) is one of Hardy's earlier novels, and the first to use the "Wessex" country. "The Return Of The Native" (1878) is another great one, as is "The Woodlanders" (1887). "The Mayor Of Casterbridge" (1886) and his final book, "Jude The Obscure" (1895) are both profoundly tragic. "A Pair Of Blue Eyes"(1873) and "Under The Greenwood Tree" (1872) are great also, as is his poetry and short stories.

[Woodlander65]

Justine Waddell is the best Tess by far, i dont think she'll ever do anything in her career to top that, no disrespect to her other roles she's played, but she was absolutely brilliant in Tess of the Durbervilles.

Justine Waddell.

[huntinghelton]

I go for Justine.

[jet9491]

@Woodlander65 Just shows how opinions can vary. For me, no-one could ever surpass the performance by Natassja Kinski in this role. One of the great cinematic interpretations.

[TurboTwistaa]

I totally agree. Gemma portrayed Tess beautifully