The Mayor of
Casterbridge (A&E)
Picture: C+
Sound: B- Extras: D Episodes: B-
Thomas Hardy wrote some of the most successful fiction,
before selling out to doing only poetry, instead of defending his own work on
political grounds. Among his books to
make it to the big screen are films by no less that John Schlesinger (Far
From The Madding Crowd) and Roman Polanski (Tess). The Mayor of Casterbridge is now
available in two TV versions, with the A&E release being shorter and more
to the point than the Acorn version.
This is not to say which one is the more authentic
adaptation of the book (Ted Whitehead did this teleplay), which would require
another review and an essay, but it can be said that this is not the usually
boring British production that goes at a snail’s pace. The casting is not bad, but nothing
extraordinary. Is there some law in
British TV where everyone has to have a sense of whisper in their voice like
they are in church every time they talk?
It is a cliché that is almost laughable. It also turns new generations away form the classics, and I don’t
want to hear that excuse about having to read the book. You never have to do that for Schlesinger or
Polanski, did you?
The story involves former alcoholic Michael Henchard, trying
to continue his new life, only to have the past come back to haunt him. This is in the form of a daughter and his
ex-wife. He is now the toast of the
town, insofar as so many people know him, thus the title of the story. However, there is unfinished business and
the story has an interesting way of telling us about it that is not necessarily
predictable. Hardy seems to have had a
knack for carefully showing us the vulnerable, honest sides of his characters,
and some of that shows here.
The full screen image is not bad, but nowhere nearly as
clear as we are used to seeing in A&E DVD releases. This was just recently made in 2001, so why
the materials are not in more pristine shape is an oddity. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is more like
it, decoding nicely in Pro Logic surround, demonstrating the production’s age
far better. The only extra here is text
of Hardy’s life and works.
Ted Whitehead had also wrote the teleplay for the Tess
of the D’Urbervilles A&E also issued, so he seems to enjoy the author’s
work enough. He is not doing a bad job,
but I wonder if the pressure of a feature film would change his approach. I could see this tightened up a bit, without
the need for anyone to still have to read the book. Either way, this is better than most of these types of British
productions and fans of that will want to catch this.
- Nicholas Sheffo
