Far from the Madding Crowd1967

The leading men are successful. Alan Bates, in a change of pace, is the loyal shepherd. Terence Stamp is a suitably vile Sgt. Troy, and Peter Finch makes Boldwood strong and honorable in his love for Bathsheba. Miss Christie, however, is too sweet and superficial, and so is the film.

Far from the Madding Crowd lives up to the expectations for a period epic (a la Ben Hur, the Sound of Music, etc.) made in the 60s. The transfer is surprisingly good. The characters are enigmatic and the plot does not conclude with much catharsis (which probably figures into some of the low ratings). But all-in-all Far from the Madding Crowd is fine for what it is.

Julie Christie, Peter Finch, Terence Stamp and Alan Bates are variedly handsome and have their many effective moments, but there is little they can ultimately and lastingly do to overcome the basic banality of their characters and, to a certain degree, their lines.