Tess of the d'Urbervilles (2008)
A passionate, and very modern version of Thomas Hardy's
infamous novel, combining young, upcoming acting talent with
recognisable and much-loved faces. When the beautiful and
innocent Tess Durbeyfield is driven by family poverty to cl
kinship with the wealthy D'Urbervilles and seek a portion of
their family fortune, meeting the manipulative Alec proves to be
her downfall. Starring Gemma Arterton (James Bond: Quantum of
Solace), Eddie Redmayne (The Other Boleyn Girl) and Hans Matheson
(The Tudors).
]]>
.com
----
Ten years have passed since the BBC last produced Tess of the
dUrbervilles, then starring Justine Waddell, and this new
four-episode miniseries based on Thomas Hardys Victorian novel
does well, again, by sticking closely to the original plot. Gemma
Arterton this time brilliantly portrays Tess Durbeyfield, a
character whose blend of naiveté and sexual allure makes her a
guy magnet. Artertons long, dark hair and fair skin alone are
the model of Gothic beauty, and her acting imbues Tess with the
sweetness that helps maintain viewer sympathies as Tess embarks
on a road of endless hardship. As the story is chock full of
heated drama, each hourlong installment shows how Tess endures
drastic emotional and social life change, leaving one feeling
both exhausted for her and craving to witness more of her
strength. As far as literary characters go, Tess warns young
women to the wild ways of men and inspires all to strive for
honesty. The morality implicit to the story is made apparent in
this BBC version, and leaves the viewer questioning the
effectiveness of Tesss stringent moral sense, especially by
todays different sexual standards. Tess, in 2008, seems
permanently punished for something that not only was not her
fault, but also that may be unfortunately more common than
perhaps it once was, namely teenage pregnancy. Episode One
launches directly into Tesss early meeting of her true love, the
seemingly heroic Angel Clare (Eddie Redmayne). But her familys
poverty trumps the crush; once her robust parents John
Durbeyfield (Ian Puleston-Davies) and Joan Durbeyfield (Ruth
Jones) discover their hereditary ties to the royal dUrbervilles,
they send Tess off to a mansion to inquire for work. It is there
that she encounters the villainous predator, Alec dUrberville
(Hans Matheson), and the tensions between a story about an
upwardly mobile lady and a lady doomed by e begins to take
hold. The loss of Tess child and Tess inability to gain respect
following her un-Christian motherhood comprise the next two
episodes story. In these, we witness women bonding against a
society of men who judge Tess too harshly. There are her loving
sisters, like Liza-Lu (Jo Woodcock), and the girlfriends who
support her through her milkmaid career and worse. As Tess,
however, reunites with Angel and agrees to marry him, tragedy is
foreshadowed by her dearest friend, Retty Priddle (Emily
Beecham), who withers from jealousy. The closer Tess comes to
happiness, the more those around her suffer. Once Tess
experiences an ultimate shunning, without giving away too much,
dire circumstances prevail.
Episode Four reminds the viewer of the destructive aspects of
Tess aggressors, Alec and Groby (Christopher Fairbank), her
employer who works her like a horse. By the time forgiveness
arrives for Tess, it is too late. This version of the story
explores less its sexual connotations, as does Roman Polanskis
Tess, relying more heavily on the scales shifting hour to hour
from fortune to failure and back. The whole viewing is a roller
coaster ride, well-worth every moment to be reminded of the ways
this classic tale lives on in its application to contemporary
life. --Trinie Dalton