I watched Under the Greenwood Tree last night and enjoyed it very much.
However, Thomas Hardy was a Dorset author and his works are set in the county of Dorset.
So why on earth film the whole damn thing in Jersey, when we have some perfect villages to set the drama in Dorset? As soon as the drama went outside it was pretty obvious that it was not set in the area is was meant to portray.
Nit picking to some, but it grated.
Angry of Tonbridge Wells.
Whilst I have no idea why it wasn't filmed in Dorset, it was interesting to note that I watched this film on Boxing Day in the company of my grandfather, who's 96 and originally comes from Devon. He found the locations so reminiscent of his childhood in the South West that he struggled to believe me when I told him it was filmed in Jersey. I know Devon and Dorset are different counties, but they're not exactly miles away.....
On another note, two goofs - the axe Dick was using to cut wood in one scene was an American axe (which we know and use today) but wouldn't have been around in this country in Hardy's time. Oh, and the music on the harmonium was French organ music, including a pedal part, which wouldn't have been played on a harmonium. And you'd never sing "Abide with me" at a morning service, either, since it's all about the evening.
Good film, though!
The only reason why they filmed it over here was because they couldn't find anywhere that they could film it in Dorset without building a set from scratch. They filmed it in a museum over here in Jersey that is a little village that has hardly been touched for hundereds of years.
They also chose it because it was small enough to let the village have that feel of the people in it to be very close (as the village was so small everyone in the story knows each other), but just big enough to fit in all the cameras.
"A bird may love a fish sir, but where would they live?"-Danielle (Ever After,1998)
And you'd never sing "Abide with me" at a morning service, either, since it's all about the evening.I'm in the U.S., and we sing "Abide With Me" quite often, even in morning services. When we had late afternoon services, it was more fitting; but now we meet in the morning, and still sing it, anyway, as a closing hymn.
Yes i agree,they could have used some of Lulworth Cove for scenic views,and maby sneaked in Durdle Door,just get it in the background somewhere,its too beatiful to miss out,and then get some views of Bournmouth with the Isle of Wight in the background,there was a lot they could have used,and would have been great for tourism,i see your point.Nice drama anyway.
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Agree totally - I've been to Dorset very recently and there are PLENTY of places they could have filmed. Also thought it was a bit odd at the beginning of the film to have so many trees and plants with leaves on - IN THE SNOW???
Still, a pretty good film nevertheless.
PS - it's Tunbridge Wells. with a 'u', not Tonbridge with an 'o' (I used to live there)
As to that, perhaps it was an oversight, but OTOH, there ARE species that do not loose leaves in the winter...hollies and some hedge shrubs...so that's what I think of when I see that scene.
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