MovieChat Forums > Far from the Madding Crowd (2015) Discussion > As I guy I loved this film

As I guy I loved this film

posted 9 years ago by filmnoirfilms-1
29 replies | jump to latest

Apart from the glorious photography and the fantastic soundtrack, the story is an excellent portrait of 19th century English society.

The male archetypes are sharply drawn and Bathsheba, while independent, really hasn't figured out how to have a relationship with any of them. It's pretty obvious that Gabriel is the right man for her, maybe not initially (he hasn't figured her out yet either or how to not let his economic situation hold him back), but he works his way toward it.

Saying Gabriel is weak for being sort of her foot stool most of the film is false, he always stays true to himself and solid. Might be accused of being boring, but when you can get a woman fully clothed in a sheep dripping pool or up on a haystack in the middle of a raging thunderstorm, you aren't exactly boring. He had several opportunities throughout the film to close the deal but the social status thing kept getting in the way for her. Finally he did what he should have done earlier, resign yourself that her feelings are beyond your control and just walk away. Hell, if he had just kissed her at the beginning it would have save them both a lot of grief, but then we wouldn't have had a great drama.

She even sort playfully shoots him down at the end but he knew, thankfully, by that time what to do. Women might seem a bit crazy at times, but timing, really is everything.

[–] anthropo 9 years ago

I liked it too!

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] filmnoirfilms-1 9 years ago

Why? Because if you've read some of the comments, there are guys who think the Bathsheba character resembled their ex-wife and then went on a rant.

Besides that I'm expressing my opinion, there a lot of men that enjoyed this film. So tell me, next time a women say's she liked an action film with a male at the center of three females, I should ask her why she brought up the gender thing?

Check your sexism, it's showing.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] filmnoirfilms-1 9 years ago

"Beginning sentence with " I'm guy " is sexist !"

So now you're the grand arbitrator of what's sexist, that's rich.

I simply pointed out who I was and I never said it was a chick flick, I said I liked it, read the book many times, saw the other film versions of, know the story and the characters motivations better than you. From you visceral response, it seem you are looking for an argument.

Try to keep it classy, and not continue to rant against men who disagree with you, you're revealing a lot about yourself.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] filmnoirfilms-1 9 years ago

Classy language, gutter twat.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] caribexim 9 years ago

It's clear since you started responding to this guy's thread that you've been trying to provoke a fight, clean it up and lighten up.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] caribexim 9 years ago

Bubblehead retorts.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] anthropo 9 years ago

it seem you are looking for an argument.

That's exactly what she was doing and you took the bait.

[–] MycroftHolmes 8 years ago

You read the book many times and like it? Weird, since it's so far from the book.

What we got here is... failure to communicate!



[–] Mysterion_5 8 years ago

Don't sweat the psychopathic hyper-critiquing that we all get barraged with on these opinion sites. What you wrote was right on the money for me and I too am a guy (to bad if anyone has a problem with that!) who really liked the film. Fact is, there is an expectation for stories like this to be unappealing to men, despite having been written by a man for a broad audience (Hardy is not chick-lit) in 1874. This is probably because our culture has gone so off the rails in terms of gender roles that far too many men wont entertain a period piece that centers around a dominant to the narrative female character. Whatever. Great film and thanks for your insights - all else be damned.

[–] Helenlaurence 9 years ago

I don't think that's sexist at all.
We do classify everything by gender stereotypes these days it seems- so he was pointing out that he's bucking the trend.
My husband refers to period dramas as "frilly knicker films" (whether it's downtown, Austen, hardy... Whatever). He doesn't give them a chance.
It's nice to see that some blokes do.

[–] wrdsmth 9 years ago

Wanted to like it but it did not gel for me.
Too many series of events strung together instead of a cohesive narrative.
Oh well. We can't like them all.

[–] jayydahg 9 years ago

Yeah man. I'm a guy who loves action films but I LOVED this film. What you said about Gabriel is spot on. Definitely not a boring guy, I'd just say respectful. Bathsheba said she was not interested, so he would not beg like Boldwood did.

I don't know how everyone feels about books but, this one is definitely worth the read. Not to be a hipster and say "ugh, the book is so much better" but, it really is a great classic.

[–] cristscu 8 years ago

yep, I loved it too. What we've seen here:

1. Bad boys continue to trap decent girls. Conclusion: act fast, guys! Try to have sex the first date :)

2. When they say No, it's still a 50-50 change they think Yes. In fact, they rarely know what they think, it's more about how they feel :)

3. Never shoot the bad guy and save the girl, moron, as long as there is a third quiet spectator waiting to take advantage.

4. Bad boys don't die easily in British novels. Should try several times to be successful.

5. Sheeps are amazing beasts.

[–] leo-zinger 8 years ago

How did you feel about it as a girl though? LOL.

[–] stargazer1701-1 8 years ago

I'm with filmnoir.. my wife picked the film, we needed a brek from zombies and klingons. I gave Far From the Maddening Crowd 10/10

Smoke me a kipper. I'll be back for breakfast

[–] movie80 8 years ago

we needed a brek from zombies and klingons

+1
Not that I ever watch zombies or klingons.
All I see advertised these days with all kinds of hypes are movies like the Hunger series etc. (which I don't watch, I only skim a few minutes at most).

[–] darkness_surroundz 8 years ago

as a Goat (Billy) even *I* loved the film and usually i am content to chew on tin cans

[–] xsomanymoviessolittletimex 8 years ago

My husband tolerates me and my love of romantic-themed movies. Sometimes he enjoys them and sometimes he doesn't. He isn't the type to discuss a movie's good/bad points much but the barometer I use to determine if he at least halfway enjoyed it is - did he stay awake during the entire movie?!! Plus, I made a comment afterwards and he said he thought it was good and we even discussed that though Bathsheba was very intelligent, she didn't make smart choices when it came to men - until the end. It was always Gabriel from the moment their eyes met - for me! Although, I must admit that I don't care how good looking a guy is, I would be freaked out if the first words to come out of his mouth were a marriage proposal!!

I think when a movie has a good story with well-defined characters it doesn't matter what genre it is in order to be good/entertaining. Having said that, I also love action movies and we all know that for the most part, that's all you get - ACTION! I do love the adrenaline rush!