Far From the Madding Crowd: A Feminist Text

The newly adapted Thomas Hardy novel, Far From the Madding Crowd, came to theaters two months ago. Directed by Thomas Vinterberg and starring Carey Mulligan (Bathsheba Everdene), Matthias Schoenaerts (Mr. Gabriel Oak), and Tom Sturridge (Sergeant Francis Troy).

Written in 1874, this book exemplifies a feminist text with a strong female protagonist who is in a unique position of owning a business, estate, life and all without a husband by her side. Three different men vie for her attention. As a Victorian woman, she is able to choose a romantic attachment without anyone's opinion. Her father and any living male relative has passed away and her choices are entirely her own.

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1. Where did this film take me? To a romantic and rustic country side. Unlike Jane Austen's novels which used the countryside as a stark contrast to a bustling London city and the gossipers at bath, this film is truly a breath of fresh air. No mention of the city, no gossip, just pure small time England living. What makes this film particularly unique is that the protagonist is not only female, but she is in control of her choices, mind, and life. Uninfluenced by any male character, and willing to stand up for her beliefs, Bathesheda (Carry) inherits a farm and builds a stable business. As an entrepreneur she forces the county to accept and respect her as an equal individual. She challenges male authority without overstepping her feminine boundaries and carefully navigates her way into a position of respect.

2. How did this make me feel? There were moments of sadness, happiness, romance, and humour. The film was paced in a way that balanced all the emotions together. If you are familiar with Thomas Hardy's work, you can emotionally prepare yourself for a story filled with unrequited love, blossoming friendships, love triangles, and couples that get together at the very last second. Most Hardy stories are also difficult to swallow at times. In Far From the Madding Crowd, the primary example that sticks out is the death of all the sheep at the beginning. Mr. Oak, saddened by the loss of his fortune, herd, potential eligibility to marry Bathesheda, and livelihood, shoots the dog responsible for sending the sheep over the cliff. At the same time, Bathesheda loses her uncle and inherits a fortune. The tables have turned completely. Once a poor farm girl, though charming and beautiful and educated, now she an heiress and eligible to make a solid match in the country. Mr. Oak's chances of marriage plumate and he becomes her shepard, unable to buy her the piano she wanted. Hardy is also good at writing in realistic characters that are both frustrating, and prone to erroring. However, the usual male judgement that is present in most Victorian novels and stories was absent. "I know I did something I thought I would never do. I married a red coat and I believe I made a mistake. And I don't want your opinion," Bathesheda to Gabriel Oak in observation of her drunk husband. The protagonist is able to discover her feelings in an unadulterated world. Jane Austen's Anne Elliot (Persuasion, 1814) made two impactful errors in her early twenties: one is allowing someone to give her an opinion, and the other  was to take the advice of her friend and ignore her true feelings. Gabriel Oak wanted to leave the farm much earlier, but stuck to Bathesheda's side out of protection of her estate and fortune when she married. She did not ask or want his judgement, knowing full well she had chosen a poor match. BUT it was clear how grateful she was of his attachment. This made me feel that finally I can relate to a woman in a lead position who is strong, educated, and NORMAL. Thank you Vinterberg for preserving this uniqueness in a Hardy text.

3. Did it help me understand a new world better? It was not so much a new world, but a way of life I believe in was finally realized on screen. A world that exists but is constantly ignored or romanticized on screen. Far From the Madding Crowd is a normal female fantasy come true: a woman decides her own destiny and supports her own life. This does not mean she is without a heart or feelings, and that she is not interested in marriage. It just means she doesn't "have" to get married to make something of herself. 

4. Did the movie deliver fun and surprises? The biggest surprise and gratification came in the scriptwriting and Carry Mulligan's exception performance. One part in particular really epitomizes this film for me at the forefront of feminism and celebrating strong females onscreen. When Bathesheda visits WIlliam Boldwood (Michael Sean) for the second time to hear his marriage proposal, he demands that she chose what she feels for him at that moment.

"Well is it respect or like?" William Boldwood. "It is hard to express myself in language constructed by men to express their emotions," Bathesheda.

She asserts her dominance and equality and sets the stakes high. She will not be defined or controlled. She even tells Mr. Oak at the beginning he would never be able to tame her. She is an uncontrollable force. This was the biggest surprise and the most fun and enjoyment I have had at a movie in a long time.

5.    Did the characters have a transformative experience and / or did I? I think the main character has a very simple transformative experience.  She finally realizes her true feelings and is able to express them. The film is after all an outward expression of an inner self. What is said through dialogue becomes less important than what is NOT said. Bathesheda tells Mr. Oak her issues but clarifies by saying, "And I don't want your opinion." We never hear what Mr. Oak actually has to say and this is the tension that mounts and builds throughout the narrative. We are never even truly relieved of this tension at the end as Bathesheda still dictates the drama. 

Overall I think this film is unique, strongly feminist while honouring the historical drama genre. The adaptation of Hardy's novel was extremely well done and had me smiling throughout. IF you have NOT read a Hardy text you are in for a treat. Do not fret, for things do seem unbearably bleak at the best of times. Hardy always pulls through and gives you the satisfaction you deserve. Also a good read: The Guardian: Far From the Madding Crowd.

- Jenn

A Night with Maureen Jennings

There are always going to be those nights when no matter how blustery the Canadian winter weather is, you are willing to brave it (wind, rain, or snow) to go out and visit an author whose work excites and inspires you.

This is how I felt last night travelling to a Toronto Public Library branch to hear / see Maureen Jennings speak about her career.

Before you say, "wow a person talking about themselves... great?" There is something different when an author stands behind a podium and weaves their life into a tale of adventure. I was awestruck listening for an hour - only it felt like a minute had gone by.

She opened her talk with a passage she had recently written for a new Murdoch TV companion book that is soon to be released in book stores:

Uploaded by Shaftesbury TV on 2011-10-26.

"The darkness is real [...] the actors are soaked to the skin. The one take is successful (here alluding to Shipwrecked) [...] My own story dramatized in real life [...] who would have thought it?!"

Maureen Jennings, born and raised in England (and NOT in any way related to Christina Jennings, owner of Shaftesbury Films) is the author of the Murdoch mysteries series, Bomb Girls, Season of Darkness, and other Tom Tyler books to come. Maureen Jennings grew up in North York, where she started writing "poems and short stories." A friend of hers who was an actor invited her to write a mystery play for their theatre. Of course being a writer, one assumes that a writer is able to write ANY kind of work (plays - short stories - poems - novels - screenplays) ... However, this experience turned out to be a major turning point in her career because it helped her develop a keen interest in the mystery genre.

Being a passionate Victorian, she wanted to base her detective stories in the mid 1890s. Maureen held up an old image of the man she used as inspiration for Detective William Murdoch. He has "integrity and intelligence in his face" she said smiling, hoping to meet him one day. The moustached man in the photo of course does not look anything like our glorious Yannick Bisson, who plays Murdoch in the CBC series, but Maureen is thrilled to have been with Yannick these past eight years. 

An eagre person in the audience asked Maureen how it all began. "It was a funny story," one day my husband, who does things and only tells me when he knows something good will come of it, took one of my five books and brought it to Christina Jennings at Shaftesbury. We developed three movies out of my books. The blond-haired blue-eyed detective cast in the films was much closer to the personality I had written in my stories. TV, though, generally takes the characters and does away with the story. Although she did mention that she is grateful at how faithful "CBC was with the show and her original story." Then CTV picked up my show and it has been running on CBC now for eight consecutive seasons.

"One of the things you can do as a writer is you can steal everything," she said with mischief in her eyes. "There is extra fun with revenge crime, especially when you write someone in and have to decide how they live or die."

She had specifically written these books to take place in Toronto, and one of her earliest memories on the show was remembering how hilarious it was that, given the time for the show to be produced, the first few episodes were shot in WInnipeg. The irony...

Mauren co-wrote three episodes and recently released a solo episode, "Shipwrecked," which explores William Murdoch's childhood and how he came to have such particular habits.

Maureen is currently working on her Tom Tyler series, set in 1940 England during WWII. There are so many country secrets that need a good story telling. You could see glitter in her eyes as she recounted a few fond memories. Her first book, Season of Darkness, explores interned camps in the war.

In Ludlow, there were camps where men and women were interned in the war if they were suspected of being enemies. The camps were peaceful otherwise and many of the brightest minds lay wasting away until someone decided that they could give classes each day. Top scientists and musicians gave talks and lessons and worked with other camp members, mentoring them on their talents. Two such violinists went on to establish the Amadeus Quartet after they were released.

In Burmingham, Maureen developed her munitions factory stories that lead to Bomb Girls. She worked closely with someone she met on set whose great grandmother worked at a munitions factory during the war. Using real accounts from ladies in history, the two embarked on a short episodic series.

Book three in her Tom Tyler series takes place back in Ludlow in a small village where there is a hotel called St. Annes. "I saw this, and the hedges, and imagined it was a hospital. She later discovered the town secret during WWII. When Pilots returning from the war were greatly burned and disfigured, they were sent here for peace and tranquility. The townsfolk were to invite them in their homes and rehabilitate them into social life. A special rope was built that lead from the country to the town centre so the blind but independent pilots had a guide to hold onto.

I think the best thing I learned from this talk was that genre fiction is a great way to explore your passion for life during a specific era but it is also a way to slip in things that you wish to say. Not in any obtrusive manner though. It is the engine to discuss issues. Current issues, set in a different time period but also allowing the audience to connect in the present!

Best-selling mystery author Maureen Jennings talks about her beloved Murdoch, writing historical fiction, and of course, her latest book in the Inspector Tom Tyler series.

Thank you Maureen for sharing your wide spectrum of storytelling success. I am so inspired with how you turn quirky facts into something wonderful and great.

- Jenn

What do WE want from cinema: Inherent Vice

I had a really unique movie going experience last week. At 9:20pm on a Tuesday night, I trekked alone to Cineplex Odeon Varsity Theatres at 55 Bloor Street, Toronto, for a VIP screening of Inherent Vice (2015). Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, adapted by Thomas Pynchon's novel, this is by far one of the most interesting films I have got to see this year.

Before I go into my analysis, though, I came across this intriguing and perfectly applicable article from the website Hope in Film: The Five Crucial Things We Want From Movies. Written by Ted Hope, this article suggests the following list.

1. Take me somewhere I have never been
2. Make me feel
3. Help me understand this issue / world a little better
4. Deliver fun and surprises
5. A transformative experience

With this as our backbone, let us now take a look at Inherent Vice through these five filters / criteria.

1. Inherent Vice takes place in south California during the transition between the 60s and 70s. On the outset, this town seems to have three kinds of people: hippies, gangsters, and law-enforcers. However, by mid movie, the types have become so muddled that by the end each character is neither him nor herself and are a mish-mash of everyone. A bit like The Beatles song I am the Walrus "I am he as you are he and you are me and we are all together." Yet no one in the film is together. Relationships are never whole, and people are as much present off screen as they are on screen, making the loose episodic plot structure more hippie-ish, if you will. 
2. WOW. How did I feel? Where do I begin? First, let's talk about the voiceover narration. Can we even call it ironic? It is a bit Godardian in the best way, calling attention to the story's realities as unrealities. The pumping action of private investigator Doc Sportello is highly undercut by the mellow female voice, taking your heartbeat down four notches into a normal rhythmic speed. She calls attention to the fading past, the psychedelic 60s slowly evaporating. All that California was is embodied in Doc. And he is hated every moment for it. He is the dinosaur of the south. A T-rex hunting for the truth of the golden fang. What feelings can we say the film conveys? There is this uncomfortable sense of unknowingness - a paranoia that slowly seeps into your bones and makes you fidget in your seat. There is repetition, creating a cyclical feeling that adds to the claustrophobic environment. If you were asked to loosely sketch Doc's world, could you do it? Do we know where all the puzzle pieces fit? I felt hazie leaving the theatre, as if a smokey cloud had settled around me head. A sudden second-high. There was also humour - in an unchecked and unbalanced way. We laughed without restraint but not because we were set up to laugh or forced to. It felt more real somehow.
3. I had not read Thomas Pynchon's novel before watching the film in theatre, and believe this might have filled in any loose gaps my brain is still trying to solve. I do not know much about the early 70s to justify the films explanation. Yet, taking it for what it is and disregarding (momentarily) its time in history, what did I take away? What statement is the film making - and even if it is NOT making a statement, that is in itself a statement - and how is it resolved? I think Doc justifies his good character at the end. He is able to reunite a family together and saves a father (Owen Wilson) from being further involved in a network of cocaine dealers. Sure the family is unromantic in the best way - and the parents are the least prototypic of their kind - but there is a sense of charm seeing the two hug at the end. The set, setting, costumes, and soundtrack created a quintessential aura, what I would think would be an accurate 70s mise-en-scene for this film. 
4. The greatest surprise was the dialogue. The dialogue between characters differs greatly: legal and proper jargon from his girlfriend downtown (Reese Witherspoon), the slow drawl of his drug friend pretending to be dead (Owen Wilson), and the strange and often perverted comments from Lieutenant Bigfoot (Josh Brolin). Actions often contradict the characters verbal intent. Bigfoot angrily refers to Doc as the hippie, yet storms his house at the end of the film and eats a lot of weed sitting out on the table. Deputy Penny Kimball, a serious woman of the law, is caught smoking weed with Doc and having a jolly good time. The humour is dry and the banter delivered in a hyper serious manner to the point of being at the cusp of hilarious: "woohoo, look at the greedy little hippie." "Bring a  bar of soap and you can clean my feet tonight." "Ew. I can bring you pizza though." "There is a swastika symbol on that man's face." "No there isn't. That is an ancient Hindu symbol meaning ALL IS WELL." Do these characters know they are funny or do they take themselves seriously? 
5. Transformative: Ted suggests that this can be for either the viewers or the characters on screen. Still unsure as to how Doc is feeling - probably rather groovy for saving the day (?) - I definitely felt transformed. My opinion about romance, life, beach-house living, the 70s, and the radical 60s has definitely been intensified and caught my interest. This film told the story in a whole new way. The experience was unique and something I am sure to never feel again. Even when I go see the film for a second time, I am sure to feel slightly different. I think in an era when originality is rare and films have become almost colloquial communication tools, it is definitely hard to find that new angle. As my favourite dead poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, commented on in his poem "Kubla Khan," the public will scorn this type of artistic creation. They will stomp and spit and refuse entry into their narrow perspective. Bret Easton Ellis shares this perspective in his article Novelist and Screenwriter Bret Easton Ellis Talks Paul Anderson's Inherent Vice.

"Anderson’s epic vision of Southern California in movie after movie is one of modern cinema’s key accomplishments — the scope is a marvel. But the audience for Inherent Vice is not going to be rapturously discussing it this Christmas — the harsh words I heard behind me as I left the screening last week have been echoed all over the place when I ask people who have seen it what they thought, and the pre-release take-down of it around L.A. is surprising to me [...]" - Bret Easton Ellis

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I understand where this assumption is coming from and find it so sad. I suppose everyone is entitled to their opinions - and there are always going to be those films that are landmarks and only become so in a new generation of understanding - and hopefully open-mindedness. I say HOORAH for Anderson and all the performances in the film. A job well done. A film highly original and intriguing. Thank you for making my Tuesday night so groovy!

- Jenn