''The Mayor of Casterbridge'' is a British TV movie, produced by

Georgina Lowe Georgina Lowe is a British film and television producer, who has produced director Mike Leigh's films since 2009. Among her TV Producer credits are the BBC miniseries ''Tipping the Velvet'' (2002), '' Fingersmith'' (2005), the ITV1 series ''Kin ...

for

Sally Head Productions Sally Head is a British television producer. She began as a television script editor, then worked as a producer, mainly for the BBC. Her credits as producer include '' First Born'' (1988) and ''The Life and Loves of a She-Devil'' (1986), and she wa ...

and directed by

David Thacker David Thacker (born 21 December 1950) is an English theatre director. He is married to the actress Margot Leicester. Education Thacker studied at the University of York. Theatre Thacker was the artistic director at the Octagon Theatre Bolton unti ...

, based on the 1886 novel by

Thomas Hardy Thomas Hardy (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928) was an English novelist and poet. A Victorian realist in the tradition of George Eliot, he was influenced both in his novels and in his poetry by Romanticism, including the poetry of William Word ...

. Appearing in the film are

Ciarán Hinds Ciarán Hinds (; born 9 February 1953) is an Irish actor. Born in Belfast, Hinds is known for a range of screen and stage roles. He has starred in feature films including '' The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover'' (1989), ''Persuasion'' (19 ...

as Henchard,

Juliet Aubrey Juliet Emma Aubrey (born 17 December 1966) is a British actress of theatre, film, and television. She won the 1995 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for playing Dorothea in the BBC serial ''Middlemarch'' (1994). She is also known for her role as ...

as Susan Henchard,

Jodhi May Jodhi Tania May (''née'' Hakim-Edwards; 8 May 1975) is a British actress. She remains the youngest recipient of the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival, for ''A World Apart'' (1988). Her other film appearances include ''The Last ...

as Elizabeth Jane,

James Purefoy James Brian Mark Purefoy (born 3 June 1964) is an English actor. He played Mark Antony in the HBO series ''Rome'', Nick Jenkins in ''A Dance to the Music of Time'', college professor turned serial killer Joe Carroll in the series ''The Following ...

as Farfrae, and

Polly Walker Polly Alexandra Walker (born 19 May 1966) is an English actress. She has starred in the films '' Enchanted April'' (1991), ''Patriot Games'' (1992), ''Sliver'' (1993), ''Restoration'' (1995), '' The Gambler'' (1997), and '' Savage Messiah'' (20 ...

as Lucetta. The series was released as a two-disc DVD in 2004.

Plot

As in the original story, Michael Henchard, in a drunken moment, auctions his wife, Susan, and infant child to a passing seaman. Years later, Susan meets up with an apparently contrite Henchard, but he subsequently reverts to his original stubborn and unyielding character. In this version of the story, Henchard appears to be aware of his defects of character but, in the end, is unable to get past them because the traditional social tool of forgiveness constantly eludes him. Occasionally, as in the characters of Elizabeth Jane and Farfrae, forgiveness is found repeatedly and life recovers. However, in so many other cases throughout this film, enmity prevails and disaster follows. Henchard, the Mayor of Casterbridge, is presented as a selfish, atheistic, personality, and his atheistic tendencies are not shown in any positive light. Even though his character is deeply flawed, Henchard does evoke considerable sympathy because his salvation requires only a change of heart. The pain of his reflexive choices is clearly evident in

' presentation of Henchard. Hardy's novel was presented in this DVD with enormous attention to historical detail. The traditional Christian concerns with love and forgiveness and the consequences of selfish behaviour, are presented with the same emphasis as in the text.

Partial cast

– Michael Henchard *

– Susan Henchard *

– Elizabeth Jane *

– Farfrae *

– Lucetta Templeman

Notable reviews

:Reviewed By: Angus Wolfe Murray at Eye for Film :Reviewed By:

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...

:Reviewed by: Jim Steel

References

External links

BFI Film & TV Database: The MAYOR OF CASTERBRIDGE (ITV1, 2003)
''The Mayor of Casterbridge'' (2003 film) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mayor of Casterbridge, The 2003 British television series debuts 2003 British television series endings 2000s British drama television series ITV television dramas 2000s British television miniseries Films based on The Mayor of Casterbridge Television series by ITV Studios London Weekend Television shows English-language television shows Television shows set in England Television shows based on works by Thomas Hardy Films directed by David Thacker