Carey Mulligan is Bathsheba Everdeen in Far From the Madding Crown Trailer

Posted on February 18, 2015

Carey Mulligan plays the independent young woman Bathsheba Everdeen in Far From the Madding Crowd, based on the classic novel by Thomas Hardy. Set in 1874 the novel shows a surprisingly feminist take on a woman's choices in life for the time period

Bathsheba Everdene is a headstrong young woman who is penniless until her uncle leaves her his profitable sheep farm. Now that she has means, the suitors come calling. She has three choices and the film explores how her decisions (both wise and foolish) affect her life and the lives of those around her.

First up is the loyal, hard working sheep farmer Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts). He loves Bathsheba, but she finds him a bit boring. But he's always there when she needs him. The next love interest is the handsome and dashing soldier Frank Troy (Tom Sturridge). As one might guess, Troy has a way with words, women and swords and is pretty much a disaster from a romantic standpoint. But of course he captivates Bathsheba.

The third suitor is the most eligible bachelor in the county, William Boldwood (Michael Sheen). He is rich and respected. He is clearly the best match in the eyes of society, but he is a bit controlling. He falls for Bathsheba after she sends him a Valentine saying "marry me" as a joke.

The film was directed by Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg (The Hunt). The cinematography is stunning and Carey Mulligan is a perfect choice to play Bathsheba. The character was quite out of place for the time period. Bathsheba determines to run a large farm by herself, only wit the help of the existing servants. Over time, she proves her intelligence and mettle in dealing with the day to day business of the farm. But even the most intelligent person can make terrible decisions in love, and Bathsheba certainly has her challenges.

The film hits theaters on May 1, 2015. Here is the trailer:

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