Tess
Starring: Natassja Kinski, Peter Firth, Leigh Lawson, John Collin, Tom Chadbon, Rosemary Martin, Sylvia Coleridge
Directed by: Roman Polanski
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama, Romance
1980

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A woman (Natassja Kinski) attracts the unwanted attention of an wealthy man (Leigh Lawson) who claims to want only to help her.

Review:

Tim: I enjoyed reading Tess of the d'Urbervilles in college, and so, decades later, I was excited to revisit the story in this Academy Award winning film. I have to say, as a whole, the movie works. It does a great job adapting the novel to the screen, both in the technical details and in the human drama. It's well made, entertaining, expansive. It doesn't do quite enough for me to consider it "great"- it's not quite memorable enough. However, this is still a thoroughly entertaining drama, bringing a classic piece of literature to life on screen.

Quick note- I know the film was directed by Roman Polanski, but I'm not going to talk much about that. He's a piece of human garbage and drugging and raping a minor should never be forgotten. He's despicable. I'm going to review this movie because hundreds of other people were involved in making it, and they deserve to have their hard work praised. That guy is awful and deserves only the worst the world has to offer him.

It's interesting that this novel was adapted in such an all-encompassing way. Thomas Hardy's story is a classic one, but there's not a ton of movement. Sure, there are big, unforgettable moments, but the rest of the story is filled with a ton of character development. The film takes the same approach. It's shocking that this movie is 3 hours and 6 minutes long. Not that much actually happens. But, just like the novel, there's plenty of breathing room, time for immense character development. Now, this isn't always good. The movie is a bit of a beast to get through- it's so long. However, despite the slog at times, the movie mirrors the novel in many ways. You get a sense for these characters, but also the time and place in which they lived. This was an artistic decision that mostly pays off, but it does also hurt the film a bit. This is a really good movie, but it has low re-watch value. I can't fathom ever sitting through it again.

The cast is impressive. Natassja Kinski is wonderful as Tess. I've only seen Kinski a few other times, not enough to form a full opinion of her. Based on her performance, here, though, I'm a big fan. She is able to capture the innocence and inner strength of Tess. This is a girl who by the twist of fate and the force of men in her life, has seen her journey influenced in profound ways. You wonder what her life would have been like had small things occurred differently- especially the very first scene of the film. Kinski brings Tess to life- she's a girl who has had her life changed by chance, but never loses her inner drive. She suffers much in this story, but continues on. This is obviously a tragic story, but Kinski manages to show us both the victimization of Tess, as well as her incredible character to move forward despite those tragic events. Her performance is so effective, easily the thing you remember most from this film.

Leigh Lawson delights in playing the villainous Alec d'Urberville. His performance is so good because he adds complexity to the role- at times, you almost wonder if he's as bad as his worst actions (he is). He embraces that gray area that so many bad men have slipped to- where they ask you to forgive them of their crimes while they continue to victimize others for their own self-satisfaction. It's a role Polanski probably loved and could see himself in. Lawson gives a strong performance. Peter Firth is likewise effective as Angel. It's a different role- he isn't cruel- yet he also treats Tess unfairly, unfortunately changing the course of her life with his inability to see the situation clearly. I liked that Firth made sure Angel didn't appear too good- this is as flawed a man as any other character in the film. He works well opposite Kinski and we really enjoy their time on screen together.

Now, while the actors and the human drama are good, the film really shines from a technical standpoint. It's expertly crafted by those involved. The movie won 3 Academy Awards. It won Best Cinematography. I'm not totally sold on this, but yes, the landscape shots, the framing of this story, the ability of the camera to put us back in time and immense ourselves in Tess' world- it's expertly done and I get why the film won. It won Best Art Direction-Set Direction, which was deserving. The meticulously designed sets stand out- they help so much to bring Tess' world to life on screen. It's exceptionally well done and a big reason why this movie works so well. Finally, it won best Costume Design- this is a no-brainer, as the period costumes are wonderfully recreated here. This movie might not quite be "great", but it's obviously well done from a technical perspective and should be applauded for its three wins.

Tess is a really good movie. It was released theatrically in the U.S. in December 1980 and while I didn't love the movie as a whole, it's obviously exceptionally crafted. It's a movie that deserves a lot of praise. It captures one of the classic literature novels faithfully, bringing to life one of the all-time tragedies. I really appreciated Thomas Hardy's book and this movie is a major success, adapting it.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Far From the Madding Crowd, Playing by Heart, Somewhere in Time