Under the greenwood tree by T Hardy.

There was a BBC series of The Mayor of Casterbridge in 1978 with Alan Bates. I bought it on DVD and thought it was brilliant. Like all these old series you have to slow down your viewing pace to match the slowness of the production. At six hours long it is a marathon not a sprint, but the level of detail is wonderful. The characters were explored much more fully than they are now, and you find yourself slowly drawn in. But you need patience because this is not paced like modern productions.

Jane43

I will definitely watch this, thank you. I love most of Thomas Hardy’s novels but Jude The Obscure was too much for me. My son’s favourite was The Woodlanders.

Completely agree with both you and your son. Jude is too miserable but The Woodlanders is marvellous, very underrated in my opinion. If you want a jolly TH novel with a rare, very rare, happy ending I recommend The Hand of Ethelberta. The heroine with her ‘squirrel-coloured hair’ (red, of course, in those happy pre-grey squirrel days) is great.

I just watched this, it was perfection. I hadn't read the book but it was a typical Hardy theme. The casting was very good, Keeley Hawes never disappoints me, she is such a versatile actress. Thanks for the recommendation..

Terence Stamp and Julie Christie are supposed to be the 'Terry and Julie' in the Kinks' song Waterloo Sunset.

There was a programme recently about Thomas Hardy, quite deep and meaningful with lots of quotes from his books, and it delved into his personal relationships with women. Although he treated his wife badly he came back to her after she died and even worshipped her....too late of course. The programme might be on again, it's perfect if you're a TH fan.

…..I do think Captain Troy wasn’t gorgeous enough in the newer adaptation, though. But then how can anyone beat Terence Stamp in the gorgeousness department?

Another one here who loves the newer Far from the madding crowd. However, of all the Thomas Hardy adaptations the Gemma Arterton Tess of the d’Urbevilles is the stand out one for me. So sad it actually gives me a physical ache in the heart just thinking about it. As for the chapter in the book about Sorrow….I used to live near to where Hardy worked as an architect in Cornwall. There’s a stretch of the Valency river where Hardy used to walk with his first wife and I always used to think of them when I walked there. What was it someone wrote about him?’ He wrote great parts for women but, boy did he make them pay (suffer) for it…’I guess Zola was the same. Thinking about it just now, is Hardy very much a writer that appeals to women far more than men?

The best of course Far from the Madding Crowd, Julie Christie and Peter Finch smouldered in the old version bur I preferred the newer version with Carrie Muligan.
I would say it wasn't Peter Finch but Terence Stamp doing all the smouldering in the 1967 version, certainly for me anyway.
I also have the 1998 TV series on DVD, which is very good and I like that one equally.
The latest version with Carey Mulligan I didn't rate at all.

I will definitely watch this, thank you. I love most of Thomas Hardy’s novels but Jude The Obscure was too much for me. My son’s favourite was The Woodlanders.

Just finished watching it. Perfect. Thanks travels

Will watch that another fan of Thomas Hardy.

I will watch this. I love Thomas Hardy and have read many of his books.

Did this at school and loved it I will certainly watch thank you. In fact If Tommy Leaf was one of the characters we used to call a lad in our class that.
Have you seen The return of the Native with Catherine Zeta Jones? It's an old film but worth watching if you can find it.
The best of course Far from the Madding Crowd, Julie Christie and Peter Finch smouldered in the old version bur I preferred the newer version with Carrie Muligan.
I love Hardys books and the way he said the weather always matched the mood of the people or vis versa. When my father died the cemetery was beside the sea and the mists were swirling round the gravestones ,thunder cracked and it started to pour down.
The undertaker who was a boyhood friend of dads came to me and said wouldn't ..... have laughed at all you silly bu...... standing in the rain. We smiled together and I felt better .I will always remember his kindness and it's links to Thomas Hardy.

Thank you. I’ll look for this.

I shall certainly look at it…just the sort of book/film I love. Thanks for posting travelsafar

I assume this is the version with Keeley Hawes. I have it on DVD as part of my Thomas Hardy collection. Have a special interest in Thomas Hardy as my 2 x great grandfather was born at the same time as him in Dorset, so I love hearing about the world they lived in.

I love Thomas Hardy's books and I remember studying this one at school. Will definitely give it a watch. Thanks Travelsafar