Tess (1979)

Thomas Hardy is, in my opinion, one of the greatest English writers ever, and certainly one of the most cinematic writers, resulting in several excellent adaptations. Alongside Schlesinger's 'Far From the Madding Crowd' and Winterbottom's 'Jude' can be filed Roman Polanski's excellent treatment of 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles'. The stunning story of a poor girl ruined by the discovery that she is descended from a wealthy family, as those around her seek to exploit and abuse her, this is also, I feel, Polanski's most accomplished film.

Shot with a certain sentimentality for the English countryside in the permanent summer sunset of the film, the story soon turns much darker and the epic tale moves to romance, misery, ruin and, finally, a story of lovers on the run. The film couldn't really go wrong with such an excellent tale, but Polanski's direction is superbly subtle here, with a series of distant, long takes allowing the easy pace of rural life to control the film and the rolling hills to consume the story. There's an evocation of Sergio Leone, I felt, in the long moments of silence building to a climax, even if the result is not always so menacing, and combined with the rural setting and 19th century backdrop, Polanski creates a very modern feeling to a period that so easily traps BBC costume dramas, without resorting to modernist film techniques.

The young Natassia Kinski in the lead role performs well, despite a slightly confusing accent that teeters between her native American-German and West Country. The supporting cast maintain a feeling of rural community, with only a few men shining through and affecting Tess' life. The locations play an equally important part and the scene in the fog-enshrouded Stonehenge at the film's end is stunning.

For me, it's certainly one of Polanski's best, although my personal favourite probably remains 'Cul-de-Sac'. It's also one of the best period, literary adaptations, that avoids sentiment but fully communicates literary drama and emotions.