Tess (1979)

A young strong-willed peasant girl, becomes the affection of two men, in the end tragically falling into the arms of one.

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

Gérard Brach (screenplay), Roman Polanski (screenplay),

Stars:

John Collin, Nastassja Kinski, Peter Firth

Won 3 Oscars. Another 13 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Collin	...	John Durbeyfield
Tony Church	...	Parson Tringham
Nastassja Kinski	...	Tess (as Nastassia Kinski)
Brigid Erin Bates	...	Girl in meadow
Jeanne Biras	...	Girl in meadow
Peter Firth	...	Angel Clare
John Bett	...	Felix Clare
Tom Chadbon	...	Cuthbert Clare
Rosemary Martin	...	Mrs. Durbeyfield
Geraldine Arzul	...	Child
Stephanie Treille	...	Child
Elodie Warnod	...	Child
Ben Reeks	...	Child
Leigh Lawson	...	Alec d'Urberville
Lesley Dunlop	...	Girl in henhouse

Storyline

In the Victorian period, a rural clergyman tells John Durbeyfield, a simple farmer, that he is descended from the illustrious d'Urberville family -- now extinct. Or maybe not. Durbeyfield sends his daughter Tess to check on a family named d'Uberville living in a manor house less than a day's carriage ride away. Alec d'Urberville is delighted to meet his beautiful "cousin" and seduces her with strawberries and roses. Actually, Alec has gotten his illustrious name and coat of arms by purchasing them. Tess also takes up the game of illusion when she finds, loses and finds again her true love Angel Claire.

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Plot Keywords:

peasant | 19th century | love | costume drama | epic | 

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Taglines:

She was born into a world where they called it seduction, not rape. What she did would shatter that world forever.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

France UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 December 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Egy tiszta nő

Filming Locations:

Château de Beaumanoir, Le Leslay, Côtes-d'Armor, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Renn Productions, Timothy Burrill Productions, Société Française de Production (SFP)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

186 min 172 min (DVD) 134 min (re-issue) 184 min (original)

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

As Roman Polanski was unable to travel to England because of its extradition laws with the US, Wessex had to be recreated in France, including an exact replica of Stonehenge.

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Goofs

At the beginning of the final sequence, set at Stonehenge, someone's head can be seen at bottom-left.

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Quotes

[first lines]
John Durbeyfield: Good night, t'ee.
Parson Tringham: Good night, Sir John.

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Connections

Referenced in Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004)

User Reviews

"I'm ready"

Tess is a wonderful adaptation from a great book(by Thomas Hardy)),Nastassja Kinski was perfect for the part,long hair,bright eyes,fine featured,I always thought that her power as an actress is in her face(through gestures and tics); the director of the film Roman Polanski,said that "Thomas Hardy links the girl to the rhythm of nature",for that reason,in some scenes, she looks different, in spring her beauty flourish like pink roses,when her fate follows her,the weather is cold and windy,Tess seems pale,sad and lonely like a ghost;Nastassia projects this with delicacy and tenderness;Tess is a complex character,"not a typical victorian lady",the movie works in different levels:as a romantic/tragic love story,as an accusation of the hypocrisy of that rigid society,and that controversial scene when she loses her virginity,Hardy describes the event with ambiguity...was she raped o was she seduced?;but in the movie shows Alec "cruel intentions"more clearly.I just love Tess because she still stays untouched after all the problems,she has an special dignity,visually, the film looks great,Cherbourg villages(north of France) are similar to Dorset;Philippe Sarde haunting music penetrates under your skin,and that is pure emotion.