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Tess

  • 19791979
  • 1414
  • 3h 6m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
16K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Nastassja Kinski in Tess (1979)
Watch {VideoTitle}
Play trailer2:29
1 Video
99+ Photos
DramaRomance

A strong-willed young peasant girl attracts the affection of two men.A strong-willed young peasant girl attracts the affection of two men.A strong-willed young peasant girl attracts the affection of two men.

IMDb RATING
7.3/10
16K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Roman Polanski
  • Writers
    • Gérard Brach(screenplay)
    • Roman Polanski(screenplay)
    • John Brownjohn(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Nastassja Kinski
    • Peter Firth
    • Leigh Lawson
Top credits
  • Director
    • Roman Polanski
  • Writers
    • Gérard Brach(screenplay)
    • Roman Polanski(screenplay)
    • John Brownjohn(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Nastassja Kinski
    • Peter Firth
    • Leigh Lawson
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 93User reviews
    • 71Critic reviews
    • 82Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 3 Oscars
      • 16 wins & 16 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:29
    Official Trailer

    Photos137

    Nastassja Kinski in Tess (1979)
    Nastassja Kinski in Tess (1979)
    Nastassja Kinski and Peter Firth in Tess (1979)
    Nastassja Kinski in Tess (1979)
    "Tess" Nastassja Kinski 1979 Columbia
    "Tess" Nastassja Kinski 1979 Columbia
    Roman Polanski at an event for Tess (1979)
    Roman Polanski at an event for Tess (1979)
    Nastassja Kinski and Roman Polanski at an event for Tess (1979)
    Nastassja Kinski and Roman Polanski at an event for Tess (1979)
    Tess (1979)
    Nastassja Kinski in Tess (1979)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Nastassja Kinski
    Nastassja Kinski
    • Tessas Tess
    Peter Firth
    Peter Firth
    • Angel Clareas Angel Clare
    Leigh Lawson
    Leigh Lawson
    • Alec d'Urbervilleas Alec d'Urberville
    John Collin
    • John Durbeyfieldas John Durbeyfield
    Tony Church
    • Parson Tringhamas Parson Tringham
    Brigid Erin Bates
    • Girl in meadowas Girl in meadow
    Jeanne Biras
    • Girl in meadowas Girl in meadow
    John Bett
    • Felix Clareas Felix Clare
    Tom Chadbon
    Tom Chadbon
    • Cuthbert Clareas Cuthbert Clare
    Rosemary Martin
    • Mrs. Durbeyfieldas Mrs. Durbeyfield
    Geraldine Arzul
    • Childas Child
    Stephanie Treille
    • Childas Child
    Elodie Warnod
    • Childas Child
    Ben Reeks
    • Childas Child
    Jack Stephens
    • Man in Tavernas Man in Tavern
    Lesley Dunlop
    Lesley Dunlop
    • Girl in henhouseas Girl in henhouse
    Maryline Even
    • Girl in henhouseas Girl in henhouse
    Jean-Jacques Daubin
    • Bailiffas Bailiff
    • Director
      • Roman Polanski
    • Writers
      • Gérard Brach(screenplay)
      • Roman Polanski(screenplay)
      • John Brownjohn(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit
    Wessex County, England during the Victorian era. Christian values dominate what are social mores. These mores and her interactions with two men play a large part in what happens in the young life of peasant girl, the shy, innocent, proper yet proud Tess Durbeyfield. The first of these men is Alec d'Urberville. After learning from a local historian that they are really descendants of the aristocratic d'Urberville family which has died out due to lack of male heirs, Tess' parents send her to a nearby mansion where they know some d'Urbervilles actually reside. This move is in order for the family to gain some benefit from their heritage. Upon her arrival at the mansion, Tess quickly learns that the family of Tess' "cousin" Alec are not true d'Urbervilles, but rather an opportunistic lot who bought the family name in order to improve their own standing in life. Tess is pulled between what she was sent to accomplish for her family against her general disdain for Alec, who will give her anything she wants in return for sexual favors. The second of these men is Angel Clare, the son of a parson and an apprentice farmer. Angel and Tess fall in love with each other. Tess has to decide if she will divulge to Angel her past relationship with Alec, which if she does may jeopardize their own relationship. But if she doesn't, Tess also has to figure out if the secret will haunt her and thus jeopardize their relationship in other ways. —Huggo
    pregnant from raperapebased on novelwoman murders a manmurderess90 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • She was a poor man's daughter, an aristocrat's mistress and a gentleman's wife. She was Tess, a victim of her own provocative beauty.
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Romance
    • Certificate
      • 14
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Though this film is set in Dorset, England, it was actually filmed in France. Director Roman Polanski was wanted on sex-related charges in the United States and could have been extradited from the UK.
    • Goofs
      At the beginning of the final sequence, set at Stonehenge, someone's head can be seen at bottom-left.
    • Quotes

      Alec d'Urberville: [pins a pink rose on Tess' dress] What's the matter?

      Tess: A thorn.

      Alec d'Urberville: Aw, cousin, beauty has its price.

    • Alternate versions
      The film was first released to German cinemas uncut with a running time of 184 minutes. As the audience reaction was far from overwhelming the distributor decided to re-cut and re-release the film in a more "accessible" 134 minutes version. But at least one of the original prints had survived and was shown here at the local art house years later.
    • Connections
      Featured in The 38th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1981)

    User reviews93

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    A return viewing.
    Roman Polanksi's Tess gets better and better with age.

    The mists...the sounds of footsteps on the dirt roads... the ambling horse... the elflike man that appears at the Cross in Hands, Tess' walk to her Inlaws church, The dripping water, The taking of the boots, the misplaced letter, the milk run, the puddle in the road, the dripping milk pouches, The strawberry, the blood stain, The burial, Stonehenge...Everything is beautifully shot. It lingers in the mind long after viewing. Geoffrey Unsworth's final cinematographic film. Thank you for all your beautiful work.

    It is neither pretentious nor bold.

    Mesmerizing! The musical composition is charging.

    Nastassja Kinski's plays the title character. She reacts so well. Her beauty in a time of such oppression and depression would be an ill fate. Tess knows this fate and she wishes she was never born. She is the sacrifice of a paradigm. Victorian era was finished. Edwardian Enlightenment would soon come but not for Tess, the sacrificial pure beauty.

    Thomas Hardy created a pure woman in Tess. That is why her plight is so tragic. She possesses a strong spirit that is oppressed by the male political and religious world around her.

    The opening shot is well directed in the morning sunrise as fair maidens dance with one another. Tess' oversight by Angel begins this tragic tale. "As Flies to wanton boys, are we to the Gods, they kill us for their sport."

    Tess, Thomas Hardy

    Do not take your eyes off of it. It is beautifully told!

    Victor Nunnally, BFA Dramatic and Film Theory and History, AA Performing Experience.
    helpful•64
    20
    • victor7754
    • Jul 29, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 31, 1979 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • France
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Тесс
    • Filming locations
      • Morienval, Oise, France
    • Production companies
      • Renn Productions
      • Timothy Burrill Productions
      • Société Française de Production (SFP)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $12,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $20,093,330
    • Gross worldwide
      • $20,101,247
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      3 hours 6 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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