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Tess

  • 19791979
  • PGPG
  • 3h 6m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
17K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Tess (1979)
Watch {VideoTitle}
Play trailer2:29
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Drama
  • Romance

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
17K
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
    • 94User reviews
    • 68Critic reviews
    • 82Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 3 Oscars
      • 16 wins & 16 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:29
    Official Trailer

    Photos139

    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)
    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)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    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 rape
    • rape
    • based on novel
    • woman murders a man
    • murderess
    • 88 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
      • PG
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film's opening dedication at the start of the film states: "For Sharon". Roman Polanski dedicated this movie to his late wife, Sharon Tate, who was killed in 1969 by the Manson Clan. Before Tate's death, she had read the film's source novel by Thomas Hardy and was convinced that her husband would one day make a great film based on the novel. Movie was released to the theaters exactly 10 years after her untimely death.
    • 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 reviews94

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Haunting
    In this adaptation of the Hardy novel, a peasant girl who may be descended from a noble family encounters romance and tragedy in 19th century England. Meticulously directed by Polanski, this epic drama unfolds quite leisurely but does not drag. The English countryside is beautifully captured, with the cinematography adding a haunting quality to the barren landscape, an effect further enhanced by the evocative score. Perhaps she does not faithfully embody the strong-willed heroine of the novel, but Kinski (resembling a young Ingrid Bergman) looks exquisite and effectively conveys a sense of melancholy in a star-making performance.
    helpful•7
    1
    • kenjha
    • Jul 4, 2010

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 12, 1980 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • France
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Cô Gái Đức Hạnh
    • 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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