The Return of the Native

Being both a fan of Catherine Zeta-Jones and of Thomas Hardy's tempest-tossed heroines, I had an uncontrollable urge to rent this film when I discovered it languishing on a dust covered shelf in my local video store. Happily, I was not disappointed. "Return of the Native" is the story of Eusticia Vance, a rather ambitious girl who comes back to her village in the south of England after years abroad to (rather innocently) wreak havoc on the local men. Although not one of Hardy's best stories, it gives Zeta-Jones a chance to show that she can act (and surprisingly well) if given a good role.

This role is very reminiscent of the high-spirited, ultimately doomed women Ava Gardner used to play. Copies of this video should be passed out to every casting agent in Hollywood. It could prevent atrocities like "The Haunting" in the future. So if you like gorgeously filmed, well-acted period pieces, or if you are simply a Catherine Zeta-Jones completist, I recommend "Return of the Native".