Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4911 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-01-09
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 94 minutes

Synopsis
A DVD release for Nicholas Laughland's TV adaptation of Thomas Hardy's classic novel. Set in a rustic English village in the middle of the 19th century, Under The Greenwood Tree tells the story of a poor young man who falls for a middle-class schoolteacher and chronicles his attempts to win her over.

Customer Reviews

Pleasant film with feelgood factor.
Based loosely on the Thomas Hardy novel of the same name, those who liked the book may not appreciate this version as it bears little resemblance to the original. However ladies of a certain age and over will love the atmospheric scenes and gentle humour.
The plot follows a year in the life of Fancy Day, the beautiful new schoolteacher who arrives in the village amidst much speculation. Which of her 3 suitors will she eventually marry, the rich self-made man, the educated parson or the poor but drop dead gorgeous local lad?
Set just before the industrial revolution, against the background of the changing seasons, just right for a rainy Sunday afternoon.

ITV Production / Versus Book
Having thoroughly enjoyed the ITV production, I was inspired again to read Hardy's book.What struck me in the book, was Hardy's light humour and optimism notwithstanding the impending major changes about to hit rural England with the onset of the industrial revolution.
Comparing the TV production/ book one is struck in the book by Fancy's greater vulnerability. Indeed, she is much younger and more coquettish than her TV counterpart with a keener interest in her appearance to the opposite sex, even after her engagement to Dick. In addition, her dilemma in marrying below her intellectual status caused her far greater consternation, evidenced by her immediate and rash acceptance of Maybold's hand in marriage notwithstanding her hard fought and love based engagement to Dick.

Hardy also infuses a greater optimism for Dick's future. Not only had his parents saved to provide him with a better education than his siblings, but by the end of the book he had already set up and commenced managing a branch of the family business elsewhere. With help from Fancy's father (much better off than his counterpart in the TV production) Fancy and Dick were not destined to share their first marital home with Dick's family, but immediately after the wedding moved into their own home outside the village.The future looked much more assured.

Great, warm and gentle entertainment
I love adaptations of period dramas, especially those produced this side of the Atlantic. This one was 90odd minutes of enjoyment. Good casting, good acting and great location: not to mention the superb cinematography.
I am just an ordinary person who wishes to be entertained. I am not a scholarly egghead who always seem to insist on the filmed adaptation sticking strictly to the book from whence it was born. I have no idea whether or not this film was accurately portrayed or not...does it matter? I get a little tired of reading, usually, screenfulls of critique from clearly well educated, well read individuals and good luck to them. But they are missing the point. These visual productions, mostly intended for social viewing are intended to be entertainment. If one wishes to study literature in depth go to the library! It beggars belief that there often exists a general opinion that a book, sometime hundreds of pages in length can be brought to the screen for a two hour or so depiction with all the associated production difficulties and costs that necessarily go with it. Let us all just be thankful that that book usually provides a skeleton to work on and the rest is left to talented people, in front of and behind the cameras who bring us such pleasure.
This story is one of Thomas Hardy's ,shall we say, 'quieter' novels, but none the worse for that. There is no complex theme to follow, it is just a simple, straightforward love story. And one that we just know is going to turn out fine! It is all very enjoyable.
The only thing that surprised me about this film is how little I know about Jersey C.I. where the filming took place. I had no idea the countryside was so idylic in such a small island. The film 'snow' was a little bit dodgy but who cares.