What It's About:

Gorgeous and willful, English country heiress Bathsheba Everdene (Christie) is pursued by three admirers—sheep farmer Gabriel Oak (Bates), rich landowner William Boldwood (Finch), and handsome soldier Sergeant Troy (Stamp)—each of whom comes from a different walk of life. As the rivalry between the men is conditioned by fate and circumstance (and a comely maid, in Troy’s case), Bathsheba’s conflict between love and security puts her at risk of losing all her prospects.

Why I Love It:

John Schlesinger (“Billy Liar,” “Marathon Man”) marshals a hugely talented cast to enact the multiple-suitor scenario in this sterling adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s class-conscious novel. The ace up his sleeve, though, is future director Nicholas Roeg (“Don’t Look Now”), whose exquisite wide-screen cinematography brings foggy Dorset to vivid life, especially in a stunning shot of a flock of sheep leaping over a cliff to their death. For a bold, intelligent look at love and marriage in 19th-century pastoral England, mingle with this "Crowd".