Jude Movie Review 1996

Engrossing retelling of Thomas Hardy's depressing 1896 novel "Jude the Obscure," set in his fictional Wessex. Country stonemason Jude (Eccleston) hopes to improve his impoverished lot in life by becoming a student at Christminister University. But first he's distracted into an unwise marriage with lively Arabella (Griffiths), who soon leaves him, and then into an ill-fated romance with his capricious cousin Sue Brideshead (Winslet). Class and societal barriers prove impossible for the couple to overcome and lead to a shocking tragedy. Hardy's book was so badly received by critics that he never wrote another novel and stuck to poetry for the rest of his life.

Distribution

USA Home Entertainment, 1 W. Forest, Englewood, NJ 07631-4004, Phone: (201)871-1000, URL: http://www.polygram-us.com

Available on VHS
Running time 123 minutes.
Originally from British.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Romantic Drama, Tragedy, Hard Knock Life, Period Piece: 19th Century, Marriage, Great Britain, Great Death Scenes, Cousins, Books to Film: Thomas Hardy

Screenplay

Hossein Amini

Cast

Christopher Eccleston, Kate Winslet, Liam Cunningham, Rachel Griffiths

Cinematography

Eduardo Serra

Director

Michael Winterbottom

Music

Adrian Johnston

Producer

Andrew Eaton, Mark Shivas, Stewart Till, BBC Films, Polygram Filmed Entertainment, Revolution Films, Gramercy Pictures