Everyone in the comment section is talking about the fact that even a fool wouldn't have refused such a man as Angel. Knowing what happens next in the story I would refuse him withouth blinking. The fact that he actually only sees her as virtuous partly because of her "purity" is wrong. Purity comes from the heart, purity is in the spirit. The 800s society depicted in Hardy's works sees purity mostly as a physical virtue, and that's what deceived Angel, because he had some social biases caused by the society he lived in. I dislike him for this fact, and you can't say it wasn't his fault for what happened later. Tess would have chosen anytime to give away her social image and she actually sacrificed her life for him, while him on the other hand hasn't done the same. At least now when he needed to. Of course he is forgivable because he understood he was wrong, but with his choice he threw away a life of love and marriage with her, because of some beliefs that he no longer even recognised as his. At least, as evil and wicked Alec was, he was honest with himself about his twisted nature. That's why I feel so concerned about young ladies falling in love only with a guy's image. You have to unsterstand the difference between the actor's performance and the character. Angel is not such a good character, he is decieving. Please try to understand this. They have been both bad for her. The only one who was strong and accepted her faith was Tess herself. And what a sad faith she has had. I feel bad not only for her, but for the way women were percieved in the Victorian Age. And sadly this still happens in society even now, in 2017. I'm so glad these stories were written. Literature has helped me so much to understand social settings and society's evolution. This book is a masterpiece and will always be. Thanks to BBC for this very well written screenplay.
Cultural and historical differences. You can't judge a character by that. That's what author has described. The soceity may differ from it. Peace, Anyway bravo for your view's and interpretations.
Somehow I always come back to this beautiful, beautiful film. BBC always does the best adaptations. So heartbreaking, it's almost disgustingly depressing but I just love it. I wish they'd have made the soundtrack available. :(
What happens to them.....or to say what Angel does to Tess when he discovers her secret is so cruel.... only to go back to her when its too late. I love this story but I hate the ending
i'm a year late to reply to your comment but it's pretty clear from these comments that the majority of them have no understanding of the story or its characters.
The film is set in the county of DORSET, in the south of England.....DORSET - a spectacularly beautiful county with a spectacular coastline known as the Jurassic Coast. DORSET - the home of Thomas Hardy, and the home of Angel Clare, the bloke in the corduroy jacket in Tess of the D'Urbervilles. A classic ENGLISH novel.
2:09 he looks pretty desperate to get her to marry him. This must be a true obsession, the safest thing in this cases is a rejection. When the people become in worms without dignity, there is not much to offer really, hence the rush.
First Elizabeth rejects Darcy, Margret rejects Thorton, and now she rejects Angel/ FREAKING EDDIE REDMAYNE!! I'm done, let me have a shot at these period drama men!
Tess rejected Angel because of the child she bore. In those days you were seen as "Damaged Goods" if you had a child out of wedlock. But I guess you've not read the book and you only watched this because of Eddie Pretty Boy Redmayne
It's not just about a period drama man..there's much to learn by his character universalized where how the character vs the person becomes a decisive factor of one's fate.
I hated the book with a passion (Hardy waffles about nothing for about 50 pages) but this I actually quite liked. The BBC do good adaptations of books and this is one of their finest.
Я рада, что не встретила такого "героя". Если бы Тесс осталась жива, они никогда бы не были счастливы. Она бы постоянно жертвовала собой, а он бы принимал эти жертвы. В этом произведении настоящий мужчина- это Тесс.
Who is the bad guys here?Angel or Alec?I would say Angel. He loves Tess for her purity not in her whole.When he learns about her tragic past he rejects her blaming her for her misfortunate.Alec wronged her but at least he shows remorse and is willing to take care vor her.What a shame that she killed him för that creep Angel. Why couldn't he just stay from her after all he had done to her?she would spent the rest of her life with Alec but at least she would be alive and rich
I get what you're saying about Alec showing remorse and wanting to do better but I guess Angel does too in the end. His rejection hurts but at least she gets to see him in the end, it's just heartbreaking he couldn't come back sooner.
I enjoyed this version very much but I think Eddie Redmayne was miscast, and the romance between Tess and Angel wasn't developed enough to make me feel like they were in love. Eddie's Angel comes off as being dim-witted in many scenes. As much as I feel and sympathize with Tess, I didn't see why she loved Angel so much in this version, or why she would take the action she did to get him back. I think Gemma Arterton had a better acting partner and better chemistry in Hans Matheson (Alec).
Pedolanski's version is better visually, but in terms of telling the story, it's much worse. It doesn't really go into Tess's dillemma or her trauma, and he doesn't spend enough time establishing the importance of the relationships. Also the original girl who played Tess couldn't act. Nothing against her personally, but she was chosen for her looks, nothing else
