If, like me, you have a soft spot for 18^th and 19^th century English novels, the English countryside, and tales of romance in centuries gone by, you will thoroughly enjoy this week's film at The Harbor Theatre: “Far From the Madding Crowd,” based on the novel by Thomas Hardy.

Under the direction of Danish director Thomas Vinterberg, with cinematography by Charlotte Bruus Christensen, the acting and atmosphere are top notch.

This remake stars Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba (accent on the first syllable) Everdene – the spirited, independent, intelligent, courageous, strong-willed, beauty and heroine.

Bathsheba's parents die when she is quite young. When we meet her, she is living and working on her aunt's small farm. Growing up without parents, she learns to be independent early in her life. Also, being 'far from the madding crowd,' in an actual town or city as opposed to her lifelong rural surroundings, she has to be.

Everdeen is pursued by three different men – a sheep farmer, a wealthy older farm owner and a soldier - quite possibly the only men of suitable age around – and meets the sheep farmer first.

Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts – who is absolutely gorgeous, by the way) falls for her as soon as he spies her taking a walk on his land. They converse, well she does most of the talking; Oak is the strong, silent type who lets his eyes do most of the speaking.

Later Oak brings her one of his lambs.

He proposes, but Bathsheba declines:

"I shouldn't mind being a bride at a wedding, if I could be one without having husband … I shan't marry - at least yet."

Soon after Bathsheba receives a letter informing her of her inheriting an uncle's grand, but run down, grain farm in Weatherbury. She leaves her aunt and head's out to her new home. Unbeknownst to her, Oak's entire flock dies tragically. He turns the farm over to the property owners – and leaves his dog, George, with them too.

A fire in the distance that evening draws him back into Bathsheba's life – it is her newly acquired farm that is burning.

She hires Oak as her shepherd and in so doing, she has also gained a protector, a guardian angel who loves her to his core.

As mistress of her own farm, she rises a tad in social standing, but because she is a woman in a male dominated livelihood (and world, let's face it), she doesn't have an easy time of it.

At the market, where she and her female assistant bring samples of their grain, the men do their best to ignore her, walk right by her table. When one finally does stop, he immediately tries to pay her half of what he paid her uncle. Bathsheba stands her ground and proves herself to be a haggler as good as the best of 'em.

It is there that she catches the eye of William Boldwood (Michael Sheen), a highly successful, lonely middle-aged man. Boldwood sets out to possess Bathsheba. To say he picked the wrong woman would be putting it mildly! She was attracted to Oak and still turned him down.

The third suitor is Sergeant Frank Troy. Troy's true love was Fanny Robbin (Juno Temple). Sadly, on the day they were to marry she goes to the wrong church. Meanwhile, he and his best man wait – until the pastor tells them they must leave as there is another wedding party due to arrive.

Troy storms out.

Sometime later, Bathsheba literally trips over him while walking her property line – as she does every evening – the light from the lamp she carries serves the moment well, fueling the attraction.

Next day, she finds him working the hay on her property. She walks towards him to send him packing. What happens instead is not a surprise, given the 'type' of man Troy is; the passionate sort, confident in his good looks and his talent in the art of seduction.

If you've read the book or seen the other two versions, you know what to expect. But you should see this film anyway.

If you've never read the book, perhaps never even heard of it, and never saw the other films, you should see this film anyway.

It is rich, vibrant; a feast for the eyes and the heart.

I have to say that having seen the 1967 version with Julie Christie as Bathsheba, that I liked Mulligan better. There's a down to earth quality she brought to the character that suits quite nicely.

The actors portraying her suitors are marvelous and well cast. The scenery - to die for.

Take yourself 'far from the madding crowd' and off to The Harbor Theatre. The film opened Friday and continues to play nightly at 7 through Wednesday, June 10. There is one matinee on Sunday, June 7 at 2 p.m.

The theater is located at 185 Townsend Avenue in Boothbay Harbor.