The film The French Lieutenant's Woman is directed by Karel Reiz, written by Harold Pinter based on the novel of same title published by John Fowles in the year of 1981. This novel has the form and style of a mid victorian novel had been written by a novelist with the benefit of the hindsight available to an author writing in the 1960's.
Director of photography : Freddie Francis
Edited by : John Bloom
Music : Carl Davis
Produced by : Leon Clore
Released by : United artists
Running time : 127 minute
CAST
Meryl Slreep : Sarah/ Anna
Jeremy Irons : Charles Smithson/ Mike
Hilton Mc Rae : Sam Farrow
Tomily Morgan : Mary
Charlotte Mitchel : Mrs Tranter
Lynsey Baxter : Ernestina
Peter Vaugan : Mr Freeman
Patience Collier : Mrs Poulteny
This film begins with a cloudy and rainy weather and the sea beyond the cobb looks thick and heavy. This is a romantic melodrama sets in Lyme Regis in 1867. Charles Smithson, a handsome bachelor who is walking with his fiancee Ernestina Freeman sets eyes on the solitary woman whom the citizens of Lyme Regis call
" Tragedy" and some calls "the French lieutenant's woman" and some others as a "whore", her name is Sarah Woodruff. The story is not only about Sarah, who refused to accept her station in life, allows herself to be compromised by a passing French naval officer, but is also about Charles Smithson, who unknowingly becomes the unfortunate instrument of her emancipation.Harold Pinter,who wrote the screen play adds a parallel story about the love affair of the actress Anna and the actor Mike who are playing Charles and Sarah in the film within the film. This film has three different endings.
Sarah Woodruff still keeps her forlorn virgin of the French lieutenant who loved and abandoned her and still she plays her intriguing game with the obsessed young man, Charles Smithson who must posses her. The parallel story of Anna and Mike are the repli of Sarah and Charles, who are off and on screen lovers.Sarah Woodruff is not only the victim of victorian sexism, but also it's manipulator and master. She plays psychological games in the victorian story, by herself. She cleverly uses the conventions that would limit her as a means of obtaining personal freedom and power over man. And it is the way she does to escape from the power of men.
This film depicts both the contemporary and the victorian world. Sarah acts as a counter Ernestina Freeman, the symbol of victorian womanhood. She mystifies everyone and her actions are governed by her refusal to follow tradition and her quest for freedom. She rejects the subservient role that her society tries to force on her. She is determined to get what she wants and express her desires freely. She has been a misfit to all of her life. She was born into the working class but educated like a lady. So she was caught between both worlds neither of which could offer her independence she desired sincerely.
Director of photography : Freddie Francis
Edited by : John Bloom
Music : Carl Davis
Produced by : Leon Clore
Released by : United artists
Running time : 127 minute
CAST
Meryl Slreep : Sarah/ Anna
Jeremy Irons : Charles Smithson/ Mike
Hilton Mc Rae : Sam Farrow
Tomily Morgan : Mary
Charlotte Mitchel : Mrs Tranter
Lynsey Baxter : Ernestina
Peter Vaugan : Mr Freeman
Patience Collier : Mrs Poulteny
This film begins with a cloudy and rainy weather and the sea beyond the cobb looks thick and heavy. This is a romantic melodrama sets in Lyme Regis in 1867. Charles Smithson, a handsome bachelor who is walking with his fiancee Ernestina Freeman sets eyes on the solitary woman whom the citizens of Lyme Regis call
" Tragedy" and some calls "the French lieutenant's woman" and some others as a "whore", her name is Sarah Woodruff. The story is not only about Sarah, who refused to accept her station in life, allows herself to be compromised by a passing French naval officer, but is also about Charles Smithson, who unknowingly becomes the unfortunate instrument of her emancipation.Harold Pinter,who wrote the screen play adds a parallel story about the love affair of the actress Anna and the actor Mike who are playing Charles and Sarah in the film within the film. This film has three different endings.
Sarah Woodruff still keeps her forlorn virgin of the French lieutenant who loved and abandoned her and still she plays her intriguing game with the obsessed young man, Charles Smithson who must posses her. The parallel story of Anna and Mike are the repli of Sarah and Charles, who are off and on screen lovers.Sarah Woodruff is not only the victim of victorian sexism, but also it's manipulator and master. She plays psychological games in the victorian story, by herself. She cleverly uses the conventions that would limit her as a means of obtaining personal freedom and power over man. And it is the way she does to escape from the power of men.
This film depicts both the contemporary and the victorian world. Sarah acts as a counter Ernestina Freeman, the symbol of victorian womanhood. She mystifies everyone and her actions are governed by her refusal to follow tradition and her quest for freedom. She rejects the subservient role that her society tries to force on her. She is determined to get what she wants and express her desires freely. She has been a misfit to all of her life. She was born into the working class but educated like a lady. So she was caught between both worlds neither of which could offer her independence she desired sincerely.
