Today’s movie is a period drama with a scene that happens on September 16.

THE MAYOR OF CASTERBRIDGE             

While drunk Michael Henchard sells his wife, Susan  and child, Elizabeth Jane  for 5 guineas at a fair to a sailor named Newsom. When he realizes what he’s done, on September 16, 18__ [7:22 to 8:33] Henchard takes an oath not to drink liquor for 21 years. Many years later, after the sailor has died,  Susan returns with Elizabeth Jane to the fair and hears Michael is now in Casterbridge, where they learn he is now the mayor and a prosperous grain merchant. Henchard hires Donald Farfrae, a Scot as his grain manager after he initially refuses.  Susan and Michael meet and he proposes that he will pay for her and Elizabeth Jane to move into the town and that they ‘accidentally’ meet and get married, and she agrees. Henchard tells Farfrae that last year he had met on Jersey a woman named Lucetta. Henchard proposed to Lucetta.  Henchard now ends it with Lucetta and re-marries Susan.  Henchard asks Elizabeth Jane to take his surname. Henchard and Farfrae start to clash over how to run the business and who is more popular in the town. Farfrae and Elizabeh Jane start to fall in love with each other. Farfrae goes into business as a grain merchant. Henchard makes Elizabeth Jane promise not to see Farfrae again. Susan dies. Henchard tells Elizabeth Jane that he is her father and she is upset at this news. Then Henchard learns from a deathbed letter that Susan wrote that Elizabeth Jane is not his daughter. His Elizabeth Jane had died and Susan’s child with Newson was given the same name. Henchard does not correct Elizabeth Janes’ misapprehension of the true state of her parentage. Henchard withdraws his objection to the courtship of Elizabeth Jane and Farfrae.   Lucetta Templeman, who Henchard had proposed to before Susan showed up and then dumped, moves to Highplace Hall in Casterbridge. Her affair with Henchard caused the loss of her reputation. Lucetta hires Elizabeth Jane as her companion.   Farfrae goes to see Elizabeth Jane but meets Lucetta. Henchard sees this meeting and gets upset, as does Elizabeth Jane, who notices the attraction between Farfrae and Lucetta. Henchard bets on a bad harvest and buys up grain. The bankers force him to sell at a loss, but only days later the weather goes bad. Henchard is wiped out. He then tries to blackmail Lucetta into marrying him, with the letters she wrote him, that if revealed would destroy her reputation. Then a female vagrant who used to be a merchant recounts the story of Henchard selling his wife. Henchard then learns Lucetta has eloped with Farfrae. This news causes Elizabeth-Jane to leave Highplace Hall. Henchard is forced into bankruptcy and bought out by Farfrae. Elizabeth-Jane feels sorry for Henchard and takes care of him. Henchard goes to work for Fafrae. Lucretta wants to go away, but Farfrae is nominated to replace Henchard as mayor. Henchard starts drinking again. He almost kills himself, then almost kills Farfrae. Henchard gives Jopp, who bears a grudge against Henchard and Lucetta, the letters to deliver to her. Instead he makes them public. A mob publicly shames them in effigy. Lucetta, who is pregnant has a fit. She confesses all to Farfrae and dies. Then Newsom shows up, but Henchard tells him Elizabeth-Jane is dead. Elizabeth-Jane and Farfrae renew their relationship and get engaged. Newsome meets Elizabeth-Jane. Henchard, who has been living in the countryside and working as a farm laborer, returns for their wedding. Elizabeth-Jane confronts Henchard about his lies. However, she later decides to forgive him and looks for him, but finds Henchard has died.

A sad and melancholy tale. Thoughtless decisions have wide-spread consequences for many people. A rich and vibrant portrait of Nineteenth century English life.                 

The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy (Bantam Books, New York, 1981) at page 15 and the film at 8:11 give the date of the oath

Producer – Georgina Lowe

Director – David Thacker

Screenplay -  Ted Whitehead

Runtime – 3 hours 16 minutes

Released – August 17, 2003

Starring –

Ciaran Hinds as Michael Henchard

Juliet Aubrey as Susan Henchard

Jodhi May as Elizabeth Jane

James Purefoy as Donald Farfrae

Polly Walker as Lucetta Templeman

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.