[Hardy-l] Re: Thoughts on 'Tess'

[Rosemarie Morgan]

I agree with you, Fraser, about the Cerealia -  bit of a stretch, 
Marlott-by-the-sea! But then the 'startle' for the passing Clare lads was 
real so perhaps a little artistic licence is justified here.

Alec, yes, lacks command & authority but since he's an upstart 
(manufacturer cum landowner) he might never have possessed classy arrogance 
in the first place. Even so, he certainly should be affecting it. Question: 
is this a shortcoming in the actor or in the director? (Paul? )

I would disagree with you on one point. Country girls could be stunningly 
beautiful with little sign of "harshness of life"-- to wit, Gertrude 
Bugler. The problem lies, I think, in early photographic techniques. If you 
could afford a first-class portrait photographer (see the  "Ladies" -- 
Florence Henniker, Agnes Grove, Rosamund Tomson in Millgate's  revised 
biography) you could have the very best of your features enhanced and the 
weakest feathered out and so on, but if you were a working girl such as 
Louisa Harding, Tryphena Sparks and the Hardy sisters you might not have 
this advantage (again, see Millgate for a distinct contrast in quality and 
portrait styles between upper- and working-class subjects). Added to which, 
it was not the fashion to smile into the camera -- which shapes our modern 
sense of what glamour should be.
Cheers,
Rosemarie

>The May day dancing on the slopes above the sea, gave me a bit of a
>jolt    /   The actors, particularly the female ones
>- their looks, their body movements and gestures - just appear too
>modern !!!!
>
>Fraser Pakes