Mrs. Palfrey Revisted and the Realities of Moll Flanders
It’s a rare occurrence when a bibliophile like myself prefers a movie to a book. I can’t think the last time it happened.
Elizabeth Taylor is an incredible writer. She captures the absolute horror of the human aging process. Her execution of the English language is remarkable; her portrayal of feelings and motives is accurate. I have never been more depressed after reading a book. Nirvana summarizes it well: “All alone is all we are.”
I blame the movie, of course. As Cervantes said, and I paraphrase, we should see the world not as it is, but as it should be, and that’s just what the movie accomplishes. The viewer sees the world as it should be lived. Romantic, perhaps, but hopeful. And hopeful is inspiring.
I suppose if I’d read the book first, I would have abhorred the movie, because it did take liberties with the author’s intent. The entire mood of the book is erased. But in this case, I prefer wearing the rose-colored glasses.
Not so with the tale of Moll Flanders. Loved the book. Moll is a victim of the social injustice of the times but she survives amidst the nagging of her conscience and constant setbacks. Even during her most depraved hour when she finds herself feeling quite at home in Newgate Prison, she finds self-forgiveness and ultimate redemption. Defoe paints a gritty, horrible life for Moll, all too real, despite the happy ending, but it is Moll’s character, not luck or good manners, that sees her through to that ending. She is human, with many faults and just as many virtues. A very real character.
I’d looked forward to the movie version with Stockard Channing and Robin Wright Penn and went straight to the theater to see it instead of waiting for the video release as I usually do (this was many years ago). It was awful and missed the message of the book completely. Moll was portrayed as a virtuous girl-woman who was only brought to depravitity because of fate and evil designs on her person. She takes no responsibility for her failings.
Thank Providence, as Moll would say, for the Masterpiece Theatre release a few years later. Alex Kingston is Moll and Daniel Craig is her equal. This version captures the plot and essence of Defoe’s tale with only a few minor changes and is one of the few cases where a movie matches the brilliance of a book.
I’m off to watch "Mrs. Palfrey..." again. I’ve donated the book to the local library.
Elizabeth Taylor is an incredible writer. She captures the absolute horror of the human aging process. Her execution of the English language is remarkable; her portrayal of feelings and motives is accurate. I have never been more depressed after reading a book. Nirvana summarizes it well: “All alone is all we are.”
I blame the movie, of course. As Cervantes said, and I paraphrase, we should see the world not as it is, but as it should be, and that’s just what the movie accomplishes. The viewer sees the world as it should be lived. Romantic, perhaps, but hopeful. And hopeful is inspiring.
I suppose if I’d read the book first, I would have abhorred the movie, because it did take liberties with the author’s intent. The entire mood of the book is erased. But in this case, I prefer wearing the rose-colored glasses.
Not so with the tale of Moll Flanders. Loved the book. Moll is a victim of the social injustice of the times but she survives amidst the nagging of her conscience and constant setbacks. Even during her most depraved hour when she finds herself feeling quite at home in Newgate Prison, she finds self-forgiveness and ultimate redemption. Defoe paints a gritty, horrible life for Moll, all too real, despite the happy ending, but it is Moll’s character, not luck or good manners, that sees her through to that ending. She is human, with many faults and just as many virtues. A very real character.
I’d looked forward to the movie version with Stockard Channing and Robin Wright Penn and went straight to the theater to see it instead of waiting for the video release as I usually do (this was many years ago). It was awful and missed the message of the book completely. Moll was portrayed as a virtuous girl-woman who was only brought to depravitity because of fate and evil designs on her person. She takes no responsibility for her failings.
Thank Providence, as Moll would say, for the Masterpiece Theatre release a few years later. Alex Kingston is Moll and Daniel Craig is her equal. This version captures the plot and essence of Defoe’s tale with only a few minor changes and is one of the few cases where a movie matches the brilliance of a book.
I’m off to watch "Mrs. Palfrey..." again. I’ve donated the book to the local library.
