Tess - 1979

Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented, also known as Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman, Tess of the d'Urbervilles or just Tess, is a novel by Thomas Hardy, first published in 1891. It initially appeared in a censored and serialised version, published by the British illustrated newspaper, The Graphic. It is Hardy's penultimate novel, followed by Jude the Obscure. Though now considered an important work of English literature, the book received mixed reviews when it first appeared, in part because it challenged the sexual mores of Hardy's day. The original manuscript is on display at the British Library, showing that it was originally titled "Daughter of the d'Urbervilles.

The 1979 "TESS" film directed by Roman Polanski, as an adaptation of Thomas Hardy's 1891 novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles tells the story of a strong-willed, young peasant girl who finds out she has title connections by way of her old aristocratic surname, who is raped by her wealthy cousin, whose right to the family title may not be as strong as he claims. The screenplay was by Gérard Brach, John Brownjohn, and Roman Polanski.

Polański made the film because the last time he saw his wife Sharon Tate alive (before she was murdered by Charles Manson's family), she had given him a copy of Tess of the d'Urbervilles and said it would make a great film. The dedication at the opening of the film reads simply: "to Sharon".

Although the film is set in England, it was filmed in Locronan, Brittany, France. Polanski was wanted as a fugitive in the United States, and he could have been extradited from the United Kingdom.

On 28 October 1978, cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth died of a heart attack during the third week of shooting. Most of the scenes he shot were exteriors in the first half of the film and can be distinguished by their use of fog and slight diffusion. Ghislain Cloquet shot the remainder of the film, including most of the interior scenes, without diffusion. Unsworth and Cloquet were both named in the successful nomination for Academy Award for Best Cinematography. Cloquet alone was nominated for and won the César Award for Cinematography. This is the perfect film for a rainy afternoon or night.