Directed by
Roman Polanski
From the Book
Tess of the d’Urbervilles
by Thomas Hardy
Screenplay
John Brownjohn
Roman Polanski
Gérard Brach
Cinematographer
Ghislain Cloquet
Geoffrey Unsworth
Editor
Alastair McIntyre
Tom Priestley
Production Designer
Pierre Guffroy
Jack Stephens
Costume Designer
Anthony Powell
Special Effects
Frederic Moreau
Philippe Tourret
Music
Philippe Sarde
Sound
Jean-Pierre Ruh
Main Cast
Nastassja Kinski
Peter Firth
Leigh Lawson
John Collin
Rosemary Martin
Carolyn Pickles
Richard Pearson
Pascale de Boysson
Suzanna Hamilton
Production
Renn-Productions, Burill Production
France, Great Britain
1979
170’
35mm, COL. (DCP – restored by Pathé in 2012)
Language
Original english language version with Italian subtitles
World Sales
Pathé Distribution
Synopsis
Young Tess finds out from her father that their humble family descends from the noble D’Ubervilles family. She is sent by her parents to try and gain some advantage from her birthright from the actual D’Urbervilles family – nouveau riches from another part of the country who purchased the D’Urbervilles name in order to look more respectable. Tess is hired to look after chickens, has an affair with Alec Stoke and winds up pregnant. She returns home to hide her pregnancy, but the child dies soon after he is born. Tess returns to work as a milkmaid and falls in love with Angel, the rebellious son of a local pastor.
She becomes Angel’s wife, but he rejects her after she tells him her full story. Miserable, Tess resigns herself to being Alec’s lover, but when Angel returns to take her back, she kills Alec and escapes with her husband, only to be arrested and hanged.
booking info
Admission is free. Booking is required by calling +39 02 56 66 26 13,
every day from noon to 5pm. A maximum of 2 seats per screening can be reserved. Bookings can only be made for the current week. It is not possible to choose your seats, which are assigned on a first-come first-served basis. Admission tickets must be collected at the reception desk of the Nord gallery within 15 minutes from the beginning of the first, second or third scheduled screening.