MOLL FLANDERS
US, 1996, 123 minutes, Colour.
Robin Wright, Stockard Channing, Morgan Freeman, John Lynch, Brenda Fricker, Geraldine James, Aisling Corcoran, Jim Sheridan, Jeremy Brett..
Directed by Pen Densham.
Not a Hogarthian version of Daniel Defoe's classic novel, but rather a sanitised re-write, with Moll rather like a Dickensian victim.
Robin Wright makes Moll a sad woman and not as engaging as expected. The cast included Morgan Freeman as her protector, John Lynch as her husband and Stockard Channing as a Madam. Much of it looks impressive, but it does not stay in the memory.
Not much Defoe.
1. The title? Not a version of Daniel Defoe’s novel? Inspired by…? The re-creation of the 18th century, London, the Americas?
2. The re-creation of period, costumes and decor, locations, the city of London, Colchester, the British countryside, the Americas? The world of the rich, the poor? The musical score?
3. The framework, the narration by Hibble, his role as a servant, character, played by Morgan Freeman, his quest for all to find Flora, finding her, telling the story, reading from her mother’s memoir? His own role in the story?
4. Moll’s story, Robin Wright as Moll, her mother in prison, hanged, Moll entrusted to the confident, the nuns, the abusive priest, out on the street? The finding the bordello? The encounter with Mrs Allworthy, Hibble as her as assistant and confidant? The offer of the prostitute’s life, her ambitions? The clients? Going to the artist, his limbs, modelling?
5. The artist, his wealthy background, family, his work, the love for Moll? Going to visit his parents, their reaction? The marriage, their daughter? Moll and the opportunity to be her better self? Her destiny?
6. Mrs Allworthy, management of the bordello, interactions with the prostitutes, Moll as her protégé? Her work with Hibble? The plague, Flora being sent away, lost? Mrs Allworthy’s response to Moll’s success? The trip to the Americas? Her death, the substitution?
7. Hibble, bringing the daughter to Moll, the melodramatic ending with the substitution of Moll for Mrs Allworthy? A new life?
