Moll Flanders (1996)

Directed by Pen Densham. Starring Robin Wright, Morgan Freeman, John Lynch, Stockard Channing, Brenda Fricker, Geraldine James, Jeremy Brett, Britta Smith, Aisling Corcoran. [PG-13]

There’s hardly a trace of Dafoe to be found in this pseudo-feminist “adaptation” of Daniel Dafoe’s 18th-century novel. This “Moll” (Wright) is a plucky survivor whose independence and womanhood are gained through suffering and happenstance, an unwise decision that only makes the sentimental melodrama of the ending harder to swallow. Writer/director Desham demonstrates on numerous occasions to have a tin ear for period dialogue, and it doesn’t help that some of the actors (including Wright) give contemporary performances. Moll’s key relationships are either indistinct or one-note, so it requires an effort to find a specific kinship with her beyond “bad things shouldn’t happen to decent people”. Throw in the plodding pace, and you’ve got a major misfire of a minor movie; virtually everyone involved has done much better things elsewhere. Costumes and art direction are handsome, at least.

40/100