THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN

Genre: Romance
Director: Karel Reisz
Rated: M
Released: 1981
Country: GB

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The year is 1867. After spending some weeks in Lyme Regis with his pretty young fiancee, Ernestina, Charles Smithson finally makes up his mind to ask Ernestina to marry him. He has little doubt as to the answer she will give. For Charles, apart from being handsome, is a young man of confidence. Ernestina accepts Charle's proposal. As the two walk on The Cobb, the old stone pier which stretches out to sea from the harbour, Charles sees in the distance the motionless figure of a young woman, dressed in black, staring at the distant horizon. Ernestina tells him her name is Sarah Woodruff and that she is known locally as 'Tragedy' and by an even crueller name given her by the local fishermen 'The French Lieutenant's Woman,' for she had once had an affair with such a man who had then abandoned her. Charles approaches to warn her against standing so near the rough sea and as she turns to look at him, he sees a face unforgettably filled with sorrow. Charles cannot help but be intrigued by the sadness of Sarah.