Product Details

• Actors: Robin Wright Penn, Morgan Freeman, Stockard Channing, John Lynch, Brenda Fricker
• Directors: Pen Densham
• Format: NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• VHS Release Date: June 24, 1997
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304200382
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #28,509 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #20 in

  Video > Drama > By Genre > Action & Adventure

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Robin Wright gives an adolescent, one-note performance as Daniel Defoe's 18th-century heroine, who has successive experiences as an abandoned child, a prostitute, a wife (five times over!), a thief, an artist's model, a felon, and much else. Writer-director Pen Densham takes a Forrest Gump-like sentimental angle on Moll's many manifestations (quite a bit different from Terence Young's bawdy 1965 film version) and mostly succeeds in making a movie that is too silly, precious, and weepy. Morgan Freeman plays a narrator (who doesn't exist in the book), and there are some good performances from John Lynch, Stockard Channing, and Jeremy Brett. But by the time this wobbly adaptation reaches its sappy conclusion, one can't help but feel the overriding power of the film is to insult the intelligence with treacle. --Tom Keogh

Product Description

Take a beautiful and compelling trip back to 18th-Century England ( Prevue Channel ) with this lovely romantic epic ('satellite News Network ) starring Robin Wright (Forrest Gump) as a bold, courageous heroine. Featuring stellar supporting performances from Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption) and Stockard Channing (Six Degrees of Separation) Moll Flanders is a remarkable motion picture (Jeanne Wolf's Hollywood).Wright portrays Moll, a spirited, headstrong woman whose unfortunate social position leaves her in the most dire of circumstances. Famished and without shelter, Moll is forced to use her beauty as a means for livingfirst as a prostitute and then as a model for an artist who helps change her life for the better. But Moll's struggles are far from over, as the unthinkable occurs, effectively shattering her newfound happiness and forcing this pillar of strength to summon the courage to fight her greatest adversity yet!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Read the book, but don't cast this movie aside!, February 13, 2003

By	Paige I. Mano (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Moll Flanders (DVD)

I first read the *book* Moll Flanders when I was in eighth grade, and I loved it. Then I saw the Masterpiece Theatre adaptation of the novel, and loved that. When I saw this title at the video store, I thought I'd give it a try.

First off, as other reviewers have stated, it is nothing like the novel save the name of the main character and some of the "adventures" she has. HOWEVER, as a story it is not bad. Take a movie adaptation like "The Scarlet Letter" (with Demi Moore) or "Queen of the Damned" (with Aaliyah)--those are horrible adaptations of great books. This movie, however, is a good story in its own right, and not really an adaptation at all. The acting is good, the sets and costumes are pretty, and the plot, while not life changing, is moving and interesting.

My advice: 1)Read the book. 2)Watch the Masterpiece Theatre adaptation. 3)Watch this version, but keep an open mind and don't expect to see the same story that you read in the novel.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars it's the movie, not the book that's being reviewed..., December 16, 2000

By	Meagan (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moll Flanders (1996) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I have never read the novel of Moll Flanders, and besides, that's not what we're reviewing anyway. We're reviewing the movie itself. From my unbiased opinion, I think it was a great movie, well executed from the cast members. The little girl was an astounding actress for her age, and I'm quiet surprised that I haven't seen her in any other movies. Robin Wright did very well, because, I take it, Moll is a very challenging part. Moll is a multi-faceted character and I think any actress would have a very hard time pulling off. So congradulations to Wright. And, as usual, Morgan Freeman pulls off a wonderful performance. Stockard Channing is also very good at being evil, so the part suited her well. All in all, it's a good film to rent when all of the modern stuff seems like trash.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars At this point, why not make it an original story?, August 2, 2004

By	Giacomo C. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moll Flanders (DVD)

This film has rather little to do with the novel it is supposedly 'based' on.
At this point, why not make it an original story? Why pretend that this has anything to do with Moll Flanders? To tap into an existing market because of its name recognition factor? Shameful.

If you are going to do your own thing, then do not pretend it is something else.
And having decided to do "something else", then do something that is actually worthwhile! This is a disappointing film. A predictable plot which does not stir much of anything. Truly shameful in the end - especially when considering that the novel is quite a masterpiece.

And lets not even get started about the abysmal soundtrack...