The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders

Plot

In the 18th century, an orphan, Moll Flanders, grows up to become a servant for the town's mayor, who has two grown sons. Moll is seduced and abandoned by one, then marries the other, a drunken sot who dies, making her a young widow.

Moll is employed by Lady Blystone to be a servant. She meets a bandit, Jemmy, who mistakes her for the lady of the house and begins to woo her, pretending to be a sea captain. Moll rebuffs the advances of Lady Blystone's actual lover, the Count, only to be sacked from her job when they are spotted together.

A banker marries Moll but quickly loses her when a gang of thieves spirits her away. Moll ends up in jail and finds Jemmy there as well. Their execution is at hand when the banker, finding her there, dies of a sudden heart attack. Now a wealthy widow, Moll buys freedom for herself and her true love, and she and Jemmy have a shipboard wedding.

Cast

Kim Novak took a three-year break from motion pictures after this film, returning to the screen in 1968's The Legend of Lylah Clare. Co-stars Novak and Richard Johnson married in March 1965. The lead role was originally considered for Diane Cilento, who had gathered critical acclaim from her role in Tom Jones, but she had other commitments. Had Cilento appeared in the film, Sean Connery would have played the male lead.

Filming locations

The productions filmed in Kent at Chilham - the square doubles as the village where Moll grew up, Chilham Castle features as the Mayor’s House and St Mary’s Church is used for the scenes where Moll marries Younger Brother.

Reception

The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders was one of the 13 most popular films in the UK in 1965.