在这部卡斯特桥市长剧情片中,故事发生在19世纪的英国，亨查德（塞伦·希德 Ciarán Hinds 饰）是出身微贱的工人，平日里喜欢酗酒的他竟然在一次喝的酩酊大醉之后把妻子苏珊（朱丽叶特·奥布瑞 Juliet Aubrey 饰）和女儿伊丽莎白（乔迪·梅 Jodhi May 饰）给卖了。清醒之后的亨查德发现自己失去了一切，追悔莫及，发誓从此滴酒不沾，决心发愤图强。
一晃眼二十年过去，亨查德凭借着自己的努力成为了卡斯特桥市长，同时他的妻子和女儿也回到了他的身边。然而，幸福美满的生活没有持续太久，亨查德和合伙人唐纳德（杰姆斯·鲍弗 James Purefoy 饰）之间爆发了无法调和的矛盾，唐纳德不仅夺走了亨查德的财产，还侵占了他市长的位置。
At a country fair, young hay-trusser Michael Henchard quarrels with his wife Susan, and in a drunken fit decides to auction off his wife and baby to a sailor for five guineas. The next day, realizing his loss, he swears not to touch liquor again for as many years as he has lived so far. Eighteen years later, Henchard has become Mayor of Casterbridge, a man well respected but not well liked. The unexpected return of his wife and daughter Elizabeth Jane sets off a turn of events that force him to face the consequences of his selfish impulses and violent temper.
