#sense and sensibilty 1995

[fictionadventurer]

Austen asks! 4-24

I don't know if you intended this to be inclusive, but I'll answer them all anyway (skipping over the ones that have already been answered).

6. Favorite movie adaptation

The 1995 Sense and Sensibility. To me, it strikes a good balance between being a good adaptation and making the story accessible to audiences that haven't read the book, and it's one of the few that seems to understand Austen's humor and romance.

7. Favorite Austen couple

Anne and Wentworth. Their personalities balance each other perfectly.

8. Least favorite couple

Colonel Brandon and Marianne are so frustrating to me, mostly because of how Austen writes them. They fall victim to the Marian Halcombe Problem--if you spend the whole book showing a man and woman having tons of conversations and developing a good dynamic as equals, I'm not going to believe that he's in love with her sister.

9. Most hated foe of a heroine

Isabella Thorpe is a terrible person, and I can't think of any redeeming qualities or circumstances.

11. Least favorite book

I gained a better appreciation for Sense and Sensibility on my last reread, but it's still definitely Austen's weakest novel.

12. Least favorite Austen heroine

Marianne Dashwood is a realistic teenager, but not someone that I can admire or sympathize with too much.

14. Favorite love confession from the books

Can any Austen fan say anything other than The Letter in Persuasion?

16. Least favorite film adaptation

I hold a grudge against the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, because it did nothing to make me understand the appeal of Austen, and it's a horrible adaptation, but it has such a huge influence on fandom's interpretation of the novel.

Also, every once in a while, I remember the scene in the 2008 Sense and Sensibility where Brandon gives Willoughby a "stay away from my daughter" speech, and I shudder over how creepy it is.

17. Moment that made you sad/cry while reading

Basically any scene of Fanny Price's childhood.

18. Moment that made you smile/happy while reading

Henry Tilney's introduction scene in Northanger Abbey is just pure distilled joy.

19. Moment that made you laugh while reading

I'll never forget the time I laughed out loud in class while reading one of Miss Bates' speeches in Emma.

20. Moment that made you mad while reading

I don't know if I've ever been so mad for a heroine as I was during the scene where the neglected poor, orphaned, outsider Fanny watches everyone fawn over poor, orphaned outsider Mary Crawford.

22. Favorite Austen female casting decision

I love Tamsin Greig as Miss Bates in the 2009 Emma, because I did not imagine her talkativeness as stemming from anxiety, but it was fun to see her played that way and to experience a different interpretation that still felt valid.

I'm also going to take this opportunity to mention that I love Mrs. Jennings and Sir John Middleton in 1995's Sense and Sensibility. I just grin through every scene they're in, and I especially respect them after learning that they were the only cast members that Emma Thompson didn't have to write random extra dialogue for in crowd scenes, because they just naturally knew how to talk like Regency characters.

23. Favorite Austen male casting decision

I love Johnny Lee Miller as Mr. Knightley in 2009 Emma. I don't know if he matches the character in the novel, but I love how he portrayed the dynamic with Emma.

Also, Hugh Laurie as Mr. Palmer in 1995's Sense and Sensibility is perfection. And Greg Wise as Willoughby is beautiful and charming enough to do his job of fooling you into thinking he could be the romantic lead before he proves to be an utter cad.

24. Favorite supporting character

Mrs. Jennings. Hands-down. So vulgar, nosey, and over-the-top, but beneath it all, so kind and friendly and helpful. I love her so much.

[kajaono]

Watched Sense & Sensibility with my father. His comments:

Snape and Marianne need to elope and open a wizard institute

Fanny has to die

[scabopolis]

Jane Austen Summer, bby

In the past few months, I've been on a little project to watch (and re-watch) as many Austen adaptations as I can. This was sparked by my best-friend and I re-reading all the novels together. And then further ignited after watching A Very Bridget Jones' Persuasion (aka 2022 Persuasion with Dakota Johnson).

If you want to send me any asks about my adaptation thoughts ... I would not say no to that!

Thus far I have watched:

Pride and Prejudice (1995, BBC series, screenplay by Andrew Davies) Mansfield Park (1999, film, screenplay by Patricia Rozema) Mansfield Park (2007, ITV film, screenplay by Maggie Wadey) Sense and Sensibilty (1995, film, screenplay by Emma Thompson) Sense and Sensibility (2008, BBC series, screenplay by Andrew Davies) Emma* (1996, film, screenplay by Douglas McGrath) Emma (1996, ITV film, screenplay by Andrew Davies) Emma (2009, BBC series, screenplay by Sandy Welch) Emma* (2020, film, screenplay by Eleanor Catton) Northanger Abbey (2007, ITV film, screenplay by Andrew Davies) Persuasion* (2022, film, screenplay by Ronald Bass and Alice Victoria Winslow)

*denotes version I watched for the first time.

Next up are the '95 and '07 Persuasions (waiting on them from the library). And then I shall turn my attention to adaptations of Little Women.

Also, you may note that 2005 Pride and Prejudice is not on the list. No, I have not seen it. Yes, it's complicated.