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Jane Austen TV Adaptations - which are the best?

64 replies

AnabelleClarabelle · 19/06/2020 11:51

If Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle P&P is my fave and I hated the Keira Knightley film version and I love the Emma Thompson/Alan Rickman/Kate Winslet S&S....

....Which adaptations of the other Austen works would I prefer? BBC? ITV? There's a billie piper mansfield park...but billie piper?! Kate Beckinsdale's Emma?

HELP!!!

OP posts:
Narrows · 19/06/2020 11:59

The Billie Piper Mansfield Park is beyond bad. Kate Beckinsale's Emma is pretty solid -- decent cast, with Mark Strong a good Knightley, Olivia Williams as Jane Fairfax and Prunella Scales as Miss Bates. There was also a Gwyneth Paltrow Emma film from the same year, which was extremely glossy and pretty-looking, and has a decent supporting cast, but I didn't care for it.

I like the adaptation of Persuasion with Amanda Root and Ciarán Hinds.

Quackersandcheese3 · 19/06/2020 12:02

Love the old pride and prejudice! It was my introduction to period dramas . Think I was 10 when it came out.

AnabelleClarabelle · 19/06/2020 12:02

i've seen the gwyneth Emma actually and couldn't get past just seeing gwyneth! didn't like it much.

I'll have another look at the Kate Becks one then and will look up that Persuasion. Thank you Smile

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AnabelleClarabelle · 19/06/2020 12:03

i regularly re-watch P&P and my DD (9) is just starting to enjoy watching it with me too!

OP posts:
Ellmau · 19/06/2020 12:09

Billie Piper was appallingly miscast. She might have been better as one of the cousins.

AnabelleClarabelle · 19/06/2020 12:12

is there a good Mansfield Park out there?

OP posts:
Quackersandcheese3 · 19/06/2020 12:51

I really love the sense and sensibility movie too with Emma Thompson .

Narrows · 19/06/2020 12:54

There's a series from the early 1980s with Sylvestra le Touzel as Fanny Price which my sister (an obsessive Austen fan) likes because it's extremely faithful to the novel, but I don't know of any others apart from the 2007 car crash film with Billie Piper and a 1990s film (I think with Frances O'Connor as Fanny?) which I remember little about, but it diverges quite a lot from the novel, makes Fanny a much more Jane Austen-like character, and is much more obviously critical of slavery.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 19/06/2020 12:58

Look for the Emma with Jonny Lee Miller as Mr Knightley. I just rewatched that on Netflix and enjoyed it.

Definitely watch the Ciaran Hinds Persuasion.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 19/06/2020 12:59

Does it have to be Jane Austen? I really liked the recent Howards End as well, with Matthew McFadyen as Mr Wilcox.

sleepyhead · 19/06/2020 13:00

I liked the Sally Hawkins & Rupert Penry Jones Persuasion.

Also the earlier one with Ciaran Hinds.

It's my favourite JA novel by a country mile though.

TheScoresOnTheDoors · 19/06/2020 13:13

I also really enjoyed the Romola Garai/Jonny Lee Miller Emma. I'm not a fan of the Gwyneth Paltrow one. I like the Sense and Sensilbility film but also the (I think ITV) one with Charity Wakefield,Dan Stevens etc. Persuasian is my favourite book but I'm not a big fan of the casting in either of the two mentioned above. Love and Friendship is very very funny. Also Kate Beckinsale and based on Lazy Susan. I haven't seen Sanditon - did anyone watch that one? (I know she didnt finish it so the story isnt really Austen). Again, based on PD James fan fic but I really like the adaptation of Death Comes to Pemberley.

TheScoresOnTheDoors · 19/06/2020 13:14

Lady Susan not lazy Susan! Grin

popcorndiva · 19/06/2020 13:16

The 1999 version of Mansfield Park is good. Has Jonny Lee Miller in it as well

popcorndiva · 19/06/2020 13:17

Sanditon after the first episode was like a bad fanfic

ImAncient · 19/06/2020 13:20

Amanda Root Persuasion is absolutely sublime. No other adaptation for any Austen comes close imo.

Longtalljosie · 19/06/2020 13:23

Another vote for the Jonny Lee Miller / Romola Garai Emma. It’s terrific. I streamed the brand new one recently and was really disappointed. Harriet Smith and Robert Martin were played for laughs which was so unintelligent. Harriet Smith wasn’t played as naturally pretty either - she was acted as graceless - which meant half the lines didn’t make sense.

Sewrainbow · 19/06/2020 13:26

I loved Rupert Penry-Jones in persuasion but wasnt keen on Sally Hawkins as Anne, too many simpering looks, not how I imagined.

Viviennemary · 19/06/2020 13:30

The Pride and Prejudice TV version is the best. Though I think Jane is miscast. Maybe she would have been a beauty in those days. And Charlotte is quite attractive in this version and she is meant to be plain. Didn't like the film much though both Jane and Charlotte are better cast. Keira Knightly was dreadful as Elizabeth. I liked the film of Sense and Sensibility. Loved Alan Rickman in that. Also Kate Winslett was very good too and Hugh Grant.

bloodyhellsbellsx · 19/06/2020 13:30

The BBC P&P is my fave! With the Keira Knightly one, I felt like I was watching a completely differ W to story, I didn’t mind it but I find the bbc adaption much more truer to the original in my mind.

bloodyhellsbellsx · 19/06/2020 13:31

*different

WrinklesShminkles · 19/06/2020 13:35

The Northanger Abbey with Felicity Jones and Carey Mulligan was pretty good.

savemejebus · 19/06/2020 13:40

Snap @WrinklesShminkles I came on to say Northanger Abbey. I love JJ Fields as Henry Tilney 😍

fairyfingers · 19/06/2020 13:43

Ciaran Hinds Persuasion by a mile. It is my favourite Austen too.

There was an 80s tv film of Northanger Abbey with Robert Hardy as General Tilney which I enjoyed but haven't seen since I was about 12.

fairyfingers · 19/06/2020 13:44

Oh and I liked some aspects of the KK film of P&P - preferred Brenda Blythen as Mrs B to Alison Steadman who I hated.

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