ANOTHER Jane Austen Film Adaptation

[ParisPossum]

Just seen that there is a new adaptation of Emma available to watch. While I do appreciate Jane Austen's work, it gets tedious seeing adaptations of the same novels; Pride and Prejudice has been done to death over the decades. If you could nominate your favourite fabulous classic (or two), what would it be? My vote would go to A Tale Of Two Cities and Barnaby Rudge.

Paul Bettany/Benedict Cumberbatch both have the right demeanour for LPW and Rosamund Pike could have played Harriet Vane but they might be a bit too old now.

I don't love any of the portrayals of Captain Wentworth! I know people love Hinds in that role, but I felt he was not young and handsome enough

Now I think Wentworth ought to be a bit rugged-looking. He's seen action and has been out of polite society for a while. There should be a definite contrast between him and the handsome, smooth-tongued Mr Elliot.

Who would you cast as Lucy Snowe?

The actor who immediately popped into my mind in response to your question @FierceQuiet was a young Andrea Riseborough. She is so stunningly talented, and so superb at making herself darkly determinedly compellingly unlikeable but still massively sympathetic.

The Georgette Heyer books that I think are strong enough to stand with some of the books quoted are 'The Toll Gate', it is a complete story with a proper ending. 'Cousin Kate' which could be fairly dark and gothic.
'Reluctant Widow' is fairly good but it has weaknesses. There is no rival for Elinor, just Lord Bossyboots, so that is a problem. The ending is very weak it wraps up in 2 pages. She must have finished it on the bus to meet a deadline.

Exact @bruffin .

This is why I think of the first, masterly adaptation as more a documentary than a drama, and haven't watched the new version.

The Farnons were always Mr Farnon or young Mr Farnon. With the exception of Mrs Pumphrey who used their Christian names (unshortened.)

Nah then Mister Farnon ( sighs happily)

*exactly

Ok I will add my suggestions after all.

Tenant of Wildfell Hall as long as it sticks closely to the text. Such an under rated novel I have always thought.

Yes yes to LPW and also RF Delderfield and AJ Cronin.

As an aside, I was very much looking forward (against my better judgment) to the adaptation of the Gallows Pole - an excellent and historically believable novel about the Cragg Vale coiners, as it is local to me and I know the history and locations very well indeed.

It was awfully, horrifyingly bad with the actors improvising dialogue in modern English. Just cemented my prejudices about modern adaptations.

Oh, that’s a brilliant idea, @ReadWithScepticism — I should have thought of her! Good call!

@Gorgonemilezola, good shout on Benedict Cumberbatch or Paul Bettany as Peter Wimsey — he can’t be too good-looking, but needs to be attractive despite that. I can’t see Rosamund Pike as Harriet, though — Harriet has to be dark-haired, and she’s so fair, she’d probably look weird with a dye job.

I wish they would repeat Diana, or make it again. I missed the last episode and the BBC never repeated.

The Georgette Heyer books that I think are strong enough to stand with some of the books quoted are 'The Toll Gate', it is a complete story with a proper ending. 'Cousin Kate' which could be fairly dark and gothic.

Well I would agree with The Tollgate of course 😁 It would have the Peak District scenery to provide atmosphere too. The Talisman Ring is another possibility. Two leading male characters to appeal to different tastes, and a fair amount of action.

Jonathan Chawleigh in A Civil Contract would be a marvellous role for an actor, but there's not enough else to make an adaptation of.

Jonathan Chawleigh is a great character.
Talisman Ring is certainly a possibility.

The Foundling, two episodes?
Is there enough in "Ajax" to keep it going? Another weak ending IMO

Actually, nothing and I think he should have been perfect, but I think it was the overall production that fell a bit flat for me.

I know, I'm picky about my favourite!

Yeah, rugged I could handle - I guess it boils down to: I didn't fancy Ciaran Hinds 😅

I would love to see more adaptions of M E Braddons works. They did a dire version of Lady Audleys Secret in the 90s but otherwise nothing. Currently rereading Wyllards Weird and it would make an amazing mini series with gorgeous landscapes and the mysetrious death of a young french girl.

On another note with childrens books I would love to see an adaption of The Ordinary Princess. There was a jackanory of it in the 70s or 80s.

!! Yes, I know - I’m hyper critical about productions of Sense & Sensibility.

@Gorgonemilezola "Paul Bettany/Benedict Cumberbatch both have the right demeanour for LPW"

Both too tall...

Isn’t LPW 5 ft 10”? BC is 6 foot…

@SlightlyGoneOff I thought he was 5'9? Short enough to be self conscious about it...

Isn’t LPW 5 ft 10”?

Not even that, I don't think. Doesn't Harriet remark in Gaudy Night that they are much the same height?

I quite liked both the Emma Thompson S&S and the Hattie Morahan's mini series. I like Elinor Dashwood immensely. Marianne Dashwood makes me want to beat things and scream. She is an appalling character who thoroughly deserves Willoughby. Little cowbag.

I want Dorothy L. Sayers done for television! The old radio plays are still great, but television could add so much more.

Peter Wimsey: How do we feel about the Jill Paton-Walsh books? I like them it's difficult to see the join IMO. The dialogue seems right for the later settings
Which leads on to her Imogen Quy stories, I did read one but I can't remember it.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall would be a good one

@user2848502016

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0115387/

There is an adaptation of that with Tara Fitzgerald and Toby Stevens.

Death Comes to Pemberley is a superb adaptation of a recently written sequel to P and P. I don't even like Jane Austen but this is a brilliant crime mystery with a supernatural tinge. Anna Maxwell Martin and Joanna Scanlan both outstanding.

You're right, she does say that (it's the bit where she wears his gown), but I'm pretty sure he's described as 5 ft 10 in another novel, but I can't think where.

I thought it was in Murder Must Advertise, but it's only that when Peter suggests dressing up as a policeman in order to be smuggled out the back door of Scotland Yard in order to established that Death Bredon and Peter Wimsey are different people, Parker says 'you're a bit under the regulation height'. Google suggests that most police forces had 5 ft 10 as the required height, but Nottingham had 6 ft in the early 20thc.

Oh, have just found Peter saying he's 5 ft 9 in Clouds of Witness, when he and Parker are climbing over fences. Which would make sense both of being close to Harriet's height (which I'm remembering as 5 ft 8"?) and being slightly too short for his borrowed constable's uniform.