Is anyone else watching the new Sense and Sensebility atm?

[08aGreatYearForCarmenere]

It is good but quite odd as the casting is strangely similar to the film version, ie they all look and sound very alike.

Also in the novel, when Elinor learns that Edward has married she breaks down and her mother comes to realise how much her daughter has suffered and spared her by holding her own counsel rather than being at the whim of every emotion, like herself and Marianne.

I suppose for dramatic emphasis they left the resolution to Elinor's story last, but in the book she marries Edward and then Marianne at 19 marries Col Brandon.

I think the film does, however, show Marianne gradually coming to love CB, in contrast with the 2 week intense flirtation with Willoughby.

what is chafting all over? sounded painful to me.

bit of a damp squib or squid wasn't it

Can anyone identify the piano piece Marianne played when she went to bRandon's house towards the end - when he was faffing about with the hawk/eagle? It was absolutely lovely.

And Willoughby went to Cleveland specifically because he thought Marianne was dying - that wasn't even mentioned in the conversation with Elinor. It made no sense without that "She's dying, I need to make amends" tone that is in the book.

I thought Willoughby's explanation was very disappointing, very sketchy.

I think they did it really well. Made it more dramatic than the novel and well edited too.

Although lol at Elinor's observation of Willoughby's wooing technique being rather like the horse whisperer!

I think chafing all over is like being rubbed down, to get her circulation going again, isn't it?

Wasn't it Col. Brandon that was compared to the horse whisperer?

Agree, Willoughby didn't admit to his villainy enough nor explain his attachment to M in enough strength - and in the novel E is sorry for him.

Nor does M conveniently stand on a balcony to overhear him, but maybe the film felt it had too much of E explaining events to M, as she does earlier regarding W's seduction of CB's ward.

Sorry RustyBear, meant Col B!

Oh what a load of cobblers. Really disappointing. Some of the editing was just ham-fisted, and I couldn't have felt more relaxed about Brandon looking for the disappeared Marianne if I'd have downed a few valium.

There just didn't seem to be any understanding of nuance or the particular motivations of each character. And I know Elinor is supposed to be good at hiding her feelings, but come on, she is allowed to have more than one facial expression.

And I was pmsl at Elinor wandering on the lonely quayside, buying three fish from the poor fisherman on his tod.

Blech. pants.

Although I was, I confess, diverted by Brandon walking in to Marianne's bedroom in his red waistcoat with his shirt loose at the neck...

He was a very well-dressed fisherman, too, wasn't he.

totally agree sue, what a load of 18th century cobbles.

surely that willoughby explanation was totally made up?

well i wouldn't mind getting chafed by david morrisey, but he could look a bit more interested.

i saw the film an hour before the series began so was spoilt.

it seemed half-arsed.

No, not made up, but very greatly abridged -in the book it takes up 13 pages & as Heated says, it made Elinor feel sorry for him & it made Marianne happier to realise that he did love her - I suppose in the modern idiom you would say it gave her 'closure'

crikey - yeees, it's coming back to me now a bit. Had it in my mind that that bit of info was narrated, but you're quite right.

This version seemed so artificial (even more so than usual JA denoument), because so compacted.

And because it was and Elf-Human interaction, of course, they're always unconvincing I think.

Has ever a man had a shorter forehead than Willoughby? Or pointier ears?

He wasn't an elf. Elves are tall and willowy and look impressive shooting bows and arrows.

He was a hobbit.

I am watching it tomorrow morning

will be back then

only on planet sue are elves willowy, I protest!
elves are dwarvish, surely?

or are you talking about that partic actor (told you I am very very much out of pop culture loop as far as lords, rings etc goes.)

He seemed to be slipping back into the History Boys character as that speech progressed - I was almost expecting him to say 'I was well into Marianne, innit'

OBM, tush! Elves are tall and willowy with long, fey hair. They are ethereally beautiful.

Dwarves are dwarvish. Elves are elvish.

oh god I'm sorry

I didn't expect you would have moved onto elves

Why have you moved onto elves?

He was more Gimley than Legolas definitely. Podgy and petulant with it - I missed the first episode so really couldn't imagine why anyone would pick him over the extremely lush David Morissey.

Because it's far more interesting than discussing the flat characterizations and pacing that was by turns turgid and rushed.