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.

Willoughby looks like an elf! i have been very much out of the pop-cultural loop for some time, is he gandalf or someone?

And I'm finding it v disturbing that Elinor's voice when heard off-screen is exactly Emma Thompson's, and Marianne has a touch of the winslet about her.

Miss Steeles very very good though. And Mrs Jennings puts them all to shame. V difficult to just speak, not act, J Austen I think.

But the direction is excellent imo. it's far lighter. Art direction and cinematography much better than Ang Lee too - looks beautiful, I think.

edam I too am finding Persuasion increasingly alluring. there's a spareness to it and a quiet desperation that sits well with my advancing years and bitterness.

I so agree with OneBatMother and Edam. I first read Jane Austen when I was a teenager and Sense and Sensibility was my favourite then. As I have reread them over the years all of them (except Northanger Abbey) have been my favourite at one time or another but for quite a few years now it has been Persuasion. It is almost unbearably poignant - and then that happy ending that would never have happened in real life!

Agree - S&S and P&P always used to be my favourites whilst younger, now Persuasion is by far by favourite Jane Austen novel - got far more depth and humanity in it, imo (always have loathed Emma and never could get into Northanger Abbey for some reason).

I've always loved Persuasion; I must be old before my time!

Persuasion happy ending? Yes, technically but critics have said it's the least certain of all of Austen's work, because of the date the novel is set (1811, I think from memory) and Capt Wentworth's profession.

ah yes, advancing years are familiar here too.

Had to study Mansfield Park for A-level. Oh, the unfairness of being given the one turkey in a flock of golden geese! Austen said Fanny was a heroine only her author could love. And she was right.

Heated, do you mean certain as in Capt. Wentworth might not have had long to live after the novel ends? At least one of Austen's brothers was in the navy so I think she would have been familiar with the risks.

Ah no, I have a soft spot for Fanny Price - & did it at A level too. Remember writing an ardent defence of her character in the exam. She is a 'still point in a turning world' & she's not that bad because the rest of them are so awful! Mrs Norris is one of the worst insidious bullies in literature.

The Thompson/Winslet impressions have been driving me nuts. Makes me want to see the Ang Lee film again (usually these adaptations make you want to go back to the book).

It does look good though. And I like Janet McTeer a lot - makes a change from the usual Austen mother histrionics.

V disturbed by Willoughby's phiz. He looks like the lovechild of Jamie Callum and Mr Spock. Surely not even such a headstrong romantic soul as Marianne could fall for that.

Edam I love Mansfield Park!

Yes, I think because Austen was criticised for not writing about the wider world but just her "narrow bit of ivory two inches wide", the critics have since jumped to her defence and mentioned the slavery behind Sir Bertram's wealth in MP and Cpt Wentworth's profession in Persuasion that supposedly undercuts the happy ending - but I have never been convinced of this, it's still a happy ending to me.

The navy were engaged in a major battle in Algiers in 1815 but of course most of the fighting in 1815 were land battles against Napoleon and his army. I suppose generally what the critics mean is it was an uncertain time and Cpt Wentworth was engaged in a dangerous profession?

But he had sold out of the navy having made his fortune in prize money. So they had lots of children and lived happily ever after.

I love Mansfield Park, frustrating though it is because you suspect that Jane Austen actually in some ways prefers bad Mary to good Fanny, but has perversely made Fanny the heroine. I would love to see a good film version of it that actually made Fanny sympathetic without doing a Billie Piper and distorting her character completely to make her appeal to modern audiences.

I like your version of events, Rosa!

Heated, good point re. Mrs Norris, one of the funniest/most awful characters ever written.

I know the dramatic purpose of Fanny, showing up the pretensions and villainy of her supposed 'betters'. And it is particularly interesting given Austen's brother's adoption by wealthy relatives(adoption as the heir, though, not a male Fanny, as it were...).

But Fanny is so bloody irritating and prim, I'm definitely on the side of the Marys. Not the Marias, though, her comeuppance is very satisfying. Having to live with Mrs Norris for the rest of her days - and no other company as a fallen woman.

Yes, but it's not wishing Tom dead that puts the kibosh on Mary Crawford, it's the borrowing of the cart to transport her harp at harvest time - shudder!

Which Persuasion adaptation do you prefer?

I liked the most recent one in a lot of ways, but although I thought the ending was very dramatic, I would have preferred the correct ending with him writing the letter in the room while she is there.

Oh, I was looking for exactly this thread, going to read it

WELL..........Agree totally that Willoughby not good looking enough, don't think CB is as good as AR, he does get the longing looks down doesn't he, practically drooling over Marianne. Sorry to disappoint you all who love him, but DH met him years ago and he is app very camp BUT lovely, and funny too.

I actually like Elinor in this, despite the similarity and soundalike, she seems a bit more fun than the ET version, but Marianne is annoying me a bit, but I think KW was THE Marianne, and I think Jane Austen would have loved her performance of her.

I agree that they should not have spoiled the Willoughby betrayal, it is so much more poignant when you don't know it's coming, but I do think they down played it in the scene also, he is supposed to be overcome with emotion too as he really does have homourable intentions towards Marianne.

I find Mrs J and JOhn dull in this version, they were so jolly in the ET version, which is how they are written, they are supposed to be somewhat ridiculous, and I think they are not here.

Feel like I'm getting old now, since the original was about 10 yrs ago and I now find myself thinking I would rather go with Colonel Brandon, mind you, Willoughby in this version is hideaous, still chuckling at PUGS,

I liked the Amanda Root version of Persuasion very much a while ago [Roger Michell directed] Didn't see latest one but casting led me to think it was not going to be as good [eg Penry Jones..]

Think I might have missed the discussion altogether, oh well. Maybe it will pick up again later.

I find Mansfield Park JA's dullest book. I don't like Fanny as a heroine, although I can see why she is sympathetic ( I also remember doing that essay at Alevel, and having to sit thru the old 80's version of it, in which I thought the Mary C was great) and I can't stand Mary, I think she is a two faced bitch tbh, with no one's interests at heart but her own, tho she does learn her lesson, but too late. I think I watched about 20 mins of Billie Piper before turning it off, I hate when they totally change things to modernise them, they may as well have dressed her in jeans

I do LOVE both versions of Emma, with Gwyneth, who is FABULOUS as her, and Kate Beckinsale. As someone said, the same obvioulsy as the dialogue comes from the same book, yet subtley (sp?) different.

Haven't seen that version of persuasion, but Rupert PJ was actually REALLY good in it, as was the leading lady, don't know her name.

I really enjoyed NorthHanger Abbey too, the new one.

So much to say

I also HATE mrs Norris, but then I think you're supposed to aren't you. That is the genius of Jane Austen. And for the record, I think that although the main storyline of P&P, and S&S have similarities, I do think they are actually quite different, esp if you are reading the book as opposed to judging from a film.
And I think Andrew Davies did the best job with the 95 version of P&P, I can think of very little to criticise it much, and think it was just fabulously cast, and acted.

Caught the second part last night(yet to see first via iplayer though) and wasn't that impressed. It seems so much less subtle adn dumbed down that either the book or previous adaptations and owed so much to the Ang Lee film that it was basically a reprise as far as the main characters were concerned. Wasn't helped by dh asking which character was Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson

I would have thought that this version, being slightly longer than the ET version, I believe, would have been able to put more into it, adn thought they have included the brat of John and Fanny, and the other miss Steele, and the visit to Allenham (sp) they also seem to have missed things out or skimmed things, and added in things that weren't in the book. It seems like S&S lite, almost.

Sally Hawkins was the lead in the recent Persuasion i think. used to know her. She's a good actress, but i was surprised by the casting. I'm sure she did a good job though.

You used to know her. She's lucky, I would love the opportunity to have some face time with RPJ, think he is rather yummy, esp in Spooks, despite his character being a bit F**ed up