Top 10 Austen adaptations: #1

~No. 1 - Sense and Sensibility 1995~

And so we finally come to #1! Most of you have probably guessed what it is by now. :-)

Well. . . where to begin? I think this review is going to be the hardest to write in this series. . . probably because I like this film the most! So try to be bear with me. It's hard for a fangirl to write a well-written critical analysis - "Oh, I LOOOOVE THIS MOVIE SO MUCH!!!" :P Oh, and prepare for a barrage of pictures. . . I have literally hundreds of S&S pics saved on my computer, and I had a hard time choosing which ones to include in this post. Hopefully my blog doesn't take too long to load these days. . . 

This film is, in a word, exquisite. Unlike other Austen adaptations - such as P&P05 - there's scarcely a false note in the entire movie. Everything - cast, screenplay, score, etc. - seems to fall into place, creating a glorious symphony of a film.

Gotta love this scene, even though it's not in the book. . . 

The cast was just about perfect. Yes, Emma Thompson was too old, but her performance as Elinor Dashwood was brilliant - she's such an incredible actress. In light of this, the fact that she was technically several years too old to be Elinor isn't so very important! It simply adds a slightly different dynamic to the film, having an older Elinor, on the verge of "spinsterhood". 

Elinor (Emma Thompson), Marianne (Kate Winslet) and Mrs. Dashwood (Gemma Jones)

In fact, you could argue that having an older Elinor actually helps rather than hinders some plot points - for instance, when Colonel Brandon is telling Elinor about Eliza. A retired old soldier like the Colonel, telling his life story to a 19-year-old girl? I know Elinor is supposed to a very mature 19, but in the context of the story, I don't think it hurts to have an Elinor in her late 20s. (Emma Thompson was actually in her 30s when filming S&S, but she could pass for a 28/29-year-old.)

Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon

Alan Rickman was lovely as Colonel Brandon, Greg Wise was suitably dashing and romantic as Willoughby, while Harriet Walter, Gemma Jones, and Elizabeth Spriggs were all excellent as Fanny Dashwood, Mrs. Dashwood, and Mrs. Jennings, respectively. Hugh Laurie was unforgettable as Mr. Palmer, and Emilie Francois was delightful as "Captain" Margaret Dashwood! Hugh Grant was okay as Edward Ferrars, though I'm not really a big fan of his. . . 

The real standout in the cast - alongside Emma Thompson - was, of course, Kate Winslet. She embodied the role of Marianne so beautifully. And there was great chemistry between the two actresses - they were very believable as sisters. Many of the best scenes in the film were those between Emma and Kate.

Greg Wise as John Willoughby

Sense and Sensibility, the book, is unlike any other Austen novel in that it concentrates (this is just my opinion) more on two female characters and their relationship, than it does on the romance. This is, after all, the only Austen book with two heroines. The heroes, on the other hand, are not as well developed as most of Jane Austen's other male protagonists. S&S 1995 does a great job at emphasizing Elinor's and Marianne's relationship, and rounding out the male characters in the story.

Beautiful Neo-Classical architecture

Emma Thompson's Oscar-winning screenplay is brilliant. She does manages to condense the novel into a feature-length film, while still preserving the wit and richness of Austen's prose. Much of the dialogue is taken straight from the book.

Patrick Doyle's score is. . . hm, I'm trying to think of an adjective that doesn't sound too gushy! It is sweepingly beautiful and romantic, one of my all-time favourite movie soundtracks. The soundtrack CD is a must-buy for anyone who loves the film - whenever you're in need of a bit of romance, just put the CD on and re-live the film all over again. . . 

The soundtrack contributes enormously to the depth of feeling in this film. This is one of only two Austen movies (I think Persuasion '07 is the other one) that has had me in tears!

LOL, poor Alan Rickman seems to be straining a bit. . . Kate Winslet wouldn't be the lightest actress to carry around

Visually, it's a beautiful film to look at. Gorgeous locations, and some of my favourite costumes from a Regency-era movie. I much prefer the early Regency fashions - 1790s and very early 1800s - to those of the 1810s and 1820s. S&S95 is set around 1800.

A devastated Marianne

Like I said at the top, this is an exquisite viewing experience, spanning a range of human emotions and experiences - particularly love, in its different forms. This is, after all, Jane Austen. :-)

All this talking about Sense and Sensibility makes me want to watch it again. . . I've probably seen it 50 times, but I'm not sick of it yet!

P.S. - many of my photos are from KateWinsletFan.com

Top 10 Austen adaptations: #2

~No. 2 - Pride and Prejudice 2005~

First, a disclaimer. This is a list of own personal 10 favourite Austen adaptations - it isn't supposed to be a list of the 10 best Austen movies. Then again, there's really no such thing as a list of the ten best Austen adaptations. Such a list would always be subjective. All anyone can ever do is list their own personal "best" Austen films, which is what I'm doing here anyway. . . 

Okay: why is this interpretation of Pride and Prejudice my favourite? 

Fish out of water. . . poor ol' Mr. Darcy

Firstly, Matthew MacFadyen's interpretation of that Fitzwilliam Darcy is, in my opinion, better than that of any other actor to have taken on this role. Some Janeites have complained that Matthew plays Darcy as "shy" rather than "proud". Personally, I think it's pretty clear from the text of P&P that Darcy's haughty exterior is the result of a combination of pride and social ineptness - "shyness". I thought MacFadyen's portrayal of Darcy was spot on.

Love the light in this scene. . . LOL, look at the little dog! I never noticed him before

I think there's more "life" in this adaptation than in any of the other screen interpretations - probably partly because of Joe Wright's direction, and partly because of the youthful cast. This is one of the few Austen adaptations I can think of where the main characters are actually the ages they're supposed to be - from the five Bennet girls, to Mr. Darcy, Mr. Wickham, and Mr. Bingley. 

Kitty Bennet (Carey Mulligan), Mrs. Bennet (Brenda Blethyn) and Lydia Bennet (Jena Malone)

The only characters who looked too "old" were the Gardiners and Donald Sutherland as Mr. Bennet, and since their appearances onscreen were relatively brief, this wasn't a big issue. The younger Bennet sisters looked and behaved like the giggly, hormonal teenagers they're supposed to be! Lizzy was portrayed as a very young woman, with a lot to learn about herself and the world. Mr. Darcy was shown as a vulnerable, serious young man, perhaps not quite comfortable in his own shoes, and still coming to terms with himself and his responsibilities.

Keira is so beautiful in this movie. . . 

I'll be the first to admit that P&P 2005 has its faults. The omission of various characters and scenes from the novel is one of the most obvious downsides, but considering that they only had two hours to work with here, I think they did a brilliant job. It didn't feel overly rushed to me. I've read the novel so many times, I can fill in the scenes and dialogue that are missing with my imagination. :-)

The rain scene!

What bothered me more than the two hour runtime were the various glaringly historically improbable scenes and situations that popped up through the course of the movie - such as Mr. Bingley walking into Jane's room to check on her when she is ill (why? just why??). Then there was Mr. Darcy proposing to Elizabeth in pouring rain in the middle of Stourhead Gardens. Though I have to confess I didn't mind that alteration so much. :-) Seriously, it wasn't much more silly or historically inaccurate than Darcy casually going for a swim in the lake before bumping into Elizabeth in P&P95. Another destination to add to the "Places I've got to visit to see when I go to England" in Stourhead. 

The second proposal scene was too mushy, I'll admit. And the U.S. alternate ending, ditto. But I'm such a hopeless romantic, I didn't really mind *sheepish grin*. . . 

Finally, I believe that one of the main purposes a literary adaptation should serve is to bring to light certain aspects of the book that you may not have thought about before. A film adaptation shouldn't try to be a replacement for the source text - rather, it should complement the novel. And above all, it should make you want to read (or re-read) the book upon which it is based! For me, P&P05 fulfills all the above criteria.

Keira Knightley with director Joe Wright

I can't wrap up this review without mentioning the wonderful artistic vision lent to this film by director Joe Wright - not to mention the gorgeous piano-based score by Dario Marianelli. I'm well aware that stunning visuals and a nice soundtrack do not a good movie make, but they certainly don't do any harm!!

What more is there to be said? I can't convince you to like P&P 2005 better than you do already, I can only try to state my reasons for liking it myself!

Love this moment of the film. . .

Pride and Prejudice 2005 may not be the "best" P&P (though that in itself is debatable - see my disclaimer), but it is my P&P. In spite of its imperfections, this is the movie version that manages to encapsulate what P&P is all about - for me, anyway. When I'm need of a dose of P&P (something that occurs at least once every few weeks) and I don't have time to read the book, this is the version I turn to.

Exhilarating. . . one of the most breathtaking scenes in the movie

Agnes Grey

I've just finished reading Agnes Grey, by Anne Bronte. It's been on my to-read list for a long time. . . I knew it would be a good read, but it was even better than I expected. :-)

Agnes Grey is based on Anne Bronte's own personal experience as a governess. The heroine, longing for independence and adventure, leaves her family at a young age to become a governess in a middle-class household. What follows is a nightmarish account of a governess's life in 19th century England.

Agnes's young charges are rowdy, undisciplined children. She is not allowed to punish them in any way when they misbehave, and the childrens' parents don't make any effort to discipline them. So, poor Agnes is supposed to to take care of and teach half-a-dozen unteachable, undisciplined little children. . . an unenviable position, to say the least. She doesn't make much progress in transforming the children into well-mannered, well-educated little angels, so the parents dismiss her from her post.

Eventually, Agnes finds another position - slightly better than the first. This time she has the charge of two spoilt, bratty teenage girls instead of spoilt, bratty toddlers. Not much difference, really.

A portrait of Anne Bronte, drawn by her sister, Charlotte

It might sound like a depressing, uninspiring read, but it's not!! Anne Bronte's mastery of writing is superb - her dialogue, especially, is excellent. It's interesting to compare Anne's writing style to that her sisters. There is definitely some similarity to Charlotte's novels, but there's slightly more humour and less of the supernatural and dramatic here.

The book is written in the first person, and Agnes is a sometimes frustrating narrator, but she is a deserving heroine - we quickly come to care about her welfare and destiny in the course of the novel. There is also a beautiful romance that unfolds in the second half of the book. :-)

I heartily recommend this book to any fan of the Brontes, Austen, and/or Gaskell. It is short, it won't take you ages to slog though (unlike your average Victorian novel), and it is guaranteed to leave you smiling - inside and out. A beautiful little book, now on my list of favourites.

BBC, PLEASE MAKE THIS INTO A MINISERIES!!

Emma episode 4

Is now online! (I haven't had time to watch it yet - maybe tonight. . . )

Top 10 Austen adaptations: #3

~No. 3 - Persuasion 1995~

Amanda Root as Anne Elliot and Ciaran Hinds as Captain Frederick Wentworth

This is *the* Jane Austen movie for Janeites. That's not to say that every Jane Austen fan will love this film, but chances are, if you enjoy reading Jane Austen's novels, you will love this adaptation of Persuasion (my favourite Austen novel, BTW). 

Mary Musgrove (Sophie Thompson), Charles Musgrove (Simon Russell Beale), Louisa Musgrove (Emma Roberts), Henrietta Musgrove (Victoria Hamilton), Captain Wentworth (Ciaran Hinds)

It's one of the "forgotten" Austen adaptations of the 1990s. P&P95, S&S95, and Gwyneth Paltrow's Emma tend to grab all of the attention. I didn't even know that this adaptation existed until relatively recently. It's not big-budget or glamorous, there are no big-name actors, but it has a quiet brilliance of its own.

Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds are admittedly too "old" to play protagonists Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth (Anne is supposed to be 27, Wentworth just a few years older), but their performances are so good, their "old-ness" isn't really a problem. :-) I have to admit, Anne and particularly Captain Wentworth in this version don't look as I imagined them to look, but when an actor nails his/her character this well, mere looks aren't such a big deal!

Luminous. . . Amanda Root as Anne Elliot

The cinematography matches the feel of the story - subtle, understated, but still beautiful. The same could be said of the scenery. . . the soundtrack. . . in fact, pretty much every aspect of this film. See why I said this was a film for Janeites? :-) As with Jane's books, it's all about subtlety here - and substance as well as style.

The screenplay by Nick Dear was good. Jane Austen's novels are more difficult to translate to film than most people realise. Because much of the wit and humour comes from the narrator, screenwriters are left with two options: put the narrator's witty words into the mouths of one or more of the characters, or simply leave out most of the best lines of the book. Here, Nick Dear goes with the former choice. Several lines from the narrator are given to various characters - an example from when Sir Walter is welcoming Anne after she arrives at Bath: "I am glad you here, Anne," [or something of that nature] "You will make a fourth at dinner, which must be deemed an advantage". That's from the film. Whereas in the book:

Anne entered it with a sinking heart, anticipating an imprisonment of many months, and anxiously saying to herself, "Oh! when shall I leave you again?" A degree of unexpected cordiality, however, in the welcome she received, did her good. Her father and sister were glad to see her, for the sake of shewing her the house and furniture, and met her with kindness. Her making a fourth, when they sat down to dinner, was noticed as an advantage. 

Admiral and Mrs. Croft (John Woodvine and Fiona Shaw)

The supporting cast are wonderful. Period drama fanatics will spot many familiar faces. Sophie Thompson is superb as the Mrs. Bennet-esque Mary Musgrove. Victoria Hamilton, who appeared in no less than three Austen movies in the space of four years (P&P 95, MP 99) plays Henrietta Musgrove. Fiona Shaw is delightful as Mrs. Croft. If you've watched the BBC's Narnia movies, you'll recognise Mr. Elliot (Samuel West) as King Caspian from The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Whenever he comes onscreen I immediately think "Oh, it's Prince Caspian!". . . 

Hmm. . . what else is there to be said in this review. . . not much, except for "Watch this movie!!" It won't appeal to everyone - I know there are a few people who find this adaptation "dull" and slow-paced (including several of my siblings ;-) ) - but as I said before, most readers who enjoyed the book will appreciate this marvellous film interpretation. It truly is a movie to be savoured. 

Keira Knightley + Joe Wright + Daniel Craig = My Fair Lady?

Audrey Hepburn in the classic 1964 musical

It's not official yet, but according to this article in the Telegraph, Keira Knightley has been chosen for the role of Eliza Doolittle ahead of Scarlett Johansen in the upcoming remake of My Fair Lady. AND Joe Wright is said to be directing the film (Yeess!!). . . AND there appears to be speculation that Daniel Craig might get the part of Professor Higgins. . . I'd still love to see Hugh Laurie as Higgins, though.

PS - this is off-topic, but have you seen the new Rapunzel pictures on IMDb? So gorgeous! I can't wait to see this movie. . .

Where to get high-quality costume drama pics

Romola Garai and Hugh Bonneville in the BBC's 2002 adaptation of George Eliot's Daniel Deronda

Several of you have been asking where I get costume drama pictures for my blog posts. I get most of them from the Shootastic galleries and the Tudorphiles forum gallery. Both websites require you to register before viewing the photo galleries, but in both cases registration is quick, easy, and free. 

Other places to get high-resolution period drama pictures: there are some on Eras of Elegance, and quite a collection on LadyBlueLake's livejournal page. 

But one of the best places to find pictures is fansites. If there is a popular young actor/actress in one of your favourite period films, chances are you'll be able to find the pictures you're after on websites created by fans of the actor. For instance, you can find loads of P&P 2005 pictures on Keira Knightley fanpages, or S&S 1995 pics on Kate Winslet sites. Just do a google search for "______ [insert name of actor here] fansite", and see what you come up with.

If nothing else works, you can always try googling the movie you want pictures of. Try several different search engines - e.g. Google, Yahoo, or Bing - you'll get different results with each one.

One more hint if you're posting photos onto your blog: don't upload pictures onto blogger! If you do, they'll come up grainy and poor-quality. I usually upload pictures onto photobucket (or whatever image hosting website you use), then copy and paste the image code into my blog post via the "Edit Html" option.

Top 10 Austen adaptations: #4

~No. 4 - Emma 1996, starring Kate Beckinsale~

I still haven't seen Episode 4 of the BBC's Emma, but unless there is a miraculous turnaround in the series, I think ITV's 1996 TV movie is set to remain as my favourite Emma.

There are so many reasons to love this adapation. . . where to start? :-)

Kate Beckinsale as Emma. . . she doesn't look quite how I imagine Emma to look, but in terms of acting she was really very good here. I like her the best out of the Emmas I've seen - Kate, Gwyneth and Romola. Mark Strong as Mr. Knightley - brilliant! Jeremy Northam was too handsome and charming - if he'd been a few years younger, he would have been great as Frank Churchill. But Mark Strong is practically perfect as Mr. Knightley, in my humble opinion. I was recently reading an interview with Mark, where he is discussing playing Mr. Knightley, and it's clear just how well he understands this character. (As an aside, it's so refreshing to read an interview with an actor in an Austen movie who has a healthy level of respect for the novel they're working from, and who truly understands the character he/she is playing!!) 

Kate Beckinsale as Emma Woodhouse with Mark Strong as Mr. Knightley

Some viewers have remarked that Mark Strong plays an overly angry, severe Mr. Knightley. I don't think this is Strong's fault. In my opinion, the limited runtime of the movie (107 minutes) is at least partly to blame. Most of Mr. Knightley's/Mark Strong's scenes are intense discussions and quarrels between himself and Emma - there isn't much time to show the more relaxed side of his nature. 

Jane Fairfax (Olivia Williams) and Frank Churchill (Raymond Coulthard)

One of this adaptation's stongest points is the excellent portrayal of many of the secondary characters - particularly Jane Fairfax and Frank Churchill. Even though the movie is less than 2 hours in length, they've done a fantastic job of fleshing out Jane and Frank's characters and their love story (whereas this subplot is practically ignored in the Miramax version). Can I just briefly mention how much I love Olivia Williams as Jane? Simply wonderful. She will always be Jane Fairfax to me. And Frank Churchill is actually cute and charismatic in this version. . . for once, you can understand why Emma would fall partly in love with him (or at least imagine herself to be in love).

Harriet Smith (Samantha Morton)

Other minor characters such as the Eltons, Miss Bates, Mrs Bates, Robert Martin, and Mr. Woodhouse are brilliantly done here - even though their time on-screen may be brief, you can still get a feel for who each character is, and what they are like. Also, this seems to be the only adaptation that gets Harriet Smith's character right! 

Mr. Knightley (Mark Strong) and Mrs. Elton (Lucy Robinson)

So, whereas the Gwyneth Paltrow version emphasises Emma's and Mr. Knightley's relationship as much as possible, this adaptation is closer to the novel in that it gives a fascinating picture of a living, breathing community of people in 1810s rural England - not just a sweet love story. Hm, I phrased that wrongly - to call any one of Austen's romances "just a sweet love story" would be to do it a great injustice. . . but I'm sure you understand what I mean. The Paltrow version is about Emma + Mr. Knightley; the Beckinsale version is about Emma + Mr. Knightley and the community of Highbury.

Mrs Elton, Miss Bates (Prunella Scales), Harriet, Emma, Jane, and Mrs. Weston (Samantha Bond)

Which leads to another thing that I love about this adaptation. Emma was made on a much more limited budget than, say, Sense and Sensibility or the Gwyneth Paltrow Emma. But in this case, I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. The movie has a gritty, down-to-earth feel that is lacking from most other Austen adaptations - and period dramas in general, for that matter. This is arguably a much more realistic portrayal of Regency life than that shown in the two other major Emmas. Kate Beckinsale's costumes may not be as gorgeous as Gwyneth's, but they look like comfortable clothes that I wouldn't mind wearing in real life. Scenes of farm life and village life in Highbury add to the realism. 

I guess it's just a matter of personal taste - I'm not too keen on the too-pretty, overly-sanitized view of 19th century life presented in many Austen movies; but on the other hand, it could be argued that the "gritty realism" is taken a step too far in movies like Mansfield Park 1999 or Pride and Prejudice 2005. Emma sits somewhere in the middle of the scale. 

Samantha Bond as Mrs. Weston

This post is getting long, but there's just one more issue that I'll bring up: the realism thing isn't just about aesthetics, or the "look" of the film. It's also something that is important on a deeper level as well. I'll try to explain. . .  

Jane Austen's novel Emma is very funny, but it also has darker undertones at times. Frank Churchill is cruel and manipulative; all the loneliness and misery of Jane Fairfax's potential life as a governess is driven home (much has been written about the plight of 19th century governesses - do some research into the Brontes and their novels for more info); the desperate poverty of many of the village people and the "gipsies"; and the comparative poverty of the Bateses. Jane Austen doesn't choose to make these issues the focus of her novel, but they are present nonetheless. None of these topics are touched on in the Miramax version of the novel, but they are present in ITV's adaptation, just as they are in Austen's book.

Another shot of Oliva Williams as Jane Fairfax. . . 

Okay, I'd better stop now. Hopefully I haven't put you all to sleep by now. :P I hope you're enjoying this series of posts, because I know I am. . . 

One more thing: if you're a fan of this adaptation, as I am, I highly recommend this book: The Making of Jane Austen's Emma. It features heaps of photos and info about the costumes, wigs, food, locations etc. used in this film, fascinating interviews with the cast and crew (including the Mark Strong one ;-) ), and the complete screenplay by Andrew Davies. It is no longer in print, but you can buy it second-hand on eBay or Amazon.