Jan 21, 2008 12:17
Watched this last night as part of the 'Complete Austen' that PBS is running each Sunday through March or April. This was really a delightful adaptation. So much better than the only other one I know about. This one had a truly engaging and adorable Catherine, and a spot-on Henry who was low-key and charming without being smarmy. Excellent casting choices all 'round, really.
The 'gothic imaginings' scenes were very well done - I especially like Catherine's little smile each time she was 'abducted' *lol*
It's a delightful little story, and I'm a bit ashamed to admit I've only read the novel once. I usually reread Austen's books once a year or so. My favorite is Persuasion with Pride and Prejudice coming in a very close second. But I also like Sandition quite a bit. I know that's a bit of a cheat, really, as she only wrote the first few chapters. But it's hard to tell just where her story stops and the new author starts - and it's quite an engaging read.
Last week's Persuasion was quite a bit of a letdown, so I was very happy to see that Northanger Abbey was done so well. Perhaps it's partly because the book itself is less complex, more juvenile in it's theme and structure; this might make it easier to adapt to a 1.5 hr screenplay.
A good show - and I recommend seeing it to anyone who missed last night's airing.
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