thoughts on the sense and sensibility miniseries (2008)
I finally got to watch the Sense and Sensibility miniseries produced by the BBC in 2008.
A couple notes:
1. It was so great to see Mark Gatiss in a role that wasn't Sherlock.
2. Dan Stevens was great as Edward, but he brought some angst to the role. I guess it was to add depth to his character, but it came across as really melodramatic, the whole wood chopping scene. But he did look very sexy, with his damp white shirt chopping wood. Maybe the BBC was trying to replicate the Colin Firth coming-out-of-the-lake scene. It just felt really...strange to watch.
3. Elinor was styled to look very, very plain. Obviously to contrast Marianne. But I actually thought she looked too plain. Hattie Morahan basically had two facial expressions she kept reusing.
4. The Colonel Brandon (David Morissey) in this miniseries was much more handsome than Alan Rickman, although I do love the S&S movie largely because of Alan Rickman. But when Marianne (Charity Wakefield) fainted and Brandon caught her, my heart swooned. And of course the duel was pretty cool.
5. Dominic Cooper as Willoughby was a really good casting choice. He has those brooding eyes, dark hair...
6. Margaret Dashwood (Lucy Boynton) was funny. A lot of her characterization was taken from the first movie (hiding under tables and in corners, climbing up trees), but she had a bit more characterization due to more screen time. Her pet fish, her puppet shows, her learning the history of England... My favourite part was when Fanny said, "A snug little cottage! I am envious of you!" And then Margaret said, "Then why not let us stay here and you can move there?"
*Where the 1995 Margaret is now
7.Claire Skinner as Fanny was equally awful as the Fanny in the 1995 movie. She even had the same hairstyle.
8. Mark Williams as Sir John Middleton was a really good casting choice. Probably the best casting choice of this series.
9. I did love the part where Marianne threw her clothes on the bed and said something like, "I don't have anything to wear! He's seen me in the white muslim already! Why are we so poor?" It was such a teenage moment, and so applicable. The 1995 movie didn't have time for little scenes like this, and this is a big part of why I love miniseries.
10. I did like that Willoughby came back to explain himself (as in the book), although it did nothing to help his case. This series wanted to show the viewers that he got his comeuppance, although in the book he didn't really. In the book he did think of Marianne with passing regret, but he certainly didn't "hate" his wife. Something I liked about the movie was that it was a lot subtler. Greg Wise as Willoughby watched the double wedding from a hill, and it was implied that he felt regret as he rode away on his horse. I did feel like this series kind of yelled it in our faces, whereas the movie hinted at it gently.
To summarize, The 1995 Sense and Sensibility movie will always be dear to my heart, from Hugh Grants' puffy hair and clueless expression, to Alan Rickman's foghorn voice, to Kate Winslet and her singing, as clear as a bell, to the final scene, the double wedding and the swell of the music as Alan Rickman tosses the gold coins in the air as you see how happy the wedding parties are.
It is so funny, imagining Hugh Grant, as Edward, in a damp shirt, angstily chopping wood.
Charity, as Marianne, is so so pretty, especially with her curls, but every time I see Kate Winslet play Marianne in the 1995 movie, I feel as though Jane Austen wrote Marianne for her. I don't know how to describe it, but I feel it, there is a pang in my heart, and I just know.
And well, this is not about either of the adaptations, just a general comment.
” … that Marianne found her own happiness in forming [Col. Brandon’s] was equally the persuasion and delight of each observing friend. Marianne could never love by halves; and her whole heart became, in time, as much devoted to her husband as it had once been to Willoughby.”
Sense & Sensibility, volume 3, chapter 14.
I have never really bought this ending. I guess a big part of it is that Jane Austen is "telling not showing", where in each of the scenes where Willoughby courted Marianne, she did the opposite. She showed us that Willoughby and Marianne had similar tastes in poetry, reading, romance, and were of similar ages. Colonel Brandon was 35, and Marianne was 17. Barely a woman. I just can't see them together, no matter how hard I try. This miniseries made it a bit easier for me to imagine it though, with some of the grand romantic gestures of Colonel Brandon, and that he was able to cut Willoughby in the duel. But it still is really hard for me to see.
So there you have it. I did like the BBC miniseries. It did help me to conceptualize S&S. A lot of little moments I really appreciated, moments that the 1995 movie didn't have time for.
But the 1995 movie is so dear to my heart, so there is really no comparison.
BTW I saved some icons of the movie and the miniseries here. Most are by the lovely
aurora_amethyst but a bunch are by disneygirl89.
Also I really need to return this DVD to the library! It's 27 days overdue! Because of covid19 I have been taking advantage of the library's "no fines during quarantine" but this is a bit ridiculous. I will do my best to get it returned tomorrow.
I had a lot of fun watching this. S&S is one of my favourite Austen books. Fairly simple plot, three sisters, one with a romantic temperament who plays the piano, what's not to like? :)
ETA: I also forgot to talk about Hugh Laurie in the 1995 movie. Another reason why the movie is superior to any adaptation. He was perfect as Mr. Palmer. Very British and always irritable, but sincere when he had to be.
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A couple notes:
1. It was so great to see Mark Gatiss in a role that wasn't Sherlock.
2. Dan Stevens was great as Edward, but he brought some angst to the role. I guess it was to add depth to his character, but it came across as really melodramatic, the whole wood chopping scene. But he did look very sexy, with his damp white shirt chopping wood. Maybe the BBC was trying to replicate the Colin Firth coming-out-of-the-lake scene. It just felt really...strange to watch.
3. Elinor was styled to look very, very plain. Obviously to contrast Marianne. But I actually thought she looked too plain. Hattie Morahan basically had two facial expressions she kept reusing.
4. The Colonel Brandon (David Morissey) in this miniseries was much more handsome than Alan Rickman, although I do love the S&S movie largely because of Alan Rickman. But when Marianne (Charity Wakefield) fainted and Brandon caught her, my heart swooned. And of course the duel was pretty cool.
5. Dominic Cooper as Willoughby was a really good casting choice. He has those brooding eyes, dark hair...
6. Margaret Dashwood (Lucy Boynton) was funny. A lot of her characterization was taken from the first movie (hiding under tables and in corners, climbing up trees), but she had a bit more characterization due to more screen time. Her pet fish, her puppet shows, her learning the history of England... My favourite part was when Fanny said, "A snug little cottage! I am envious of you!" And then Margaret said, "Then why not let us stay here and you can move there?"
*Where the 1995 Margaret is now
7.Claire Skinner as Fanny was equally awful as the Fanny in the 1995 movie. She even had the same hairstyle.
8. Mark Williams as Sir John Middleton was a really good casting choice. Probably the best casting choice of this series.
9. I did love the part where Marianne threw her clothes on the bed and said something like, "I don't have anything to wear! He's seen me in the white muslim already! Why are we so poor?" It was such a teenage moment, and so applicable. The 1995 movie didn't have time for little scenes like this, and this is a big part of why I love miniseries.
10. I did like that Willoughby came back to explain himself (as in the book), although it did nothing to help his case. This series wanted to show the viewers that he got his comeuppance, although in the book he didn't really. In the book he did think of Marianne with passing regret, but he certainly didn't "hate" his wife. Something I liked about the movie was that it was a lot subtler. Greg Wise as Willoughby watched the double wedding from a hill, and it was implied that he felt regret as he rode away on his horse. I did feel like this series kind of yelled it in our faces, whereas the movie hinted at it gently.
To summarize, The 1995 Sense and Sensibility movie will always be dear to my heart, from Hugh Grants' puffy hair and clueless expression, to Alan Rickman's foghorn voice, to Kate Winslet and her singing, as clear as a bell, to the final scene, the double wedding and the swell of the music as Alan Rickman tosses the gold coins in the air as you see how happy the wedding parties are.
It is so funny, imagining Hugh Grant, as Edward, in a damp shirt, angstily chopping wood.
Charity, as Marianne, is so so pretty, especially with her curls, but every time I see Kate Winslet play Marianne in the 1995 movie, I feel as though Jane Austen wrote Marianne for her. I don't know how to describe it, but I feel it, there is a pang in my heart, and I just know.
And well, this is not about either of the adaptations, just a general comment.
” … that Marianne found her own happiness in forming [Col. Brandon’s] was equally the persuasion and delight of each observing friend. Marianne could never love by halves; and her whole heart became, in time, as much devoted to her husband as it had once been to Willoughby.”
Sense & Sensibility, volume 3, chapter 14.
I have never really bought this ending. I guess a big part of it is that Jane Austen is "telling not showing", where in each of the scenes where Willoughby courted Marianne, she did the opposite. She showed us that Willoughby and Marianne had similar tastes in poetry, reading, romance, and were of similar ages. Colonel Brandon was 35, and Marianne was 17. Barely a woman. I just can't see them together, no matter how hard I try. This miniseries made it a bit easier for me to imagine it though, with some of the grand romantic gestures of Colonel Brandon, and that he was able to cut Willoughby in the duel. But it still is really hard for me to see.
So there you have it. I did like the BBC miniseries. It did help me to conceptualize S&S. A lot of little moments I really appreciated, moments that the 1995 movie didn't have time for.
But the 1995 movie is so dear to my heart, so there is really no comparison.
BTW I saved some icons of the movie and the miniseries here. Most are by the lovely
aurora_amethyst but a bunch are by disneygirl89.
Also I really need to return this DVD to the library! It's 27 days overdue! Because of covid19 I have been taking advantage of the library's "no fines during quarantine" but this is a bit ridiculous. I will do my best to get it returned tomorrow.
I had a lot of fun watching this. S&S is one of my favourite Austen books. Fairly simple plot, three sisters, one with a romantic temperament who plays the piano, what's not to like? :)
ETA: I also forgot to talk about Hugh Laurie in the 1995 movie. Another reason why the movie is superior to any adaptation. He was perfect as Mr. Palmer. Very British and always irritable, but sincere when he had to be.
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thestarlet
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gypsycaravan
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marcykay