The BBC has just finished its latest Jane Austen adaptation: Sense and Sensibility.
The writer decided to meet the media’s expectations of a ’sexed up’ series by beginning with a blurry close up of a mystery man (a.k.a. Willoughby) getting intimate with an unnamed girl, with lots of heavy breathing and pouting. Other than that, the ’sexed up’ nature was simply lots of ‘artistic’ shots of waves, people looking ‘romantically’ out of caves, and close ups with dramatic lighting.
I am an Austen fan. I have been to her house. I own 5 copies of Pride and Prejudice + one of each other novel, the TV Series on DVD, the movie on DVD, Sense and Sensibility the movie, Emma Thompsons book about the making of Sense and Sensibility the movie etc etc etc. The movie caused me to have the biggest crush on Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson’s script (and acting) was pretty much faultless. So, you can understand my interest in a new adaptation.
I was very concerned about David Morrisey (Blackpool) being named as the new man to fill Colonel Brandon’s shoes. I stand corrected though as he fully impressed and charmed me completely. Edward was played like a Hugh Grant character, but this time not by Hugh Grant whilst Dominic Cooper (The History Boys) made a wonderfully haunting Willoughby.
One tv review asked simply what the point of this adaptation was. I can not pin point anything new this brought, apart from being an hour longer than the movie. I laughed as I read a review describing the script as ‘Part Austen and Part Chav’. The story was handled a little clunkily with the dramatic sword fight left unexplained and underwhelming.
Ultimately, I was charmed by the cast, with Colonel Brandon standing out as the strongest character. I still feel though that BBC are searching to live up to the standard set by Pride and Prejudice 13 years ago.
It will never happen people, move on.
