I would have to say Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion rank together for my all-time favourites- Persuasion is so underrated!!
For my favourite adaptation, I recently watched Bride and Prejudice, which is an incredible adaptation of Pride and Prejudice but set in India, in Amritsar. It was absolutely wonderful, so true to the plot and a great combination of Bollywood and Hollywood. I would definitely recommend it!
The Roger Michell Persuasion is really special. You remind me I NEED to watch Bride and Prejudice! Appalling that I haven't. And must add Patricia Rozema's adaptation of Mansfield Park!
The 2007 ITV adaptation of Persuasion is a guilty pleasure, because of the screenplay choices made, in the main. Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones do something quite remarkable to Anne and Wentworth. The supporting cast is beautifully balanced and as a complete piece of work it takes all the meat from the text and simply shows what is strongest within it.
Close second is Emma Thompson's adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, a near perfect piece of cinema. My only issue is Hugh Grant's casting, but you can't have everything :P
Oh, how interesting. I rather enjoyed Grant in SENSE AND SENSIBILITY. As for the 2007 PERSUASION...I don't think I've seen it, which shocks me. I've seen so many Austen adaptations, I would've assumed so, but I can't find it in my memory banks.
I just reread Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility this week - they're still worlds ahead of any romantic comedy churned out these days. I equally love the two classic TV adaptations of P & P with Colin Firth/Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy (plus other people of course but...). Also have to shout out Helen Fielding's fabulous modern take on the plot in Bridget Jones' Diary.
The Roger Michell Persuasion is really special - I love the realism and the emotional resonance. Patricia Rozema's sly adaptation of Mansfield Park is way under-viewed.
But my absolute favorite is the Emma Thompson/Ang Lee adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. Thomson REALLY nails the evil of patriarchy and the truth for women of all periods—that one wrong step at the wrong time can plunge her into the living hell of prostitution. She makes primogeniture a devastating non-human antagonist that messes with every single character of the film.
The casting is sublime, the chemistry between everyone is swoony, Ang Lee's comic direction is perfect (and the set decoration completely physicalizes the subtext!). It's a great teaching example of a dual protagonist.
Wait, wait, wait. You read TWO Austen books in one week? I can't read two books in a month most of the time between my kids, work, and the time I spend watching films. Wow. Just...wow.
As for SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, it's a magical adaptation. I actually think I've watched it more than any other!
Believe me, I don't do that EVERY week! I was very stressed out, not sleeping, and I just kind of lost myself in P&P in those wasted hours to take my mind off things and then got kind of obsessed with comparing S&S because it's pretty fascinating how far Austen progressed in style between the two books. S&S is almost completely narrated exposition for the first act - almost no scenes in dialogue at all. A few years later P&P has fully fleshed-out scenes.
Now I'm back to work, and that reading break has really helped move my book along!
i enjoy Jane Austen movies – be they productions based on her books or those inspired by her and her works (even those including zombies) – but i haven’t seen enough to declare a “favourite”
i remember *Pride & Prejudice* was assigned reading late in high school – i totally missed that the story was supposed to be something like a ‘dramedy’ – an issue our English teacher failed to correct with their dull, uninspired examination of the text – perhaps because i was ‘taught’ in an all boys school during the 70s had something to do with it
it was only when i saw ‘her’ movies that i came to appreciate Austin’s dry wit
that said, there is one scene that still sticks with me – it’s the picnic scene in the 1996 production of *Emma* where Gwyneth Paltrow’s Emma destroys Sophie Thompson’s Miss Bates with a thoughtless zinger in response to her “three dull things” remark – Miss Bates’ reaction to Emma’s slight kicked me in the guts
on trying to find a link to the scene, i also discovered this examination of the scene by Rosey Collins in which she discusses five iterations of it – as you can see, according Rosey Collins the 1996 version is a misreading of the original text’s intentions – i’m happy to bow to her expertise, but this new information doesn’t diminish my feelings on rewatching the full scene
I confess I have not read anything by Jane Austen! Not sure how my English classes in High School and college missed it. I've never seen the screen adaptations either. I'll admit to being curious, though, since so many folks love the books and adaptations. Where should I start?
I think PRIDE AND PREJUDICE is generally the gateway drug for most Austen fanatics, though I think SENSE AND SENSIBILITY basically ranks the same for me and most people.
Thanks, Cole. I think I've resisted because everyone said I SHOULD read Jane Austen. My English teachers had us read Greek tragedies and Edith Wharton and Hemingway and then more contemporary stuff like Dreaming in Cuban and Song of Solomon. I love that there's so much out there to discover and explore.
Emma with Pride and Prejudice a close second. I adore Colin Firth and am not a Keira Knightly fan so this makes no sense BUT the 2005 Joe Wright is my favorite. Matthew Macfadyen IS Darcy.
I love Jane Austen but I’m much more familiar with Pride and Prejudice than any of her other work so that really has to go down as my favourite. Lizzie and Darcy are such great central characters. I love the way they spar throughout the book and the way Austen uses humour as social commentary is second to none. I think the strong characters make adaptations of this particular story so successful. I’d have to go either for the BBC Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth adaptation or the film version with Keira Knightly and Matthew McFaddyen. I think both do a fantastic job with the source material.
As an aside, I would say that I only read Persuasion for the first time in the last few years and I really do love it. It feels more of a grown up romance. I also remember how excited I was on first reading Bridget Jones’s Diary to realise that it was borrowing from Austen. I will forever have a soft spot for that book.
BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY is beloved in my house, both the novel and the many films it led to. What a wonderful character. As for PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, I agree. It's one of those texts that is hard to get terribly wrong in script form and elevates every actor who takes on a part from it!
I'm a huge Jane Austen fan!!!
I would have to say Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion rank together for my all-time favourites- Persuasion is so underrated!!
For my favourite adaptation, I recently watched Bride and Prejudice, which is an incredible adaptation of Pride and Prejudice but set in India, in Amritsar. It was absolutely wonderful, so true to the plot and a great combination of Bollywood and Hollywood. I would definitely recommend it!
BRIDE AND PREJUDICE is fantastic fun!
Yes it is!!
Yes! Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice are both at the top of my list. Making a mental note to look up Bride and Prejudice too.
That's so great to hear!!
The Roger Michell Persuasion is really special. You remind me I NEED to watch Bride and Prejudice! Appalling that I haven't. And must add Patricia Rozema's adaptation of Mansfield Park!
The 2007 ITV adaptation of Persuasion is a guilty pleasure, because of the screenplay choices made, in the main. Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones do something quite remarkable to Anne and Wentworth. The supporting cast is beautifully balanced and as a complete piece of work it takes all the meat from the text and simply shows what is strongest within it.
Close second is Emma Thompson's adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, a near perfect piece of cinema. My only issue is Hugh Grant's casting, but you can't have everything :P
Oh, how interesting. I rather enjoyed Grant in SENSE AND SENSIBILITY. As for the 2007 PERSUASION...I don't think I've seen it, which shocks me. I've seen so many Austen adaptations, I would've assumed so, but I can't find it in my memory banks.
I know it was on BritBox. I enjoyed it so much I have it on DVD.
I just reread Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility this week - they're still worlds ahead of any romantic comedy churned out these days. I equally love the two classic TV adaptations of P & P with Colin Firth/Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy (plus other people of course but...). Also have to shout out Helen Fielding's fabulous modern take on the plot in Bridget Jones' Diary.
The Roger Michell Persuasion is really special - I love the realism and the emotional resonance. Patricia Rozema's sly adaptation of Mansfield Park is way under-viewed.
But my absolute favorite is the Emma Thompson/Ang Lee adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. Thomson REALLY nails the evil of patriarchy and the truth for women of all periods—that one wrong step at the wrong time can plunge her into the living hell of prostitution. She makes primogeniture a devastating non-human antagonist that messes with every single character of the film.
The casting is sublime, the chemistry between everyone is swoony, Ang Lee's comic direction is perfect (and the set decoration completely physicalizes the subtext!). It's a great teaching example of a dual protagonist.
Wait, wait, wait. You read TWO Austen books in one week? I can't read two books in a month most of the time between my kids, work, and the time I spend watching films. Wow. Just...wow.
As for SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, it's a magical adaptation. I actually think I've watched it more than any other!
Believe me, I don't do that EVERY week! I was very stressed out, not sleeping, and I just kind of lost myself in P&P in those wasted hours to take my mind off things and then got kind of obsessed with comparing S&S because it's pretty fascinating how far Austen progressed in style between the two books. S&S is almost completely narrated exposition for the first act - almost no scenes in dialogue at all. A few years later P&P has fully fleshed-out scenes.
Now I'm back to work, and that reading break has really helped move my book along!
I haven't read them closer together than a year, so this is a fascinating observation!
i enjoy Jane Austen movies – be they productions based on her books or those inspired by her and her works (even those including zombies) – but i haven’t seen enough to declare a “favourite”
i remember *Pride & Prejudice* was assigned reading late in high school – i totally missed that the story was supposed to be something like a ‘dramedy’ – an issue our English teacher failed to correct with their dull, uninspired examination of the text – perhaps because i was ‘taught’ in an all boys school during the 70s had something to do with it
it was only when i saw ‘her’ movies that i came to appreciate Austin’s dry wit
that said, there is one scene that still sticks with me – it’s the picnic scene in the 1996 production of *Emma* where Gwyneth Paltrow’s Emma destroys Sophie Thompson’s Miss Bates with a thoughtless zinger in response to her “three dull things” remark – Miss Bates’ reaction to Emma’s slight kicked me in the guts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eDyHNp0948
on trying to find a link to the scene, i also discovered this examination of the scene by Rosey Collins in which she discusses five iterations of it – as you can see, according Rosey Collins the 1996 version is a misreading of the original text’s intentions – i’m happy to bow to her expertise, but this new information doesn’t diminish my feelings on rewatching the full scene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU-GTm9mymo
These takes on the film are fascinating. Thanks for sharing, Robert!
I confess I have not read anything by Jane Austen! Not sure how my English classes in High School and college missed it. I've never seen the screen adaptations either. I'll admit to being curious, though, since so many folks love the books and adaptations. Where should I start?
I think PRIDE AND PREJUDICE is generally the gateway drug for most Austen fanatics, though I think SENSE AND SENSIBILITY basically ranks the same for me and most people.
Thanks, Cole. I think I've resisted because everyone said I SHOULD read Jane Austen. My English teachers had us read Greek tragedies and Edith Wharton and Hemingway and then more contemporary stuff like Dreaming in Cuban and Song of Solomon. I love that there's so much out there to discover and explore.
Emma with Pride and Prejudice a close second. I adore Colin Firth and am not a Keira Knightly fan so this makes no sense BUT the 2005 Joe Wright is my favorite. Matthew Macfadyen IS Darcy.
I love Jane Austen but I’m much more familiar with Pride and Prejudice than any of her other work so that really has to go down as my favourite. Lizzie and Darcy are such great central characters. I love the way they spar throughout the book and the way Austen uses humour as social commentary is second to none. I think the strong characters make adaptations of this particular story so successful. I’d have to go either for the BBC Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth adaptation or the film version with Keira Knightly and Matthew McFaddyen. I think both do a fantastic job with the source material.
As an aside, I would say that I only read Persuasion for the first time in the last few years and I really do love it. It feels more of a grown up romance. I also remember how excited I was on first reading Bridget Jones’s Diary to realise that it was borrowing from Austen. I will forever have a soft spot for that book.
BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY is beloved in my house, both the novel and the many films it led to. What a wonderful character. As for PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, I agree. It's one of those texts that is hard to get terribly wrong in script form and elevates every actor who takes on a part from it!