We continue our revisit with Sense and Sensibility and visual review of Part 2 of the movie (click here for Part 1) wherein Mrs. Ferrars is suitably creepy and mean, and Marianne’s tear ducts gush more water than the fountains at Chatsworth House. While many details in Jane’s novel were changed in this production, the film’s length was satisfying. Strangely I found many echoes of Emma Thompson’s and Ang Lee’s excellent 1995 film in this adaptation as well.
Margaret hiding in the library is a scene taken from the 1995 film.
Lucy and Anne Steele spoke in different accents. While Lucy seemed more refined, Anne was comedic.
Henry Dashwood, much older than in Jane's novel, seems a bit embarrassed wearing long curls and a frilly collar.
Working off his frustration, Edward chops wood in the rain.
Elinor, confused with Edward's behavior, talks to him in the rain.
In fact most of the outdoor shots were filmed in the rain.
Newly arrived in London, Marianne looks for Willoughby in vain.
Lucy and Anne ogle the nasty beasts, as Anne describes the men at the ball.
When Marianne sees Willoughby she overcome.
Marianne finally receives a tepid letter of explanation from Willoughby.
Edward awkwardly offers his arm to his betrothed in front of Elinor.
Elinor confesses to Marianne how unhappy she has been.
Mrs. Ferrars is seriously displeased with Edward when he confesses his engagement to Lucy.
Fanny Dashwood, equally upset with the news, clenches her husband's hand.
Marianne cannot wait to leave London for home.
She walks to Willoughby's house in the rain and catches a lung infection, more reminiscent of the 1995 film than Jane's novel.
The colonel is beside himself with worry.
Marianne looked suitably wan in bed, but very pretty when she thanks the colonel.
An anguished Willoughby tries to convince Elinor that he truly cared for Marianne.
The film ends on a happy and romantic note in a scene that is eerily similar to 1995's Sense and Sensibility.
The colonel carries his bride across the threshold.
My other Sense and Sensibility posts sit here, including Sense and Sensibility Soaked.
Post script: Where was Janet McTeer/Mrs. Dashwood? A fine actress, she wasn’t given much camera time except for reaction shots.
Think I'll add a few more Mrs. Dashwood lines in the script. Wonder if anyone will notice?
Click on image.
[...] tuned for more images next week … at this link. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)In Jane Austen’s Own Words: Broken Promises [...]
How was Mrs. Ferrars able to control which of her sons inherited the fortune?
Great pics!! I didn’t see this last year when it aired the first time so I was excited to see it come around again. And you know, I liked it. It stayed true to the book more than some other adaptions. Except those darn endings! I wish they would spend a few more minutes to do it right instead of rushing it along.
I just love your blog! I learn so much through the eyes of others here.
Thank you, Janeen! What a nice compliment.
Wendy, Mrs. Ferrars was a widow who retained control of the fortune she brought to her marriage. This was not common but it did happen. Her deceased husband would have had no say over how she could spend her own family’s money. She probably lorded over him as much as her sons.
interesting that Jane did a lot of her
writing in the period known as the Regency
.. it was probably a happy period for her too
ie the regency was 1811 to 1820
A lot happened in that time eg
the Battle of Waterloo 1815
They were exciting times and perhaps
this stimulated her writing
Interesting too that Charlotte Bronte was
born in 1816.. a year after Waterloo !
I really enjoyed this version of S&S. I thought the actors were well suited and fantastic. Mrs. Dashwood…loved her! You’re right…she needs more lines
I wished the production had followed the book’s lead in the casting of Marianne–this actress looked much more like Kate Winslet than Austen’s description. The Elinor actress had something of Emma Thompson in her too, with her narrow, long nose. It would have set this version farther apart from the 1995 movie if they’d had sisters that differed from each other in a new manner. It was really odd how closely they followed the Ang Lee film in some respects.