Austen for Beginners

The BBC have produced a new adaptation of Sense and Sensibility in mini-series format (3 episodes), first broadcast in the UK in January 2008 and in the US in March 2008. The script was written by Andrew Davies (who wrote the script for the famous 1995 Pride and Prejudice miniseries). The cast (left to right in the picture above) are Dan Stevens as Edward Ferrars, David Morrisey as Colonel Brandon, Dominic Cooper as Willoughby, Hattie Morahan as Elinor and Charity Wakefield as Marianne.

For more information go to the BBC Sense and Sensibility webpage.



 

And before that, there was....

Sense and Sensibility (1995)



Movie directed by Ang Lee and starring Kate Winslet, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant. Pictured above are (left to right) Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon, Emma Thompson as Elinor Dashwood, Kate Winslet as Marianne Dashwood and Hugh Grant as Edward Ferrars.

The film won an Oscar for Emma Thompson for her screenplay. In addition she and Kate Winslet were both Oscar-nominated for their roles. The film itself was nominated in the Best Picture category.

Austen for Beginners opinion: A great film which did an excellent job in condensing the novel into 136 minutes of screentime. Well-cast with some outstanding supporting performances, including Gemma Jones as Mrs Dashwood, Elizabeth Spriggs as Mrs Jennings, Imelda Staunton as Charlotte Palmer.....lots more too numerous to mention. Essential viewing.