Sense & Sensibility

I have to say I thought Mansfield Park was my least favorite Jane Austen, I was wrong. Sense and Sensibility wins that award. It's not that I haven't tried to like it. In fact, whenever I sit down to watch one of the movies I always say to myself, "I'm going to like it this time." Let me say, if I didn't like the first few times, it's not going get better on further viewings.

I've decided to dedicate one post for all of the versions of Sense and Sensibility, because I think I would be writing similar things on each one if I wrote them singly. For example: I hate Marianne. I can't stand her character. She's silly and overly emotional and makes poor choices. I can't relate at all to her character and frankly I'd be disgusted if I did. That's not to say some Marianne's weren't better than others, but I didn't really like any of them. Whereas, I really like Elinor's character. I think she's smart and strong. She is forced to deal with so much and yet, she doesn't wither (like her sister). I don't think Edward deserves her. In most of the versions he's a weak character and not much of the true Austen hero. Now Col. Brandon - there's a man. He is the Austen hero, but I can't totally like him because he falls for Marianne. It all just frustrates me.

Then of course there's Willoughby. He's a horrible man and I don't know why, when he left for town and then never contacted Marianne again, that she didn't realize just how bad he was. Then of course there's the woman he seduced and her baby. I just hate him. I guess you could say that Jane Austen did a very good job at creating a villainous man.

It's taken us a few weeks, but we have gotten through all of the versions of S&S. Here is the order in which we watched them.

1995

1971

1981

2008

Alan Rickman was probably my favorite Col. Brandon. He's so soft spoken and attractive and attentive to Marianne. He really was the hero of the story.

Margaret, the third Dashwood sister. I feel bad that she's not included in every episode. I think she is a truly wonderful character and in a lot of ways adds some comic relief to the story. This little girl was my favorite.

Elinor and Marianne. This version had the most attractive cast. I loved their hair! Do you recognize Elinor? She played Mrs. Gardner in the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice. She was a really great Elinor. This Marianne wins the prize for being the most obnoxious and over the top! I could barely tolerate her!

I really liked this Col. Brandon, from the 1981 version, as well. (Reading with Marianne). I liked in this version when Elinor says that if ever anyone deserved to have the desire of their heart, he did. It was really true in this version.

Although I really like Emma Thompson, I have to say that this was my favorite Elinor (2008). She was strong and level-headed, but you could truly feel her heartbreak which I don't think the others did as well at portraying. This was also my favorite Edward. He certainly is attractive, but he had a much stronger character than the others seemed to.

Here are Marianne and Elinor from the 1981 version. I mostly put this up to see if you recognized the two actresses. Marianne played Suzanne in The Scarlet Pimpernel and Elinor played Charlotte Lucas in the 1980 version of Pride and Prejudice.

Best Fanny Dashwood EVER! She's in the 1981 version. This is when she finds out that Edward is engaged to Lucy Steele.

I do like Sir John Middleton and Mrs. Jennings. What fun characters they are. I liked their goodness and kindness mixed with a large dose of the ridiculous! Do you recognize her from the British Comedy Keeping Up Appearances?

I also rented the Sense and Sensibility graphic novel from the library. It was a fun little look through, but I since I don't really like the story, I didn't spend a long time with it.

I'm ending with From Prada to Nada - modern retelling of S&S. I don't know what it is about this version, but they make Jane Austen's story just so much more palatable. Maybe because it's shorter, or maybe because it's modern. I just like it better. Here is a version I can recommend and watch again and again. If you're like me and dislike S&S, then this is the movie for you. I don't know if it's as great for someone who likes S&S, but since I've not come in contact with someone who's seen both, I can't say.