Sense & Sensibility
About the Novelist
Based on: Jane Austin Novel “Sense and Sensibility”
Jane Austin was a British Novelist during 18-19th Century and is known for her work like Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Lady Susan, Northanger Abbey, Sense and Sensibility. Most of her writing comes from her own experience during an era in Britain where women had to be depended on finding a rich suitor and marry in order to find social and financial security. Jane Austin, pens down the gender inequalities and social-economic gender difference with incorporating dry humor and irony, is a delight to read. It makes you question, some of the values that are still passed on to women in certain cultures (Including Ours) – Jane’s success lies in provoking these thoughts in to the reader’s mind. The Theatrical adaptation to which came out in 1995.
About the Movie
The story mainly revolves around the lead characters Elinor (Emma Thompson), Marianne (Kate Winslet), daughters to Mr. Dashwood (Tom Wilkinson) from his second wife. Mr. Dashwood on the deathbed demands his Son John (James Fleet) from his first wife, to promise to take care of his half-sisters and his second wife who apparently will be deprived to inherit any fortune from his father upon his passing, as the then English Law upheld only the son’s right to inherit the family fortune. The sudden turn of events goes further down the hill when Dashwood women realize that their financial security is dependent on John and his wife Fanny’s (Harriet Walter) mercy. Realizing they do not have a choice, Mrs. Dashwood (Gemma Jones) and the 3 daughters Elinor, Marianne and Margret, accepts John and Fanny’s offer to shift to a smaller house in Devonshire. With Mr. Dashwood gone, Mrs. Dashwood worry is to find right suiters for all her daughters and that they marry for love. Elinor and Marianne do find in love but sadly, it is not what all they had hoped for. What happens next is for them to witness the unkind realities of the people around them. The story depicts the stark realities of the world, which was true then, and even now to some extent that how marriages are arranged within the families to ensure that the fortune multiplies. Jane Austin’s view on the societal structure of women, who were mainly dependent on the husband/father for the financial security, is hard to miss. The story telling engages promises to engage in a bittersweet manner and awakens one’s poetic side yet raising some thought provoking questions. Emma Thompson who also is the screenplay writer of the movie has done a remarkable job to establish the right chemistry between the characters that belong together, communicating right sentiments without having to say much. One may find the movie a bit slow but the pace is just to set the right context to the story. The movie captivates more as it brings in the visual side of the story to the Novel.
Both Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet brings Elinor & Marianne characters to the real life, showing arch of their creativity in portraying vulnerable, fragile women, unlike their characters in other movies. All the other artists adds value to the narrative. One thing that I loved most about the movie of course apart from the story build and beautiful English countryside is, how impressive and detailed the behavioral aspects, language, and mannerism form the time is captured by all the Characters.
My Take on the Movie
If you are looking to watch something stress free, soothing on this weekend, this movie is a delight to watch with your Family. Head to Netflix India to watch Sense and Sensibility.
P.S. : The movie justifies the novel to a great extent although Director Ang Lee does take certain liberties with the characters and focusing the stories just on the Dashwood’s to address the fiction side of the story telling.
Disclaimer: The above review solely illustrates the views of the writer.