Welcome to the Risky Regencies JANE AUSTEN MOVIE CLUB!

Here we dish, dissect, debate, deride, and drool over various dramatic adaptations of Jane Austen’s works.

Today: the ITV/A&E version of EMMA from 1996. (You may have noticed there were actually two Emmas in 1996 — this is the Kate Beckinsale version.)

To aid the discussion, here are the major credits (with trivia in green):

DIRECTOR: Diarmuid Lawrence

Lawrence directed the 1987 BBC miniseries of VANITY FAIR.

SCREENPLAY: Andrew Davies

The much-celebrated Davies wrote the screenplays for the 2008 SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, the 2007 NORTHANGER ABBEY, the 1998 miniseries of VANITY FAIR, and (most famously) the 1995 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.

CAST:

Kate Beckinsale — Emma Woodhouse

Mark Strong — Mr. Knightley

Bernard Hepton — Mr. Woodhouse

Hepton played Sir Thomas Bertram in the 1983 miniseries of MANSFIELD PARK.

Samantha Bond — Mrs. Weston

Bond is another veteran of the 1983 MANSFIELD PARK; she played Maria.

James Hazeldine — Mr. Weston

Samantha Morton — Harriet Smith

Morton played Sara Coleridge in the movie Pandaemonium (2000); Sophie in the 1997 television miniseries of TOM JONES; and Jane in the 1997 JANE EYRE.

Olivia Williams — Jane Fairfax

Williams recently played Jane Austen in the television movie MISS AUSTEN REGRETS.

Prunella Scales — Miss Bates

Here’s one I haven’t seen, but wish I could! Prunella Scales played Lydia in the 1952 BBC miniseries of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. (Has anyone ever seen this version? It starred Peter Cushing as Darcy!)

Sylvia Barter — Mrs. Bates

Raymond Coulthard — Frank Churchill

Dominic Rowan — Mr. Elton

Lucy Robinson — Mrs. Elton

Robinson appeared in another Davies-scripted Austen: she was Mrs. Hurst in the 1995 miniseries of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.

Guy Henry — John Knightley

Dido Miles — Isabella Knightley

Peter Howell — Mr. Perry

Judith Coke — Mrs. Goddard

Alistair Petrie — Robert Martin

So….what did you think??? How did the script work for you? The casting? Or anything else?

All opinions welcome!

And join us next Tuesday, when we discuss the new adaptation of SENSE AND SENSIBILITY!

Cara
Cara King, who rarely scolds puppies, and never talks about her caro sposo in public

Welcome to the Risky Regencies JANE AUSTEN MOVIE CLUB!

Here we meet on the first Tuesday of every month (“and sometimes oftener,” as Wilde would say), to discuss TV and film adaptations of Jane Austen’s works.

Today: the 1940 film of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE!

First, let me say — Wow. What a poster.

“Five love hungry beauties in search of HUSBANDS!!” (And we think our back-cover blurbs occasionally lack in subtlety!)

While we’re on the subject of the poster…note how Olivier’s hair and clothing differ from what he’s wearing in the film (shown below) — the poster shows him in a 1940’s tuxedo! (And the sidewhiskers are gone!)

I know some folks love this film, and some hate it…and many have mixed feelings. So hopefully we’ll have some interesting discussion!

As usual, to aid everyone’s memory, here are the major credits from the film (courtesy IMDB):

DIRECTOR: Robert Z. Leonard

SCREENPLAY: Aldous Huxley and Jane Murfin
(based on the “dramatisation” by Helen Jerome)

(By the way, this wasn’t Huxley’s only screenwriting credit — He also co-wrote the screenplay for the 1944 JANE EYRE.)

CAST:

Greer Garson: Elizabeth Bennet

Mary Boland: Mrs. Bennet

Maureen O’Sullivan: Jane Bennet

Edna May Oliver: Lady Catherine de Bourgh

Laurence Olivier: Mr. Darcy

(Fans of films set during the Regency and 18th century may also have seen Olivier as Lord Nelson in 1941’s THAT HAMILTON WOMAN, MacHeath in the 1953 BEGGAR’S OPERA, and as the Duke of Wellington in the 1972 LADY CAROLINE LAMB.)

Ann Rutherford: Lydia Bennet

Frieda Inescort: Caroline Bingley

Edmund Gwenn: Mr. Bennet

Karen Morley: Charlotte

Heather Angel: Kitty Bennet

Marsha Hunt: Mary Bennet

Bruce Lester: Charles Bingley

Edward Ashley: George Wickham

Melville Cooper: Mr. Collins

Marten Lamont: Mr. Denny

E.E. Clive: Sir William Lucas

May Beatty: Mrs. Philips

Marjorie Wood: Lady Lucas

Gia Kent: Anne de Bourgh

So: what did you think? What are your feelings on the casting, the costumes, the script, the music — anything?

All responses welcome!

And join us again on March 25, when we discuss the Kate Beckinsale version of EMMA, and on the first Tuesday in April, when we discuss the first half of the new SENSE & SENSIBILITY!

Cara
Cara King, author of MY LADY GAMESTER, who would be constantly dragging her sleeves in her dinner if she wore what those women were wearing!

Welcome to another installment of the Jane Austen Movie Club, exclusively here at Risky Regencies! Here we meet to dissect, discuss, and generally over-analyze adaptations of Jane Austen’s work…and more.

Today we have a first: that is, our first selection which isn’t actually an Austen adaptation…but a story about Austen herself.

Yes, today we’re discussing the 2008 BBC/WGBH television production MISS AUSTEN REGRETS, a fictionalized semi-biographical story about Jane Austen, and whether she ever regretted not marrying Mr. This or Mr. That.

The relevant credits, with “you also saw her in such-and-such” notes (in green), are:

DIRECTOR: Jeremy Lovering

SCREENPLAY: Gwyneth Hughes

CAST:

Olivia Williams — Jane Austen

Olivia Williams played Jane Fairfax in the 1996 BBC version of Emma.

Greta Scacchi — Cassandra Austen

Greta Scacchi played Mrs. Weston, also in the 1996 Emma.

Hugh Bonneville — Rev. Brook Bridges

Hugh Bonneville played the Prince Regent in the recent Purefoy version of Brummell, and Mr. Rushworth in the 1999 movie of Mansfield Park.

Phyllida Law — Mrs. Austen

Law is the third member of this cast to also appear in the 1996 Emma: she played Mrs. Bates. She also happens to be the mother of Emma Thompson, who scripted and starred in the 1995 Sense and Sensibility.

Adrian Edmondson — Henry Austen

Jack Huston — Doctor Charles Haden

Imogen Poots — Fanny Austen-Knight

Samuel Roukin — Harris Bigg

Pip Torrens — Edward Austen-Knight

Pip Torrens played the Netherfield butler in the 2005 movie of Pride and Prejudice. (And Bingo Little in the Fry & Laurie Jeeves and Wooster.)

Tom Hiddleston — Mr. John Plumptre

Jason Watkins — Rev. Clarke

Sally Tatum — Anna Lefroy

Sylvie Herbert — Mme. Bigeon

(Here is Jane…and her very useful brother…)

So…what did you think?

All opinions welcome!

Cara
Cara King, whose cat would have appeared in the 1996 Emma except that he was busy conquering the world that day

Welcome to another “meeting” of the Jane Austen Movie Club! This is where like-minded folk gather to discuss, debate, and dissect every adaptation of Jane Austen that we can get our hands on.

Today we’re talking about the new adaptation of Mansfield Park.

To aid the discussion, here are the major credits, with a few notes on some of the people involved.

DIRECTOR: Iain B. MacDonald

SCREENPLAY: Maggie Wadey

Maggie Wadey wrote the screenplay for the 1986 (creepy Tilney) adaptation of Northanger Abbey! She also wrote the 1991 Adam Bede and the 1995 Buccaneers.

CAST:

Douglas Hodge — Sir Thomas Bertram

Maggie O’Neill — Mrs. Norris

Jemma Redgrave — Lady Bertram

In case anyone was wondering exactly what the relationships are, Jemma Redgrave is the daughter of Corin Redgrave (who played Sir Walter Elliot in the 1995 Persuasion), the niece of Lynn Redgrave and Vanessa Redgrave, and cousin to Natasha and Joely Richardson.

Billie Piper — Fanny Price

Billie Piper, of course, is famous for Doctor Who. She also played Sally Lockhart in the adaptation of the Victorian-set Philip Pullman novel The Ruby in the Smoke, and its sequel, The Shadow in the North (which also featured Northanger Abbey‘s J J Feild).

Blake Ritson — Edmund Bertram

Does Blake Ritson look familiar? He played Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Catherine Steadman — Julia Bertram

James D’Arcy — Tom Bertram

James D’Arcy is certainly a familiar face — he was First Lieutenant Tom Pullings in Master and Commander, Blifil in the 1997 Tom Jones, and Nicholas Nickleby in the 2001 adaptation of the same name.

Michelle Ryan — Maria Bertram

Michelle Ryan, in case you didn’t recognize her face from a million adverts and billboards, is the new Bionic Woman.

Rory Kinnear — Rushworth

Joseph Morgan — William Price

Joseph Morgan has played a sailor before — though his previous character had a less happy outcome. His William Warley, captain of the mizzen-top, didn’t end well in Master and Commander.

Hayley Atwell — Mary Crawford

Hayley Atwell played alongside Billie Piper in The Ruby in the Smoke and The Shadow in the North.

Joseph Beattie — Henry Crawford

So…what did you think???

All comments welcome!

Cara
Cara King, who will give a puppy from Pug’s next litter to whoever can say what country dances they were doing