Sense and Sensibility (1995)

Sense and Sensibility
Directed by Ang Lee
Written by Emma Thompson from the novel by Jane Austen
1995/US/UK
IMDb page
Repeat viewing/Amazon Prime rental

Elinor Dashwood: You talk of feeling idle and useless. Imagine how that is compounded when one has no hope and no choice of any occupation whatsoever.
Edward Ferrars: Our circumstances are therefore precisely the same.
Elinor Dashwood: Except that you will inherit your fortune. We cannot even earn ours.

I am rereading the divine Jane Austen’s novel so decided it was time for a rewatch of this excellent adaptation.

The Dashwood family consists of four females: Fanny (Gemma Jones), the ditzy mother; Elinor (Emma Thompson), the sensible eldest sister; Marianne (Kate Winslet), the ultra-romantic middle sister; and young Margaret, about 12 or so. One day their benefactor dies. Archaic inheritance laws prevent females of the line from inheriting. And although the benefactor makes the girls’ half-brother promise to provide for them, his selfish, greedy wife talks him out of it. In the meantime, Elinor falls for her sister-in-law’s shy brother Edward (Hugh Grant). But the sister-in-law has plans for him that do not include marrying an almost penniless partner.

Finally, the women are invited to rent a distant relative’s cottage in the countryside, where they barely make ends meet through Elinor’s economizing.

Marianne is rescued from an ankle sprain by the dashing Willoughby (Greg Wise) and soon her love for him knows no bounds, despite her sister’s advice for restraint. The much older Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman) also takes an interest, but Marianne spurns him. I won’t reveal more except to say that the course of true love never did run smooth and I always finish watching this with happy tears.

This is a first rate adaptation, all the actors are charming, and England never looked more beautiful. Recommended.

Emma Thompson won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film was nominated in the categories of: Best Picture, Best Actress (Thompson), Best Supporting Actress (Winslet); Best Cinematography; Best Costume Design; and Best Music, Original Dramatic Score.