Yes, I agree that cutting movies simply to conform to some outdated notion that they must be two hours long is extremely foolish. I imagine that it is often done so that the theaters can sell more tickets and allow the film to make more money, but IMO that is a terrible excuse for continuing the practice.

I wouldn't say that S&S2 was "ruined" by the cuts, but that may be because I have very little affection for it in the first place. Kate Winslet's Marianne is the best thing in the film, but I hate how spiritless and broken she appears by the end. Actually, that reminds me of another couple of bad edits that were made: Marianne eagerly relating to Elinor her plans to begin a course of serious study, and later, when she eagerly leaps up from her piano playing at the mention of Col. Brandon's name. In the final film, of course, Marianne is never shown to regain her liveliness and spirit, and in the scene near the end where she is playing her piano, she keeps playing and just coldly ignores her mother's remark that Brandon may be coming for a visit.

And, as I mentioned earlier, I much prefer the way the screenplay ends, with Willoughby shown in a distant shot as opposed to the overly sentimental closeup that we get in the final film. Why on earth was that changed?