Hitting the mark (SENSE AND SENSIBILITY BOARD message #1813)

Hitting the mark

Posted by MB on March 11, 1998 at 15:51:29:

In response to Thoughts upon seeing the movie again, written by Mark on March 10, 1998 at 10:56:27

] I hadn't seen the movie in several months when I put it in the ol' VCR once more. Some thoughts:
]
ET is a trifle too old for the part, but her acting was superb. Could a less mature actress play Elinor any better? I doubt it. It requires a certain maturity that is hard to come by in youth, IMHO. Who ever tries to do Elinor next will have a tough time. She is the definitive Elinor in my eyes.

I agree about the age thing, but I also agree that ET was perfectly cast. And when the movie was originally considered (when she started the script) she was younger. I think I remember reading that even she had concerns about her age. Another cast member in this category is Harriet Walter. I feel that she was probably a trifle old for Fanny, but she was hysterically perfect for the role.
]
AR is SOME actor! I scrutinized his performance minutely. I was totally enthralled. I have admired JE in P&P2 for her non-verbal acting, but AR leaves her in the dust. Didn't I read somewhere that some critic panned his performance because he wasn't animated enough? Perhaps he had just been reading Bronte?
Have you ever seen Truly, Madly, Deeply? His best performance, IMO. Romantic, peevish, and funny all at the same time. And yet he can chew scenery with the best of them -- stole Prince of Thieves from a horribly miscast Kevin Costner. I also found the Colonel to be more than a bit of a humorless stick in the novel, so AR's performance helped bring him to life and make him a more sympathetic character for me. But I didn't mind the actor in the "original" S&S as much as others did.
]
My favorite scene is still at the end when Elinor's iron-clad self-control finally breaks down after her emotional roller-coaster ride. And when Margaret exclaims, "He's kneeling down!", I always get something in my eye for some reason.
Yes!!! Mine, too. ET played that so well! And I love the way that, both as an actress and a screenwriter, she managed to inject a little Austenite humor into the film. I remember the book as being less humorous.
]
I think the part of Marianne was perfectly cast. Not only does she have the character's passionate spirit, but she also has great chemistry with Elinor. Since the two sisters are by design the exact opposite from each other, it can be difficult to show their love and loyalty to each other. She and ET accomplish it with flying colors.
Ditto. But, again, I liked the actresses (Irene Richard and Tracey Childs?) in the first S&S better than did others.
]
The more I see HG as Edward, the less I like him in that role. I think he stammers a bit too much. He could take lessons from ET and AR in "a little goes a long way". I realize this is just personal opinion and taste, but I think if he had just "turned back the knob" a bit he would have been much better.
I understand that ET originally thought of him for the role while they were filming Impromptu and he was (under)playing beautifully the role of the reticent Chopin. And I agree with her decision at that point. But I also think that his stammering has gotten to be almost a caricature. So, even though it was appropriate for Edward, he's just used it so many other times that it has gotten "old". And he can do other things. He was completely creepy and villanous in Maurice and that one about the theater troupe in he 1930's, also starring AR. Can't remember the name! My brain is going...;-)
]
Do you get the impression that the Hero of the movie is Col. Brandon, and the Heroine is Elinor? How odd. How often do you see or read a story where the Hero and Heroine aren't the least bit interested in each other?
Yes again!!! Although I've never thought about in those specific terms, I always wondered after reading the novel why Elinor and Brandon didn't become a couple. They seemed so well suited. I could never stand Marianne throughout the first 7/10 of the book, and I couldn't warm up to Edward at all. I wanted "my" Elinor to have the best! But how refreshing that the hero and heroine can be friends! :-)
] Well, these are my thoughts. Any comments?
You never cease to amaze me, mon ami! :-)

REPLIES:

Hugh Grant Monique 21:28:41 3/14/98 (1)

An Awfully Big Adventure. Kathleen Ann 16:43:49 3/16/98 (0)

That film, MB. Kathleen Ann 10:39:39 3/12/98 (14)

Yes!!!!! MB 15:29:58 3/12/98 (13)

It's not soooo bad... Andrea 17:45:18 3/12/98 (12)

Yeah, but the "love" story was still creepy! :-b MB 19:12:45 3/12/98 (11)

I know what you mean... Jen Y 22:33:58 3/12/98 (10)

Reactions Keith Logan 03:32:13 3/13/98 (9)

Taking a risk Bryn 10:04:03 3/13/98 (8)

I agree Bryn. Kathleen Ann 10:34:18 3/13/98 (7)

Re: "drowning" Bryn 13:02:56 3/13/98 (1)

Re: "drowning" Anita T 15:13:58 3/19/98 (0)

What is it with Rickman and.... MB 10:50:08 3/13/98 (4)

I'm such a pansy, compared to you-all Lee Evasdottir 11:07:30 3/13/98 (3)

To each his/her own. Kathleen Ann 17:44:14 3/13/98 (0)

Me too, sometimes Bryn 13:08:14 3/13/98 (0)

No, you probably just have better taste! ;-) (NFM) MB 11:39:32 3/13/98 (0)

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