The usual suspects (Sense and Sensability (DVD))

Member Name: Bryn Pearson

Product:	Sense and Sensability (DVD)
Date:	30/01/03 (158 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Alan Rickman, good script, subtle humour

Disadvantages: none

I have a bit of a weakness for period dramas - the costumes, the romance, the big houses. There's something very British about it all and never more so than when Jane Austin has had a hand in it. This excellent version of Sense and Sensibility owes a lot to strong direction from Ang Lee coupled with a skillfully devised script from Emma Thompson.

The Plot: The Dashwood fmaily are beset with problems - the death fo the father leaves the mother and three unmarried daughters homeless and with very little money - the father's estate defaulting to his brother. The Dashwood women (Gemma Jones, Emma Thompson, Kate Winslett and a young lass whose name escapes me) move into a relatively small place and face a significant fall in social standing. The chances of getting the young women married off is reduced by their less than wealthy state. being Jane Austin, getting young women married off to suitable men is what it's all about.

Elinor (Emma Thompson) is the sensible one, careful with her feelings and not prone to dramatic outbursts. She harbours a very secret love for Edward Ferras - Hugh Grant, a man with a few awkward secrets of his own that make it difficult for their romance to even begin.

Marianne (Kate Winslett) is the younger sister, tempestuous, pasionate and lacking in restraint. She falls for Willoughby - one of those brooding heartbreaker types with dramatic cheekbones. Despite the fact that he's blatantly up to no good, she encourages his attentions and discourages her older admirer, Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman.) I'll say now that I don't see how any heroine could resist the combination of Brandon's character and Rickman's presence, even in favour of someone as overtly sexy as Willoughby. Rickman just has too much style.

I'll add now that it's nice to see a film in which Rickman isn't playing a villan.

In the background, Gemma Jones does a superb job of the put-upon Mrs D
ashwood, and there's excellent support from Robert Hardy, Hugh Laurie, Imelda Staunton and Imogen Stubbs (many of whom count as 'usual suspects' for this sort of period stuff.)

It does deviate a tad from the original - I found it noticably more funny, and in many ways Emma Thompson is a tad old for the part, although she carries it off very well indeed.

Being basicaly a romantic comedy with costumes and antiquated language, you may be able to take some guesses at the likely outcome. Along the way there's some beautiful shots, some moments of real passion, some excellent humour, some social observation - its a very rich piece. Unlike most American blockbusters, there's lot of intelligent dialogue, detailed characterisation and subtle humour. Well worth curling up with some evening.

Summary: