SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

UK, 1995, 135 minutes, Colour.
Emma Thompson, Kate Winslett, Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant, Harriet Walter, Gemma Jones, Elizabeth Spriggs, Greg Wise, Robert Hardy, Imelda Staunton, Imogen Stubbs.
Directed by Ang Lee.

Sense and Sensibility won many of the main awards of 1995: Oscar, Golden Globe, Golden Bear at Berlin. With the release of Persuasion and the television screening of Pride and Prejudice, it was Jane Austen's hour. What possessed British film-makers to go to the modest woman who wrote six novels, dead at 42, not living long enough to relish success?

The elegance of the writing and the stylish beauty of the language are an attraction, one which the Emma Thompson as screenwriter retains making the films a feast of words. The well-mannered decorum of the period, its bonnets and top hat costume and decor are another attraction.

And the plots? All Jane Austen's novels have much the same plot. Impoverished (with genteel rather than unseemly poverty) but eminently sensible heroine, on whom everyone, especially parents and sisters rely, seems destined for spinsterhood but ultimately finds the right man. The themes are explored with humour and pathos in Sense, more melancholy in Persuasion.

Directed by Taiwanese Ang Lee (Wedding Banquet, Eat Drink Man Woman, it is nevertheless meticulously English. Much of this is due to Emma Thompson's intelligent screenplay adapting the key elements of the novel to the screen. She also gives a perfectly timed and judged performance as Eleanor, once again the exact Austen heroine of sense.

Kate Winslett (Heavenly Creatures and Ophelia to Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet) contrasts well with a romantic sensibility. Gemma Jones is excellent as the mother, not silly like Mrs Bennett or Anne Elliot's sister, Mary. But there is an exhilarating performance by Elizabeth Spriggs as Mrs Jennings, full of extraverted verve, gossip and matchmaking.

Alan Rickman's Colonel Brandon is the closest to Mr Darcy, but his response is to the romantic Marianne Dashwood. Eleanor Dashwood's love is for the charming but immature Edward Ferrars, played accordingly by Hugh Grant.

And the relevance of early 19th century estate and parish crises? Jane Austen's finely wrought but circumscribed mirrors focus attention on key human experiences that we are too rushed and ill-mannered to consider deeply.

1. Impact of the film, acclaim, awards?

2. The popularity of Jane Austen in the 1990s? The quality of her literature and its status, her command of language, delineation of character, plot, settings? The early 19th century? The film re-creating the Jane Austen world, the range of locations, the countryside and the hills, the stately mansions, the cottages? The sea? London? Costumes and decor? The score echoing the music of the period?

3. Jane Austen and her confined world? Her focus on people, on character and characters, her relationships, family, status, money, love? Universal themes, elegantly presented, as relevant to the 20th and 21st centuries?

4. Jane Austen's basic plotline: the older heroine, her sense, reliable, managing the household, the confidante of everyone, supporting parents, sisters, her love and its reticence, the final relationship?

5. The title and its meanings, Elinor and Marianne as sense and sensibility? The description fitting other characters in the film? The men?

6. The deathbed opening, John Dashwood and listening to his father, the bequest to his stepmother and stepsisters, the discussions with Fanny, the mobility of the couple, the carriages, the rooms? The dialogue and their discussion about society? Fanny's greed, reducing the money given to the women, ousting from the house? This piece all during the opening credits?

7. Mrs Dashwood and her grief, her being hurt by John, the hopes for the home and her daughters? The contrast with Elinor and her decision to be reasonable and nice to everyone? Very civil, coping? The confidante of the family? The contrast with Marianne and her romanticism, the mournful piano pieces, the atmosphere of melancholy? Margaret and her hiding under tables, in the house in the trees, hiding from Edward and his putting the atlas under the table? Her military games? John and his dithering style, influenced by Fanny, her elitism and snobbery, her cruelty? Her being governed by expectations of society?

8. Fanny and Edward's arrival, her ousting Margaret from the room, Edward's courtesy in going to the guest room? The incident with the atlas and his friendship with Margaret, bringing her out, talking, sharing exotic stories, playing with her? The meals and the tension, Mrs Dashwood and her wanting to move, Marianne and her being rude and ignoring Fanny? Margaret and her bluntness? Elinor and the growing interest in Edward, the beginnings of love, the walks, their sharing? The critical eye of Fanny and her talking with Mrs Dashwood? Mrs Dashwood's decision to leave? Elinor's love, sense and her restraint? Marianne and her criticisms of Elinor's lack of communication? Edward not revealing the truth about Lucy?

9. The move, the drive through the country, the cottage and the gift by Sir John? Genteel poverty? Mrs Jennings and Sir John rushing to meet them, their gusto, the laughter, the love for gossip, playing, the meals? Mrs Jennings and her curiosity about Mr F? Playing cards, her interfering? Supporting Brandon, supporting Willoughby, interest in Lucy and her secrets? The atmosphere of the home? Her daughter and her glee and rowdiness? The similarity of mother and daughter? The contrast with Mr Palmer, his political background, his wry and reticent comments? Their all going to London, Mrs Jennings trying to help, her learning news, bearer of sad news, letting the family go back to the country? The humour of these characters and the caricature touches?

10. Colonel Brandon and his friendship with Sir John, his visits, the background of his story, the East Indies, the friendship with Margaret, the attraction to Marianne? His shyness? His being upstaged by Willoughby and treated badly by Marianne? His sudden departure from the picnic? His telling Elinor the story in London, the sad fate of the girl that he wanted to marry, the daughter, the seduction by Willoughby? Her disappearance, his going to find her? His courtesy to the family, his going to London, helping Elinor, helping them back, Marianne's illness, going to get her mother? Marianne and her convalescence, his attention, his improving his reading of poetry? The happy marriage?

11. The contrast with Willoughby, Marianne's fall in the rain, a Heathcliffe-like appearance? His knowledge of Shakespeare, his romantic rendition of the sonnets? His courtesy, his family background, Lady Allen? His attentions to Marianne, her response, her not worrying about propriety? The expectations? The picnic? His dislike of Brandon? His sudden departure for London, no word of explanation, Marianne's disappointment? Her going to London, writing him letters, his not answering, the ball and her not worrying about propriety and what people would think? The discovery of the truth? His spurning her? The irony of his riding his horse to look at the final wedding ceremonies and his riding away? The picture of the 19th century cad?

12. Edward and his absence, sending the gift, the sisters not understanding? The story of his relationship with Lucy, the engagement, his education? Lucy and her confiding this story to Elinor and Elinor's having to cope? The lack of encounter in London? The ball and Robert's appearance? Lucy and her moving to stay with Fanny and John? Lucy confiding in Fanny and her angry response? The irony of Lucy and Robert and the transfer of affections and the marriage? Sufficient indication given for the behaviour at the ball, the dancing?

13. Marianne and her sensibility, her romantic personality, her skill with the piano, playing the melancholy music? Her singing - and her charming Brandon? His attentions to her and her disregard? Going for the walk in the rain with Margaret? Being found by Willoughby, carried home? The outings, the exhilaration, the family support? The picnic and Brandon's departure, Willoughby's departure and the unsatisfactory explanation? Her being in London and absorbed by the infatuation, writing the letters at all hours, no response? Encountering Willoughby at the ball, her going into the room, discovering the truth, her collapse? The return and her going for the walk in the rain, the melancholy, her illness, the doctor, the bleeding, the care by Brandon and Elinor? The courtesy of Mr Palmer? (And his wife rushing away with the baby for health's sake?) Her improvement, return home, her having learnt from experience, listening to the attentions of Brandon, his reading the poetry, her accepting him and the marriage?

14. The character of Elinor and her sense, reasonable and practical, care of the family, confidante and making decisions? Her love for Edward, her not revealing it? Her expectations, coping with disappointment? Lucy confiding her secret and her response? The news of Edward's wedding and her finally weeping and Marianne's response? In London, demure, coping? The ball and Marianne's disappointment? Taking Marianne home, her reliance on Colonel Brandon? The meeting with Edward with Lucy present and his inability to stay? Her return home, her acceptance of the simplicities of life, her not marrying? The arrival of Edward and the truth? The happy ending?

15. Edward and his presence, his weakness, his being offered the parish by Brandon and Elinor's interview with him to offer him the benefice? His breaking with Lucy, the return to the Dashwoods, and the happy ending?

16. Mrs Jennings' daughter, her absolute exuberance, taking after her mother? The contrast with Mr Palmer and his observations? His kindness to Elinor and Marianne?

17. Mrs Dashwood, her hopes, living on the surface, not having the hysteria of other mothers in Jane Austen's work?

18. The final celebration and the mood of the ending? Humour and romance with touches of melancholy?

19. The skill of the screenplay, Emma Thompson's adaptation of the novel, the quality of the writing, the insight into the characters? Her own performance as Elinor?