THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB

US, 2007, 106 minutes, Colour.
Kathy Baker, Maria Bello, Marc Blucas, Emily Blunt, Amy Brenneman, Hugh Dancy, Maggie Grace, Jimmy Smits, Kevin Zegers, Nancy Travis, Lynn Redgrave.
Directed by Robin Swicord.

This is a book of product placement (and this is not meant to refer to the many scenes in and mentions of Starbucks). It is product placement for Jane Austen and her novels. While the screenplay tries to explain the many parallels between its characters and Jane’s, those not in the know might be hard put to appreciate what the characters are actually talking about. Buy the books!

Another difficulty is that the men in the film have not read Jane Austen’s novels while the women definitely have and love them, are happy to discuss them and to see the parallels in their own lives. It may be the same for audiences – though for the women getting the men to watch the film with them, they will be consoled that the men do read the books and finally become part of the Jane Austen book club.

One might call this an allegory of Jane Austen characters and situations. The six members (five women and one man) take a novel each and the film shows us the six months while each takes a turn in leading discussion on a particular novel. And the parallels and the references are there to enjoy. Yes, it is contrived. In fact, it is very, very contrived. Those not into this kind of structure may be wearied and put off, but those who enter into it and draw on their memories of the books and characters may well be fascinated.

There is a good cast. The attractive Maria Bello is unmarried but breeds dogs and tries to control people’s lives – for their benefit, of course. She is an Emma. She doesn’t realize she has met her Mr Knightly in the form of young science-fiction expert, Hugh Dancy, who tries to persuade her to read Ursula Le Guin. Amy Brenneman’s husband, Jimmy Smits, has walked out on her for another woman. She is a Fanny Price, serious and dutiful, from Mansfield Park. Her daughter, Maggie Grace, is in lesbian relationships. Her book is Sense and Sensibility. Emily Blunt is a buttoned up daughter of a hippy (Lynn Redgrave) and is dismayed by her one-of-the-boys husband. She and he have to go through a Persuasion experience. Hugh Dancy has taken on Northanger Abbey and set up a kind of Ghost Train experience in his house for the club meeting. A flamboyant Kathy Baker, founder of the club, has been married six times and ventures on a seventh in the spirit of Elizabeth Bennett.

While the film traces the ups and downs of relationships, it moves definitely at the end to up and up.

1.The continuing popularity of Jane Austen: literature, film versions, taste, humanity, moral issues? The continued popularity of the books, discussions of them, understandings of them?

2.The Jane Austen Book Club: for reading, monthly, discussions, meetings? The parallels with people’s lives? Understanding their crises? Model stories, stories of change? The traffic light: what would Jane do?

3.California, Sacramento, the city, city types, their lives, gyms and restaurants, charity dinners, homes? The range of characters? Their work? The musical score?

4.The introduction of the characters, in themselves, their interactions, decisions? Jocelyn and Bernadette, the reason for the club, Bernadette and her trying to help Prudie? Sylvia and the separation, concern about Sylvia? Jocelyn and her dogs, the funeral? Jocelyn and her encounter with Grigg? Allegro as Sylvia’s daughter? The book choices for each character? Reflecting their characters and situations?

5.Jocelyn as bright, at the gym, the death of her dog, the funeral – and its solemnity? Her breeding the dogs, living alone? Her skills? Her history of matchmaking, especially for Sylvia and Daniel? At the conference, the encounter with Grigg in the elevator, snubbing him? The Buffy Club strange characters in the elevator? Alone at the bar, apologising to Grigg? Talking, science fiction? The invitation? The plan for Sylvia to meet Grigg, egging him on, her changing, the touches of jealousy, the developments each month, Grigg telling her off? His giving her the books of Ursula Le Guin, her not reading them? Finally doing so, parking early outside his house, the meeting with his sister and the discussions, in love with him, the relationship, a future? The older woman and the younger man?

6.Grigg, at the science fiction convention, the background of his mother and his older sisters, his relationship with his father, the revelation of the science fiction stories, going to the conference, the meeting with Jocelyn, the attraction? Coming to the club, on his bike, his own house, his buying on impulse, going to buy the furniture with Jocelyn, buying the first thing? Impulsive? His observations about Jane Austen, thinking the books were a series, reading them, changing them, the Halloween decorations for the discussion of Northanger Abbey? The friendship with Sylvia, his sister coming to visit, being stern with Jocelyn, her reading the books, the happy relationship?

7.Sylvia and Daniel, at the restaurant, his confession, Sylvia upset, Daniel leaving? His bland comments? Sylvia seeing him at the supermarket, seeing the other woman? Allegra, her reaction, support for her mother? Everybody supporting Sylvia, her grief, having to cope with daily life, at home? The benefits of the club? Daniel and his coming to mow the lawn, not coming to the charity dinner, his coming to the beach, to the club? Sylvia and the friendship with Grigg? With the group? Brightening, the reconciliation at the beach?

8.Allegra, her relationships with her mother, her father, her relationships, the skydiving, the injury and landing, Corinne and helping her at the hospital, living with her, the happiness, discovering her story was being used and looked down on by Corinne? Meeting the doctor, her relationship with her?

9.Prudie, her teaching, French, buying the books, the young man in the shop, going to Paris, Dean and his changing his mind, going to the sports fixture? The meeting with Bernadette, the discussions about Jane Austen? Coming to the club, her arrogant manner, snobby remarks, speaking in French? Her referring to Jane, being superior? Her relationship with Dean, tense, his being away? The boy in the shop, his approach to her, seeing him and his relationships in the bookshop? Inviting her to the rehearsals of Brigadoon, listening to his lines, the decision to go to the motel, seeing the traffic lights, her not going?

10.Bernadette, breezy, her observations about her marriages and her husbands, wanting to help people, non-stop talk with Prudie, observing people? The happy ending with husband number seven?

11.The characters and corresponding to Jane Austen’s characters: Jocelyn as an interfering and matchmaking Emma, controlling, Grigg as her Mr Knightley? Sylvia as Fanny Price, Mansfield Park, dutiful? Allegro and the Dashwoods in Sense and Sensibility? Grigg, Northanger Abbey, science fiction, commenting that it was an early novel about novels? Bernadette as Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennett, the happy marriage? Prue and Dean, Persuasion, the situation parallel, her going away, his going away, coming back, her asking him to read the book, his doing so, joining the club?

12.How well did the allegories of each character and situation work? Giving insight?

13.The upbeat ending, the beach, the charity dinner, dancing, the banquet, Bernadette’s new husband? A future?