Within the first five minutes, Ang Lee's "Sense and Sensibility" assures us we are in good hands. The opening montage-in which a weak, selfish man allows his vain and even more selfish wife to goad him into denying his stepfamily the financial aid they will so desperately need after his father's death-presents social hypocrisy in the same succinct, sly manner that infuses this and all of Jane Austen's work.
The stepfamily in question consists entirely of women: the late Mr. Dashwood's second wife (Gemma Jones) and daughters Eleanor (Emma Thompson, who also penned the marvelous screenplay), Marianne (Kate Winslet), and Margaret (Emilie Francios). As with many of Austen's characters, Eleanor and Marianne represent ideological extremes: the former is sedate and rational, while the latter is a dyed-in-the-wool romantic. Both are at a disadvantage in Regency England, having neither husbands to help support them nor the wealth and connections which might aid them in marriage. 'You will inherit your living,' Eleanor points out to a male friend, 'We cannot even earn ours.'
The gentleman with whom she shares this confidence is her sister-in-law's brother, Edward (Hugh Grant, doing his usual awkward politeness routine but doing it well nonetheless). Between Eleanor and Edward there seems to be a mutual albeit restrained affection, but circumstances conspire to keep them apart. Marianne, meanwhile, becomes enamored of a young rogue (Greg Wise) who seems to answer all her fantasies of a dashing, passionate lover, while ignoring the polite attentions of an older, more reserved suitor (Alan Rickman). That everything will be sorted out to the advantage of all who deserve it will come as no surprise to anyone familiar with either Jane Austen or the romantic comedy genre in general, but it's a delight to watch all the same.
'Sense and Sensibility' is one of those ensemble pieces which British actors always seem to shine in. Though the casting is not flawless (as mentioned elsewhere, Thompson makes a rather older Eleanor than Austen originally envisioned), it is hard to complain when the results are so effective. There is not a weak performance to be found here, whether the scene calls for broad comic characters, dramatic tears and sighs (of which Winslet has the lion's share), or for passions carefully hidden behind a façade of propriety (as with Rickman, who proves his range extends far beyond the snarling villain). Lee puts his cast in evocative settings, which have the muted elegance of an old oil painting, and films them in such a way as to draw the maximum effect from the actors' performances. Small moments such as Eleanor sitting resignedly in the hallway while her mother and sisters cry in their bedrooms are given more weight by the way the camera lingers on them, at times studying the characters intimately, and at others lingering at a respectful distance, as if it too were bound by the strictures of polite and ordered society.
While not as superb as A&E's remarkable mini-series of 'Pride and Prejudice,' 'Sense and Sensibility' is effective and well-made, a worthy adaptation of a classic novel.
The stepfamily in question consists entirely of women: the late Mr. Dashwood's second wife (Gemma Jones) and daughters Eleanor (Emma Thompson, who also penned the marvelous screenplay), Marianne (Kate Winslet), and Margaret (Emilie Francios). As with many of Austen's characters, Eleanor and Marianne represent ideological extremes: the former is sedate and rational, while the latter is a dyed-in-the-wool romantic. Both are at a disadvantage in Regency England, having neither husbands to help support them nor the wealth and connections which might aid them in marriage. 'You will inherit your living,' Eleanor points out to a male friend, 'We cannot even earn ours.'
The gentleman with whom she shares this confidence is her sister-in-law's brother, Edward (Hugh Grant, doing his usual awkward politeness routine but doing it well nonetheless). Between Eleanor and Edward there seems to be a mutual albeit restrained affection, but circumstances conspire to keep them apart. Marianne, meanwhile, becomes enamored of a young rogue (Greg Wise) who seems to answer all her fantasies of a dashing, passionate lover, while ignoring the polite attentions of an older, more reserved suitor (Alan Rickman). That everything will be sorted out to the advantage of all who deserve it will come as no surprise to anyone familiar with either Jane Austen or the romantic comedy genre in general, but it's a delight to watch all the same.
'Sense and Sensibility' is one of those ensemble pieces which British actors always seem to shine in. Though the casting is not flawless (as mentioned elsewhere, Thompson makes a rather older Eleanor than Austen originally envisioned), it is hard to complain when the results are so effective. There is not a weak performance to be found here, whether the scene calls for broad comic characters, dramatic tears and sighs (of which Winslet has the lion's share), or for passions carefully hidden behind a façade of propriety (as with Rickman, who proves his range extends far beyond the snarling villain). Lee puts his cast in evocative settings, which have the muted elegance of an old oil painting, and films them in such a way as to draw the maximum effect from the actors' performances. Small moments such as Eleanor sitting resignedly in the hallway while her mother and sisters cry in their bedrooms are given more weight by the way the camera lingers on them, at times studying the characters intimately, and at others lingering at a respectful distance, as if it too were bound by the strictures of polite and ordered society.
While not as superb as A&E's remarkable mini-series of 'Pride and Prejudice,' 'Sense and Sensibility' is effective and well-made, a worthy adaptation of a classic novel.