Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

Last night I had the opportunity to catch up on one of my favourite stories, that of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, the story of the Dashwood sisters who suddenly find themselves driven from their comfortable home and into a cottage on the Devonshire coast, with little hope for the future.

For this is the end of the eighteenth century, where women rarely had the right to inherit property or money, and sadly for the three girls and their mother, their half-brother, John Dashwood (Mark Gatiss) -- a man who is completely under the thumb of his wife, Fanny (Claire Skinner) -- decides that the paltry sum that the four are entitled to will be more than enough to provide for them, and that he won't be giving them anything at all.

But for the widowed Mrs. Dashwood (Janet McTeer) it's a terrible blow, losing her beloved home Norland, and being faced with the knowledge that her daughters, Elinor (Hattie Morahan), Marianne (Charity Wakefield) and Margaret (Lucy Boynton) will never be able to marry very well, if at all.

It's an ugly fact of the time, and as we will see in the story, it will have some dire consequences for the two eldest girls.

Elinor is very savvy to the world around her, knowing that she's not at all beautiful by the standards of the day, and viewing life with a certain pragmatic nature. While they are still at Norwood, she meets Fanny Dashwood's brother, Edward Ferrars (Dan Stevens), a gentleman and the pair become friends. However, when the arrangements for the Dashwoods are made, they are separated, and Edward promises to come and visit them in Devonshire.

In contrast, there is Marianne, vivid, passionate and longing for romance in her life. While she is all of sixteen, she feels that she is more than old enough to love with all of her heart, and if she has very little sense about it, well -- who can exactly say 'no' to Marianne? And in Devonshire, she attracts the attentions of two gentlemen -- Colonel Brandon (David Morrissey) and Willoughby (Dominic Cooper). While the colonel is much older than Marianne and far steadier, it is Willoughby -- young, lover of poetry, and dashing about the countryside in his phaeton -- that Marianne falls for. It's a relationship full of romance, grand gifts and if Willoughby is a bit scandalous, no one is really protesting yet. It seems that the young couple are heading for the altar.

But even little villages have plenty of scandal, and when both Colonel Brandon and Willoughby seemingly vanish, Marianne continues her dreams of a happy future. As to Elinor's dreams, we don't quite know. When the two Dashwood girls are invited to come to London with their neighbor, Mrs. Jennings (Linda Basset), plenty of secrets are going to be revealed and not very happy ones at that...

Of course, I'm not going to reveal the ending of this one, it's simply too good to miss. Adapted by longtime BBC writer, Andrew Davies, from the novel of the same title by Jane Austen, this is a faithful look at the story. John Alexander takes on the directorial duties, and does a fine job of creating Georgian England, especially where society demanded a cool reserve, but there were plenty of emotion underneath.

I rather enjoyed this version, and it stands up very well to the 1995 theatrical version. With three hours to work with the story, there's a bit more to see in this one, especially where the relationship between Colonel Brandon and Willoughby are concerned. While most of the story is taken up with Marianne's story, we also get to see quite a bit more of the Ferrers, including the vile Fanny Dashwood, and the duplicious Lucy Steele (Anna Madeley). Particularly of note is the imperious Mrs. Ferrers, who is determined to rule her family through her pocketbook, and is pretty merciless about it. Of the male characters, both Edward Ferrers and Willoughby are pretty caddish in how they treat the Dashwood girls, but it was David Morrissey's Colonel Brandon that really caught my attention. He may be reserved, and have a bit of a cool exterior, but underneath, this is a man to be reckoned with, and it's shown to wonderful effect here.

Where this one really works, however, is in the recreation of Georgian England. From the clothing, which is perfectly done for the time, and the effects of daily living, to the grand houses of Wrotham Park and Ham House, which stand in for Norland and Cleveland, respectively, this is a gorgeous production to watch. Other fine touches include the luminous use of light, and the score by Martin Phipps.

The DVD version has several extras, including interviews with the producer Anne Pivcevic and screenwriter Andrew Davies, along with cast and crew commentaries. A radio play is also included, titled Remembering Jane Austen. An additional bonus is a related film, Miss Austen Regrets. This is bundled into a two disc set, and well worth the price.

While there are inevitable comparisons to the 1995 version with Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson, this one does fairly well in retrospect. While I still prefer the 1995 film, this one is still enjoyable, if only on a visual level, and the extra touches go a long way in making this a very enjoyable film.

Four stars overall. Recommended.



Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older