Period Drama Characters Game

In this game I will give you three names of characters from a period drama (or classic story) and you will guess what period drama (or classic story) they come from.

To Play: Leave a comment guessing what period drama each group of characters comes from. I'll respond with your score. Answers will be posted next weekend. 

Scoring: 10 points for each correctly guessed period drama. High score is 100 points.

Period Drama Characters:

#1. Sophia Grey, Mrs. Jennings, Sir John Middleton

#2. Lady Harriet Crumnor, Mr. Preston, Hyacinth Gibson

#3. Rosa Dartle, Thomas Traddles, Mr. Dick

#4. Thomas Clarkson, Marianne Thornton, William Pitt

#5. Myrtle Logue, Stanley Baldwin, Queen Elizabeth

#6. Pearl Pratt, Twister Turrill, Margaret Brown

#7. Flora Flinching, Mrs. Plornish, Edmund Sparkler

#8. Moody Spurgeon, Prissy Andrews, Mrs. Blewett

#9. Henrietta Musgrove, Lady Russell, Captain Harville

#10. Augusta Elton, Mrs. Goddard, Robert Martin

Happy guessing!

Period Drama Screencap Game - Answers!

These are the answers to the Period Drama Screencaps Game from last weekend. It was so lovely to have y'all play!

Answers:

Screencap #1

Answer: Death Comes To Pemberley

Screencap #2

Answer: Cinderella (2015)

A lovely film!

Screencap #3

Answer: Christy (TV series)

Screencap #4

Answer: The Importance Of Being Earnest (2002)

Screencap #5

Answer: Belle (2013)

Screencap #6

Answer: David Copperfield (2000)

Screencap #7

Answer: North & South

Screencap #8

Answer: Miss Potter

Screencap #9

Answer: Pride & Prejudice (1995)

Screencap #10

Answer: Jane Eyre (2011)

Players Scores:

Emily - 100 points

Emma, Plain and Tall - 100 points

Melody - 100 point

Sadie - 100 points

Olivia - 100 points

Kristine Schraven - 90 points

Naomi Bennet - 90 points

Ivy Miranda - 80 points

Lois Johnson - 50 points

Hamlette - 40 points

Period Drama Screencap Game!

It's been such a long time since I posted a game of any kind. I'm sorry for that, but hope to post more in future. Let's ease back into these games with a fairly easy screencaps game.

To Play: Leave a comment guessing what period drama each screencap comes from. I'll respond with your score. Answers will be posted next weekend.

Scoring: 10 points for each correctly guessed period drama. Maximum of 100 points can be earned.

Period Drama Screencaps:

Screencap #1

Screencap #2

Screencap #3

Screencap #4

Screencap #5

Screencap #6

Screencap #7

Screencap #8

Screencap #9

Screencap #10

Have fun!

Book Review: The Making Of A Marchioness

The Making Of A Marchioness by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Story: Emily Fox-Seton is a poor woman of good birth who works as a companion and assistant for various members of the upper class. Her chief employer is Lady Maria Bayne, who is both very selfish and very funny, although she does come to care for Emily. In a "Cinderella-like" ending, Emily eventually comes to marry a Marquis, Walderhurst, who is considerably older than her. The second portion, originally The Methods of Lady Walderhurst, continues on to show Emily having Walderhurst's child and his former heir, Alec Osborn, attempting to regain what he sees as his birthright.

Don't Judge A Book By It's Movie! This review will mostly focus on what an interesting book this is and how different it is from the ITV adaptation The Making Of A Lady (2012).

Firstly is the heroine, Emily Fox-Seton. She is the sweetest character and reminds me very much of Anne Elliot from Persuasion or Jane Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. She is always helping others and never complains, even when it requires her to walk several miles to town in pursuit of fish for her friend's dinner party. She puts others needs before her own so much that she doesn't even suspect that her future husband is really watching her and not the pretty socialite that she is trying to help catch his eye. In the film they made Emily out to be very shrewd and it didn't make sense to me that she would allow people like the Osbornes into her house when she could obviously tell that they wanted to kill her. In the book she is not a shrewd person at all, she is very kind and it is her kindness in trying to help the Osbornes that puts her life in danger. Like Jane Bennet, Emily always tries to see the best in people and only until she sees physical proof of the attempts on her life does she start to doubt that the Osbornes are good people.

Lady Maria Bayne isn't against the marriage of Emily to Lord Walderhurst. In the film Emily was sort of rude to Lady Maria and it sort of made perfect sense to me that Lady Maria would become estranged from them. In the book, Lady Maria not only approves of the match but she encourages it by helping Emily prepare for her new role as the marchioness! Lady Maria has a dry sense of humor and can be quite witty on occasion, and she is always Emily's friend.

Jane Cupp, Emily's maid is not seduced by Alec Osborne. It bothered me very much that in the film Emily's faithful companion is turned against her by Alec. It was lovely to know that the real Jane Cupp was loyal and protective of her mistress until the very end. She puts her own life in jeopardy in order to keep Emily and her unborn child safe. And she does not shoot Alec Osborne in self defense, he dies at the hands of someone else in another country.

Emily is not left helpless! In the movie, probably for dramatic effect, the servants leave Emily in the big mansion alone with the murderous Osbornes and she has no one to turn to and no way to get word to her husband. This always bothered me from the start because in a house that size there should be more than two servants and the house wasn't so far from town that the magistrate wouldn't get suspicious. In the book Emily has many servants around, Jane's mother even comes to stay and help with the pregnancy and Emily eventually makes some excuse to go to London and hides away there until the threat on her life is removed. She is not poisoned at all, her deathbed experience happens after the birth of her child when she almost gives up and the love of her husband is what calls her back to the land of the living.

Hester Osborne is generally a good character. Although Alec may persuade her to do some disreputable things, she never never plots with him to take Emily's life. Her servant does take some evil matters into her own hands but Hester never asks her to do those things. Hester does however dislike Emily for a longs time but eventually she comes back around and loves Emily as she deserves to be loved.

Overall: This is delightful book, full of light, kindness and true love. Emily Fox-Seton is a lovely character and worthy of being crowned a true literary heroine on the same footing as Elizabeth Bennet, Jane Eyre, Anne Shirley and Margaret Hale! The first part of the story is my favorite, but the second part isn't nearly so dark as portrayed in the film. I enjoyed listening to this book quite immensely and would recommend it to anyone who loves classic literature!

Newsflash: Love and Friendship

Attention all my Janeite friends! Another Jane Austen adaptation is in production!
Lady Susan is finally getting adapted for the big screen! I'm rather excited because I really enjoy this story written in letters, but a bit worried that they could take a bad spin on it and leave out the satire and wit that is Jane Austen's genius. I'm not familiar with the script writer or other production crew, but I know they are filming in Ireland now!

Story: Set in the 1790s, Love and Friendship centers on beautiful widow Lady Susan Vernon, who has come to the estate of her in-laws to wait out colorful rumors about her dalliances circulating through polite society. Whilst there, she decides to secure a husband for herself and her rather reluctant debutante daughter, Frederica.

Title: Instead of calling it Lady Susan this production is being called Love and Friendship. It is unclear why they have decided to use the title of one of Jane Austen's Juvenalia works, but it sort of makes sense since it like Lady Susan is written in letters and Love and Friendship is really what this story is all about. Mags at AustenBlog had some interesting thoughts on the title too.

Actors: Here are the actors listed on the IMDb page.

Kate Beckinsale as Lady Susan Vernon

She was Emma Woodhouse in Emma (1997) and is no stranger to period dramas. And now, at the age of 42, I am excited to see her portray Jane Austen's anti-heroine. She has the charm and the presence to capture Lady Susan to a tea!

Chloë Sevigny as Alicia Johnson

I am not familiar with this American actress but apparently she started out as a model/designer and this may be her first period drama. She looks good in the period costume below and I can see her being the gossipy best friend of Lady Susan. 

Xavier Samuel as Reginald De Courcy

This Australian actor's claim to fame is the Twightlist Saga but he has been in period dramas before and is the right age for Reginald. 

Stephen Fry as Mr. Johnson

I certainly never thought to see Mr. Fry in a Jane Austen adaptation but this story is different from Jane Austen's other novels and Mr. Johnson is similar to a Mr. Bennet character. 

Emma Greenwell as Catherine Vernon

I can't say I've ever seen her act but she has the right look for Catherine and funnily enough she is set to also play Caroline Bingley in Pride & Prejudice and Zombies. I hope they stay true to Jane Austen's character and make her the kind compassionate friend that Frederica needs.

Morfydd Clark as Frederica Vernon

This actress with the neat Welsh name is fairly new to the screen but she's not only lined up to play Frederica but also Georgiana Darcy in Pride & Prejudice and Zombies. I'm interested to see how they portray Frederica, hopefully as the sweet young lady that Jane Austen created.

James Fleet as ?

I'm very pleased to see Mr. Fleet in yet a third Jane Austen related film (Sense & Sensibility 1995, Death Comes To Pemberley) and another period drama! I'm hopefully that he will play Sir Reginald De Courcy, father of Reginald and Catherine.

Jemma Readgrave as ?

A wonderful actress, Jemma has portrayed Lady Bertram in Mansfield Park (2007) and has been in other period dramas. I'm thinking she will probably play Lady Catherine De Courcy mother of Reginald and Catherine, but there's a couple other roles she could play including Mrs. Manwaring whose husband Lady Susan entices.

Justin Edwards as ?

I've really enjoyed him on a few British panel shows and I have to say that this guy is comic genius. I'm picturing him as Sir James Martin, the blundering gentleman who wants to marry Frederica, but he'd be equally as good playing Mr. Manwaring or even Charles Vernon.

Tom Bennett as ?

He's been in a couple small period drama series but nothing major. Not sure what character he might play but it could be Charles Vernon or Sir James Martin, maybe Mr. Manwaring. 

Jenn Murray as ?

Not sure who she is set to play but I'm picturing her as either Miss Maria Manwaring or Frederica's teacher Miss Summers. Doesn't look like she's been in any period dramas but her name appears on the IMDb page.

Ross Mac Mahon as Owen

Firstly I'm not sure who this Owen character is, unless he's a servant or a friend of Reginald's. He's not on this handy dandy list of Lady Susan characters.

Production Photos:
Photos of actors in their costumes are already popping up! Costumes seem to be from the late 1700's which perfectly suits the time that Jane Austen wrote Lady Susan. Photos come from three different interesting articles: one, two, three. The photos seem like they might be from a scene towards the end of the story.

Xavier Samuel as Reginald De Courcy

Stephen Fry as Mr. Johnson

Chloë Sevigny as Alicia Johnson

Chloë Sevigny as Alicia Johnson

Chloë Sevigny & Kate Beckinsale

Chloë Sevigny & Kate Beckinsale

Kate Beckinsale as Lady Susan

Kate Beckinsale & Chloë Sevigny

All in all the film is looking like it will be good!

I am currently rereading Love and Freindship to see if it has any similarities to Lady Susan but other than the letters there isn't. I will be rereading Lady Susan next because it's been a while and it is brilliant! :)

Have you read Lady Susan?

What do you think of this cast?