Sanditon (2019)

"...but are they all horrid, are you sure they are all horrid?” 

- Catherine Morland, Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey

The first two episodes of Sanditon (2019) have come to Masterpiece Theatre. 

I watched them with great curiosity to see if Sanditon (2019) could possibly be as horrid as every true-hearted Janeite thought it would be. 

My answer is the same as Isabella Thorpe's: “Yes, quite sure..." 

Sanditon (2019) has a great cast, lovely costumes and amazing locations but so far the storyline is more akin to horrid Gothic novels than the delightful last fragment of a novel written by Jane Austen. 

I have reread Jane Austen's Sanditon just to make sure I'm not misjudging the TV miniseries. There's a fair amount of material to work with in those twelve chapters and sadly Andrew Davies seems to have only used the characters names. Even their personalities have been vastly changed and some of the characters were endowed with all sort of vices that would have made dear Miss Jane turn in her grave! 

There were some interesting bits and I really wanted to like the Parkers but alas the delightful Parkers were even so changed that it was difficult to enjoy their parts of the story. 

Will I continue watching? Probably but not sure it will be on my list to ever watch again.

To quote Mr. Knightley: "Very badly done indeed!"

Jane Austen Would You Rather

A while back Cordy from Write On, Cordy! tagged me in a Jane Austen Would You Rather tag. There's some really fun questions here! Sorry Cordy for taking so long to repost this. I hope y'all enjoy these questions and take some time to answer them yourself.

Who would you rather have act as your matchmaker, Lady Russell (from Persuasion) or Mrs. Jennings?  Mrs. Jennings. I actually have quite an appreciation for her motherly kindness even though she is a bit embarrassing at times. She made very good matched for her two daughters and Marianne Dashwood that combined personality matching (and kind regard, if not love) with being comfortably well settled in their married life. Even her matching Elinor up with Colonel Brandon (towards the end of the book) was not a bad match at all had their hearts not already been tied to others. Lady Russell means well I'm sure but she worries too much about rank and wealth.

Who would you like as a pen pal from Jane Austen's works? Probably Fanny Price. She was a faithful correspondent to her brother William and she keeps her letters newsy. I'd love to have her a a pen pal!

Who would you rather go on a walk with, Colonel Fitzwilliam or Captain Benwick? That's a tricky one because they both sound delightful! But while a country walk around Rosings with the good humored Colonel Fitzwilliam sounds lovely, I think I'd rather have a brisk seaside jaunt with the poetry spouting Captain Benwick!

Who would you rather have to befriend, Mrs. Elton or Lucy Steele? Mrs. Elton. I am very like Jane Fairfax so I think I could befriend Mrs. Elton fairly well, at least she speaks her mind most of the time. Lucy Steele is much more of a double crossing type person who says one thing to your face and does another behind your back, I couldn't handle that type of person.

Who would you rather have as a sibling, John Knightley or Mary [Musgrove] (from Persuasion, not Mary Bennet)? John Knightley. He's kind and has a great snarky sense of humor (reminds me of my dad actually). Mary Musgrove is just plain annoying!

Who would you rather dance with? (Very open book!) Hard one! Probably Henry Tilney but perhaps Mr. Knightley - both elegant dancers and gentlemanly partners.

Who would you rather refuse, Mr. Collins or Mr. Elton? Mr. Elton. At least he would get the point right off and not persist on ignoring my refusal.

Who would you rather match-make for, Miss Bates or Mary Bennet? Mary Bennet. I think a studious young minister should be easy enough to find as she could help him to write his sermons, or what about a foreign missionary!

Who would you rather have as a best friend? Eleanor Tilney, always and forever. She's one of my favorite characters in Northanger Abbey and I just love her practical good sense, sweetness and good humor.

Who would you rather argue with? (Mrs. Bennet, Lady Catherine, Emma Woodhouse, Mr. Woodhouse, Mr. Palmer, Mrs. Jennings, Fanny Dashwood, Captain Wentworth, Mr. Darcy, ect.)
From the list I think that Captain Wentworth would be the most interesting person to argue with, challenging because he always makes sense, fun because his sense of humor always comes through.

Would you rather wander the grounds of Pemberley and risk being 'discovered' or wander over the downs surrounding Barton Cottage in the rain and twist an ankle? Usually I'd choose physical pain over emotional strain but Pemberley would be awesome to explore and meeting Mr. Darcy wouldn't be horrible. He can keep his wet shirts through!

Where would you live in Austen's works? That's hard to decide! There's a lot of interesting places to visit such as Bath, Lyme Regis or Pemberley but I feel like a small village such as Highbury in Emma would be more my speed. So I think I might like to live at Donwell Abbey (Mr. Knightley's residence in Emma). But I also like the idea of a country parsonage so maybe Mr. Tilney's smaller house at Woodston from Northanger Abbey.


Now It's Your Turn To Answer:
Who would you rather have act as your matchmaker, Lady Russell (from Persuasion) or Mrs. Jennings?
Who would you like as a pen pal from Jane Austen's works?
Who would you rather go on a walk with, Colonel Fitzwilliam or Captain Benwick?
Who would you rather have to befriend, Mrs. Elton or Lucy Steele?
Who would you rather have as a sibling, John Knightley or Mary (from Persuasion, not Mary Bennet)?
Who would you rather dance with? (Very open book!)
Who would you rather refuse, Mr. Collins or Mr. Elton?
Who would you rather match-make for, Miss Bates or Mary Bennet?
Who would you rather have as a best friend?
Who would you rather argue with? (Mrs. Bennet, Lady Catherine, Emma Woodhouse, Mr. Woodhouse, Mr. Palmer, Mrs. Jennings, Fanny Dashwood, Captain Wentworth, Mr. Darcy, ect.) 
Would you rather wander the grounds of Pemberley and risk being 'discovered' or wander over the downs surrounding Barton Cottage in the rain and twist an ankle?
Where would you live in Austen's works?

Love & Friendship Trailer!

A most delightful trailer for Love & Friendship (2016), the new adaptation of Jane Austen's minor work Lady Susan, has been released!

First go over to IMDb or YouTube and watch the trailer: once, twice, or ten times (like I have!), then come back and we'll discuss!

DeCourcy Family (plus Frederica Vernon)

Did you laugh? I laughed a LOT and my sister watched it right before going into work and she was quoting the silly lines over to herself and giggling. :)

Lady Susan and Reginald DeCourcy

From the trailer Love & Friendship (2016) looks:

• Witty - terribly funny!
• Very close to the original story, minus the letter writing.
• Very well cast, actors are talented in their craft.
• Costumes and scenes are very rich and beautiful - for instance Lady Susan and her daughter are dressed in mourning as is proper. 
• There's the addition of a companion/lady's maid for Lady Susan named Mrs. Cross who has red hair!  Perhaps she will be a means of foiling Lady Susan's plans? 
• Very distinctly set in the 1790's and the costumes and hairstyles very clearly reflect that - perhaps odd for what one thinks of a Jane Austen adaptation, but it is a different sort of story from all of her other novels. So exciting!

Miss Cross and Lady Susan meeting Catherine and Reginald

Now here's some technical stuff.

The text from the trailer: "Lady Susan has no husband, no money, but she has a plan: marry off her daughter, find herself a rich husband and rendezvous with her lover. A lady's work is never done. Based on Jane Austen's comic genius. From writer and director Whit Stillman."


Premier Dates: May 13th, 2016 (USA) and 27 May 2016 (UK) in limited cinemas. It debuted at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23rd and was well received by Janeites such a Margaret Sullivan of AustenBlog (read her review here).

Cast Of Characters: 

I've done some screencaps from the trailer to give some idea of what the characters look like. Their costumes are lovely and most sound exceedingly delightful!

Kate Beckinsale as Lady Susan Vernon

Chloë Sevigny as Alicia Johnson

Morfydd Clark as Frederica Vernon

Xavier Samuel as Reginald DeCourcy

Tom Bennett as Sir James Martin

His lines in the trailer were hillarious! I think he's going to be the most comical character in the whole film! 

Jemma Redgrave as Lady DeCourcy

James Fleet as Sir Reginald DeCourcy

 This is his third Jane Austen film! (The others are Sense & Sensibility 1996 and Death Comes To Pemberley.)

Kelly Campbell as Mrs. Cross

 A new addition to the story.

Justin Edwards as Charles Vernon

Emma Greenwell as Catherine Vernon

Lochlainn O Mearáinn as Lord Manwaring

Jenn Murray as Lady Lucy Manwaring

Stephen Fry as Mr. Johnson

(with Jenn Murray as Lady Lucy Manwaring)

My Thoughts: The more I worked with the screencaps the more the costumes in Love & Friendship (2016) remind me of costumes from Sense and Sensibility (1995), Pride and Prejudice (2005) and Northanger Abbey (1987), although much more elegant than the latter. They are certainly different from the early 1800's clothing that one sees in most other Jane Austen adaptations but that only helps me to identify it as one of her much earlier works and give an idea of how the time period was when she was a girl. I'm muchly encourage and excited to see that the trailer doesn't show anything that could be considered inappropriate, so I am in high hopes of a fairly clean film. Overall I'm quite excited to see this movie! And I'm going to listen to my audiobook version of Lady Susan in preparation.  

After watching the trailer are you excited about this film?

What are your thoughts of the cast and costumes?

Master and Commander: The Far Side Of The World (2003)

This is one of those films that has been on my "to review" list for quite awhile now and I'm finally getting around to finishing this review as part of the 2016 Period Drama Challenge.

Before viewing Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World for the first time, I had debated watching it. I'm not a huge fan of "war films" and wasn't sure weather the content was appropriate. After reading a brief snipet on one of my favorite Jane Austen blogs that likened the hero Captain Jack Aubrey to Captain Wentworth of Persuasion I knew that I had to watch this film for myself.

What I found was a lovely tale, simply told, that takes place all at sea (with a brief jaunt across a deserted island). A film that swells the heart with fervor for the British navy and left me repeating Louisa Musgrove's words from Persuasion (1995): "I do admire the navy. These men have more worth than any other set of men in England!"

Story: During the Napoleonic War the navy represented England in the seas. Captain Jack Aubrey runs a tight ship, but when they meet up with the French ship The Acheron in the fog they are beaten badly. Captain Aubrey decides to follow chase, but the longer they sail the more his ship and crew fall apart physically and emotionally. Will they survive as heroes or die with no one to mourn?

Music: In the dramatic opening, scenes that show what life on board shop is like, music is used sparingly and this is very well done because you also get to hear the sounds of the ship. As the film progresses more music is heard, simple and fitting the Regency era. Captain Aubrey and Doctor Maturin play the violin and cello together in the evenings, mostly classical pieces like Mozart and Bach, but they sometimes break into more folk-like music. The crew often sings sea-shanties to raise their spirits and those are such good fun and show off the actors voices. Overall the music is wonderfully period appropriate and suits each scene perfectly.

Scenes: Shows the closeness of the ship but without seeming overly crowded. Horizons at sea are gorgeous. As they sail through South America they land on a small island with rocky terrain but the views are still remarkable.

Costumes: No fine Regency costumes are needed here since most all of the film is about sailors out to sea. The sailors' uniforms are well made and fit well, down to the youngest midshipman. No spotless sailors here, their uniforms and other clothing articles get wet, sweaty, dirty, bloody and all the rest like real clothing would have.

Language: Even for sailors their language is mostly clean and there is little swearing. The worst I hear was by a sailor they picked in a rowboat he does use the F word once briefly and I probably caught it because I had the subtitles on. There might have been a couple sh--s and da--s but I can't recall. Speech is mostly Regency era appropriate and fun to hear orders and such being given and sounding in every day use.

Inappropriate Content: Sailors might have a bad reputation when on land, but even pirates of their era were expected to behave with honor and under certain rules on board ship. No women are ever on board The Surprise and no sexual content is in this film. There is some drinking shown and spirits are high due to that but nothing lewd is shown or mentioned.

Violence: Scenes of war aboard ship are shown. Exploding cannons that destroy ship and wood, attacks from enemy ship, charging another ship, fighting with swords and clubs, a sailor receives lashes, sailors are injured, one young man has to have a limb removed, other men die through injury or being lost at sea, some vomit during rough seas and one man removes a bullet from his own gut but nothing too gross is shown. Overall not a lot of blood is shown and the Captain and crew are not brutal.

Familiar Actors: Many familiar actors from BBC period dramas do a fantastic job in their roles. Several actors have played sailors in other films or portrayed other Regency era characters. These are a few I recognized:

• Russell Crowe as Captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey - Also in Robin Hood (2010), Les Miserables (2012).
• Paul Bettany as Dr. Stephen Maturin, Surgeon - Also in David Copperfield (2000),  A Knight's Tale, The Young Victoria
• James D'Arcy as 1st Lt. Tom Pullings - Also in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (2001), Poirot: The Mystery of the Blue Train, Marple: The Moving Finger, Mansfield Park (2007), The Making of a Lady.
• Lee Ingleby as Hollom, Midshipman - Also in Ever After, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (2001), Marple: Nemesis.
• Robert Pugh as Mr. Allen, Master - The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain, Marple: A Murder Is Announced, Bleak House, Poirot Cards On the Table, Lark Rise To Candleford, Robin Hood (TV series), Robin Hood (2010), Doctor Who, The Hollow Crown.
• Richard McCabe as Mr. Higgins, Surgeon's Mate - Persuasion (1995), Foyle's War (TV series), Vanity Fair (2004), Jane Eyre (2006), Cinderella (2015).
• Billy Boyd  as Barrett Bonden, Coxswain - The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

"Louisa, by whom she found herself walking, burst forth into raptures of admiration and delight on the character of the navy: their friendliness, their brotherliness, their openness, their uprightness; protesting that she was convinced of sailors having more worth and warmth than any other set of men in England; that they only knew how to live, and they only deserved to be respected and loved." - Chapter 11, Persuasion by Jane Austen

My Thoughts: Jane Austen's Persuasion is one of my favorite novels and Persuasion (1995) is one of my favorite period dramas of all time and this film really fits in with that story. Master and Commander show the nobleness and adventures of naval officers during the Napoleonic war, such as those experienced by Captain Wentworth, Admiral Croft, William Price or even Jane Austen's own brothers Francis and Charles Austen. Similar to the Horatio Hornblower films but with even less violence and questionable content. Master and Commander: The Far Side Of The World is definitely a new favorite period film in the Regency era and one that I would watch side by side with Persuasion film adaptations.

Recommendations: Rated PG-13 mostly for some military violence and brief language (most barely audible). I wouldn't recommend this for younger viewers but for teenagers on up it is quite alright. If you like the Horatio Hornblower films, Persuasion adaptations, Poldark (TV series) or military films in general you will probably enjoy this film.

Have you seen Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World?

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Period Drama Actor: Alan Rickman

Last week we lost a very talented actor who portrayed a wide variety of characters in his 69 years. Every Janeite or Period Drama fan will easily recognize our own dear Colonel Brandon from Sense & Sensibility (1995). Here's a look at some of those roles and a bit about the actor's life and some quotes.

Interesting Facts:

Full Name: Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman

Height: 6' 1"

Born: 21 February 1946, Hammersmith, London, England, UK

Married To: Rima Horton, who he met in college in 1965. Alan once said: "She's incredibly tolerant. Unbelievably tolerant. Possibly a candidate for sainthood."

Short Bio: Parents are Bernard Rickman and Margaret Doreen Rose. Has English, Irish and Welsh ancestry. Before becoming an actor, he studied graphic design at Chelsea College of Art and Design and at the Royal College of Art, forming a successful graphic design company, Graphiti, with several friends. He didn't start acting until he was twenty-eight year old. During his time at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, he worked as a dresser for actors. Called stage acting his "first love" and often took breaks from film and television to preform in plays. Lost his short but difficult battle with cancer on 14 January 2016.

Personal Quotes:

"I do take my work seriously and the way to do that is not to take yourself too seriously."

"I approach every part I'm asked to do and decide to do from exactly the same angle: who is this person, what does he want, how does he attempt to get it, and what happens to him when he doesn't get it, or if he does?"

"I don't play villains, I play very interesting people."

~*~

A Few Of His Roles:

Tybalt in Romeo & Juliet (1978 TV Movie)

One of Mr. Rickman's first television roles was as Tybalt in Romeo & Juliet. He looked so young! I tried to find a video clip but alas there are none available on YouTube.

~*~

Obadiah Slope in The Barchester Chronicles (1982 TV Mini-Series) 

Besides Sense and Sensibility (1995) this has to be my second favorite of Mr. Rickman's period drama roles. Obadiah is a slick operator with a pious air who at once makes the viewer laugh and cringe! Below is a few funny scenes that a YouTuber put into a video, the last one with Obadiah falling flat on his behind always makes me laugh!

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Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)

I don't really recommend this film but this rather odd version of the classic Robin Hood story is proof positive that Alan Rickman was excellent at portraying bad guys! An interesting happening in this film sees Alan Rickman acting alongside Geraldine McEwan for the second time, the first time being in The Barchester Chronicles.

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Colonel Christopher Brandon in Sense and Sensibility (1995)

This is definitely my most favorite role that Mr. Rickman has taken on. In this film he perfectly captured the kind, gentle and passionate nature of the mature army colonel who finds true love with the passionate Marianne Dashwood. When I think of this adaptation some of the loveliest scenes that come to mind include Colonel Brandon showing his true love for Marianne by putting her needs and the needs of her family above his own needs. Below is a clip of my most favorite Colonel Brandon scene where he reads a poem from Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene to Marianne.

My heart melts into a puddle after viewing this scene! Yes, Alan Rickman is definitely my favoritest Colonel Brandon of all time! And I for one don't mind in the least that Emma Thompson made up a first name for this Jane Austen hero, there is something handsome in the sound of Christopher Brandon! Also check out this short interview from the set of the film.

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A few other roles:

• Voice of Blue Caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland (2010) & Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)
• Professor Severus Snape in eight Harry Potter films (I've never seen them myself but it's one of his best known roles)
• Alexander Dane in Galaxy Quest (an oddball sci-fi flick where he plays an alien)
• Voice of Marvin the depressed robot in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (alongside Martin Freeman and Bill Nighy!)

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His Voice

One of the most interesting and lovely things about Alan Rickman was his unique voice. Here's a recording of him reading Shakespeare's Sonnet 130 in his rich smooth voice (or "dark foreboding tones" as Anne Shirley might say).

~*~

So here's to the incredible Mr. Alan Rickman. You dear sir will be sadly missed. Below is a video clip that made me tear up when I watched it because while writing this post I felt like Marianne in the scene. Thank you our Colonel Brandon! You were a true gem and will never be forgotten.

~*~


What is your favorite Alan Rickman role?

How many of these films have you viewed?