Sense and Sensibility 1971: The Original

I recently watched the 1971 BBC production of Sense and Sensibility. It was the first TV adaptation ever made of the novel, and while it doesn't match up to the excellence of the 1995 or 2008 versions, it's still remarkable in its own way. I mean, to give it some credit, it had no other adaptations to draw upon for inspiration or ideas. Was the acting superior? No. (Except for some of the characters, more notably Elinor Dashwood and Mrs. Jennings.) Was the filming quality great? No. Were there little hiccups? Absolutely. But I would still recommend any true Jane Austen lover or Sense and Sensibility fan to watch it. It sheds more light on S&S, and gives you a different perspective into the relationships of the characters.

 Do you recognize Elinor Dashwood? The actress, Joanna David, also plays Mrs. Gardiner in BBC's 1995 version of Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. She did a fabulous job as Elinor, even if it was hard to see at times her emotional depth. 

I love, love this Marianne & Brandon pair. Their chemistry was just right for this scene, and I enjoyed how they showed a sneak peek of how Marianne and Brandon's relationship would grow into friendship and eventually blossom into love. Most people are disappointed with the end of the novel and movie because they never get the full story of what happened.

This Lucy Steele, portrayed by Frances Cuka, was one of the coldest and most artful Lucy Steele's I've seen. My only problem with her is that she is much too old for the part! I could hardly see Edward falling for someone that looked that old (especially since in those times they considered "27" too old for marrying; Lucy looks about 40 years old!). 

That lady in the brown dress is Mrs. Jennings. She was phenomenal in her role. My complaint is that she was too young for the part! Her daughter, Lady Middleton, looked older than she was! However, she did such a great job playing this bubbly, vibrant, albeit tactless, woman that I can almost forgive the director for casting her in this part. 

I honestly didn't care for this Edward. Maybe because I was comparing him to Hugh Grant and Dan Stevens the whole time. Poor guy. I guess it's not his fault that he isn't as attractive as either of them. 

And now for the critique.....

Now I'm not a professional expert on the Regency Period, but....matching dresses? Really?

Lucy and Nancy Steele (see how old they are? You can call me out for being age discriminatory. They just are too old for these roles!)

I felt like Willoughby was only there for a bit, not enough for me to feel any connection or heartbreak over him. He didn't even really seem in love with Marianne either. I know Willoughby was supposed to be a cad, but he was supposed to have developed feelings for Marianne, too.

Once again, I may be going out on a limb here, but did they really have sleeveless dresses back then? (Oh, and this is Lady Middleton.  See what I mean about how she looks older than Mrs. Jennings?)

I couldn't find a picture of Sir John Middleton, but I also had a bone to pick with him. His accent. It was so country and twangy that I honestly couldn't take him seriously. He played the jovial part well, but his accent didn't match the others, making him seem like a country bumpkin.

My last flaw with the film: There was no Margaret. Okay, so in the book, Margaret barely played a role, but I feel like she still should have been in there. Some people complain that in the films Margaret is in, she is given too much of  a role, but she would have hardly been silent, now would she?

Would I watch it again? Maybe, maybe not. Probably not when there are some more superior Sense & Sensibility films. However, it is a great watch if you are a lover of all things Jane Austen like me.