Sense & Sensibility (BBC)

Sense & Sensibility is one of Jane Austen’s classics. In 2008 BBC remade the tale for television as a miniseries.

The story revolves around Elinor and Marianne, two sisters with very different sensibilities. When their father dies Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters are forced out of their home by the girls half-brother who inherits everything; though the father’s final wish was for the brother to take care of the ladies his wife convinces him to give his sisters and stepmother nothing. As such Mrs. Dashwood takes the girls up the coast where they begin to live in a small cottage and Mrs. Dashwoods cousin attempts to find Elinor and Marianne husbands. In true Austen fashion the two eldest Miss Dashwoods both fall for men that they can’t have until of course that twist of fate intervenes and they find out the men of their dreams are available.

I’ve seen two versions of Sense & Sensibility now and I just have to say that maybe I am not a Jane Austen fan, but a Pride & Prejudice fan. I cannot get into this story at all, I don’t connect with the sisters, I dislike their men, I get annoyed by the predictable ending…it just all around annoys me on some level. I am not empathetic with the plight of two women who are annoyed by the people around them. It’s such a similar story to Pride & Prejudice and yet I think Elizabeth & Jane are much more interesting.

That being said, the two lead actresses in Sense & Sensibility were very engaging and enjoyable to watch. The language of Jane Austen can be a mouthful and yet Hattie Morahan & Charity Wakefield never seemed to miss a beat. Their relationship was genuine and they could definitely pull off being Victorian sisters.

I am sure plenty of viewers enjoyed this version of Austen’s tale. I’m just not one of them.

Elinor Dashwood: Hattie Morahan
Marianne Dashwood: Charity Wakefield
Mrs. Dashwood: Janet McTeer
Col. Brandon: David Morrissey
Edward Ferras: Dan Stevens
Wiloughby: Dominic Cooper
Margaret Dashwood: Lucy Boynton