Rent Sense and Sensibility (1995)

Simply a delight - Sense and Sensibility review by JK

I cannot fault this film in any way. The cast is sublime - the very best Britain has to offer. It explores and illustrates the crushing boredom and restrictions that women in this era and of this class had to endure. Any woman with half a brain or potential had no chance when life was merely based on status, manners and dresses that 'enhanced' your child-rearing abilities - i.e. having an embonpoint.

This is a real feel-good film.

Charming Jane Austen Adaptation - Sense and Sensibility review by GI

A lavish period drama adapted from the celebrated Jane Austen novel by Emma Thompson who stars as Elinor. Directed by Ang Lee the film captures the mystic landscape of England and is a beautiful film to watch. It's a story of love, romance and manners in late 18th Century England where a wealthy man dies and by law his estate is left to his son by a first marriage effectively leaving his current wife and three daughters destitute. The son (James Fleet), under the spiteful influence of his wife (Harriet Walter) fails in his promise to his dying father to look after them and they end up in a humble cottage in Devon. But they thrive and the story follows the two eldest daughters, Elinor and Marianne (Kate Winslet), as they fall in love. Elinor with the shy Edward (Hugh Grant) and Marianne with the dashing Willoughby (Greg Wise). But social rules and expectations and various problems with money cause heartache and near tragedy until happiness finds them in the end. The cast are all on top form and include Alan Rickman, Robert Hardy, Imelda Staunton and Hugh Laurie. A charming adaptation, delightful story and visually beautiful film.

It's only when you see.... - Sense and Sensibility review by SB

more complete adaptations of Sense and Sensibility (the BBC has made three, most recently the 2008 version) that you realise how many chunks of the story have been omitted from this version, and also how many characters are lost, as well as gratuitous changes made to details (although not the main plot line). Of course, a two hour film version must inevitably be selective, but the losses are considerable.

On the credit side, most of the performances are very good, although some of the cast are far too old for the roles they are meant to play. Alan Rickman especially, but also Emma Thompson and Greg Wise. Imogen Stubbs as Lucy Steele stands out, and Hugh Grant is good in a relatively early role as Edmund Ferrars - very restrained. Harriet Walter is perhaps too harsh rather than feline as Fanny and Elizabeth Spriggs overdoes it a bit as Mrs Jennings.

Not all of the locations are satisfactory - Sir John Middleton's house is far too grand, for example. But the overall scenic and costume design are good.