Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #376 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-01-14
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Formats: Colour, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk review
From the pen of Andrew Davies, the man who's brought some of the finest literary adaptations to the small screen in recent years, comes the BBC’s new take on Jane Austen’s Sense & Sensibility. Running across three episodes, it proves to be as much as a sumptuous treat as much of Davies' previous endeavours.

Austen’s story of the Dashwood sisters and a romance with John Willoughby is a familiar one (and it was realised quite brilliantly in Ang Lee’s film adaptation in 1996), and so it’s left to the super cast and terrific production values to convince audiences to dip into Sense & Sensibility again. Fortunately, the production delivers with consummate ease.

Much of the credit for Sense & Sensibility’s success lies in its excellent cast. David Morrissey, Mark Williams, Janet McTeer and Charity Wakefield are among the many strong performers, and they’re matched by equally impressive work behind the camera too. There’s an argument whether it manages to eclipse the 1996 filmed version (for which Emma Thompson took home an Oscar), but it’s perhaps to best see them as companion pieces. And truthfully, you’re not going to be disappointed with either. Because once again, the BBC has brought further life to a tale told many times before, and its production of Sense & Sensibility is set to be enjoyed for many years to come. --Jon Foster

DVD Description
David Morrissey, Dominic Cooper, Dan Stevens, Mark Williams, Janet McTeer and Mark Gatiss lead an all-star cast in Andrew Davies' romantic and stylish three-part BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's classic Sense and Sensibility.

Marianne Dashwood wears her heart on her sleeve when she falls in love with the charming but unsuitable John Willoughby, ignoring her sister Elinor's warning that her impulsive behaviour leaves her open to gossip and innuendo. Elinor, sensitive to social convention, struggles to conceal her own romantic disappointment, even from those closest to her. Will the sisters learn that sense must mix with sensibility if they are to find personal happiness in a society where status and money govern the rules of love?

Synopsis
Jane Austen's celebrated and most romantic novel of two devoted sisters is brought to life in this classic BBC production and adapted for the screen by acclaimed writer Andrew Davies. One sister represents controlled 'Sense' and the other impulsive 'Sensibility.'

Customer Reviews

Creative, interesting, believable and heart-warming.
Well done to the BBC and the actors involved for such a great adaptation of this novel! The characters hold much more depth than in the Emma Thompson version (you actually believe and are shown that she loves Edward.) David Morrisey is also very convincing as Colonel Brandan. Furthermore, you don't feel as if you are being rushed through the story as I have often felt with other adaptations. The romances are allowed to develop/fail slowly, circumstances such as how the Dashwoods come to be so poor are explained clearly and in a logcal way.
Like classical adaptations? Buy this one! Don't like them? Buy this anyway, you will soon change your mind!

Deja vu
Pride and Prejudice is the classic that made me a period drama fan over 10 years ago. i have been devouring books and dvd's ever since. (importing what i can't get my hands on in the Netherlands)
I'm always eager for new adaptations, and have 3 versions of Jane Eyre alone. the more the merrier is my motto!
But i was disappointed with this version. Yes, it was well made. And it was lovely to see the book come to life over a few hours time, and not over Ang Lee's 130 minutes. In this way, one can do the novel more justice.
But i often found myself longing for Ang Lee's S&S. (which of course is not perfect either) More than that, i often found myself reminded of it. The conversation between Mr and Mrs. Dashwood in the carriage, about his dead fathers wish for instance.
Or the cottage by the sea. it sometimes looked like an ode to Ang Lee and Emma Thompson's script!
I missed the vigour of Mrs Jennings and John Middleton.
The actress playing Elinor was cast wonderfully, but the tone of het voice, her pronounciation often reminded me of Emma Thompson.
Marianne was well cast to, but didn't seem to add something new to Kate Winslet. Edward Ferrars was wonderfully cast, after all, in the '95 version, one cannot see edward, one sees Hugh Grant!
contrary to another reviewer, i didn't like Morissey as Brandon at all! i just did not find him sympathetic or attractive. (though i did love his performance in 'our mutual friend').Willoughby on the other hand, was not handsome/sexy enough, and had a boyish, unreliable look to him.
he seemed terribly Byronic to me, with 'trouble' spelt all over him. that would imply that Marianne was uncounsciously or even consciously plotting her own downfall. (interesting theory, as she does wish to live the life of a romantic heroine...) Anyways, it's much more shocking when you don't see it coming. (I must admit, it took me a few years to reconcile myself to Marianne marying Brandon at all, i was 17 when i first saw it myself) I don't mind the erotic touches at all though, i think that does add realism and depth. Jane Austen does require one to read between the lines.
On the whole, i was expecting more added value. what i found was a lot of repitition. It was good, it was solid. 3 stars are certainly earned. But i was hoping for so much more. But watch it, by all means.

Good but not great
I'll do this in list form, in no particular order!

Things I liked:

The Steele sisters - Anne in particular is hilarious; the awful chattering stupidity Austen endowed her with is really brought out in her first few scenes. However, she becomes a bit hammy in her final scene. I wish they'd kept in the scene in the book where she tells an outraged Elinor that "I only stood at the door and heard what I could. And I am sure that Lucy would have done just the same by me; for a year or two back, when Martha Sharpe and I had so many secrets together, she never made any bones of hiding in a closet, or behind a chimney board...". Lucy is pretty good, although a little inconsistent; she seems genuinely friendly in some scenes, and knowing in others.

The cinematography - gorgeous scenes of rugged Devon in the winter.

Margaret - Just like in the Emma Thompson version, she's fleshed out and brings a touch of light comedy by always popping up from some hidden nook. Just the right side of annoying; she never becomes a bratty film kid.

Fanny Dashwood - Loved the scene where she persuades her husband not to "rob little Harry" to give his sisters an allowance. Little Harry, of course, is a repellent little brat always sucking on something sweet. Fanny is smugly hostile throughout.

The costumes - Not as stiff and "bonnetty" as usual, especially Marianne's 'Romantic' wardrobe which at times almost looked like it could fit in nowadays on a modern-day Marianne. Each character's costume 'spoke' about their character, without being brash.

Marianne - suitably 'teenage' and warm.

The lack of stunningly beautiful actors - apart from a rather hunky Edward Ferrars, who gets a special "Violently chopping wood in a wet shirt" scene, the cast are normal looking rather than unrealistically beautiful.

The accents - or rather, lack of the usual period drama "cut-gless" accent. The characters are the gentry rather than the nobility, and they speak with rather average accents - the Miss Steeles even sport a West Country one.

The actors looked the right age, which gave it a freshness - in the Emma Thompson version, everyone but Marianne looks at least half a generation too old.

...
Things that could have been better:

More of the Palmers, please! Mr. Palmer looked the part, a big man with bushy black eyebrows, small dark eyes and pale skin. His character, however, was reduced to "man behind newspaper". Charlotte Palmer hardly spoke either, although I did like her relationship with Mrs. Jennings.

Elinor - I found her a bit flat. Her facial expressions seemed to be limited to "concerned" and "wide-eyed in disbelief", and she didn't make the most of her voice, which was rather unvaried and somewhat louder than I'd imagined Elinor to be. I agree with the reviewer who says that they confused "restrained" with "mundane".

Mrs. Dashwood - I clearly missed something, looking at the amount of reviews who consider her the best performance. I found her rather unexpressive, although not particularly bad.

The sex scene at the start - the very first scene is of Willoughby's seduction of young Miss Williams. Apart from not being in keeping with the tone of the novel, it's really disjointed. Nothing more is even heard about the seduction until at least episode 2. If you only saw episode 1, you'd be really puzzled about who exactly was getting it on with whom at the start.

The lack of original dialogue - and the replacement doesn't really sparkle.
....

Overall, I quite enjoyed it but for me, this adaptation is more something to watch on TV in three episodes when it's on, rather than rent out and sit down and watch all in one go. I did enjoy it slightly more than the Emma Thompson version though. It was more relatable, less 'period drama'. However, I don't think either version captures the sparkling finesse of the book.