Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1210 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-01-14
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
• Formats: PAL, Colour
• 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

Top Class...
entertainment. While not faithful to the book this adaptation does have some very good plus points to recommend it.

Firstly like another reviewer has pointed out Hattie Morahan and Charity Wakefield are the right age to play Elinor and Marianne. While I love the Ang Lee film - and the actors in it - I always felt awkward with the casting of Emma Thompson et al ( I am not criticising them as actors they are brilliant generally and in particular this film but too old for the characters). I was able to enjoy this adaptation more because it they were the right age and therefore the emotions they had to portray seemed more realistic.

Likewise David Morrissey as Brandon was very good, slightly reserved, a bit haughty but ultimately much more faithful to Austens original (in my opinion, again I love Alan Rickman but lets face it he is very dry and sarcastic and I stuggled to warm to him in the film). Mr Morrissey had me cheering for him from his first appearance.

The Devonshire countryside was stunning as were most of the locations.

In fact the one thing I particularly missed from the film was Hugh Laurie. I did think that the actors playing Willoughby and Edward did not stand out as much as they should have done and were overshadowed by lesser characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and while not faithful (what is these days)I feel it well worth a viewing and I for one will be adding to my collection as soon as possible.

A Bloke's Point Of View
Now, as you can imagine, being a bloke, I'm not a big costume drama fan, though I will admit to loving "He Knew He Was Right".

Anyway, I tend to watch these things as my wife does and I have very little chance of wrestling the remote control off her!

As soon as this adaptation started I was gripped - I didn't know the story and although I'd seen other adaptations, had never really played any attention. This however seemed different. The actresses weren't unbelievably beautiful like can they can be in some of these dramas and for me that made the whole thing more believable.

I've spent an hour for the last three Sunday evenings booing, hissing and cheering in equal measure every time Willoughby or the Colonel appeared on the screen.

I'm actually going to order this DVD and I'll be watching and enjoying the whole thing again in the not too distant future.

And for what it's worth, I thought the music was beautiful and certainly no more intrusive or distracting than the scores to a million other productions.

My advice to any man wondering whether to buy this or not, would be go for it and get in touch with your romantic side!

very enjoyable, well cast and lovely to look at ; wonderful Elinor
This is very, very enjoyable. It takes liberties over and above the necessary short-cutting and telescoping which inevitably arise in a filmed version of a full-length novel, but it is very watchable and a lot of fun. The settings are, of course, grand (where appropriate) and beautiful, with a particularly Romantic 'Devonshire' cottage for the distressed Dashwoods, visually lovely but also (inside) very cold! The casting is spot-on. Hattie Morahan as Elinor has a most intelligent and expressive face and never puts a foot wrong in her reactions ; she judges the controlled passion of the character, who lives under painful stress for a good part of the film without being able to reveal it, quite perfectly, and when finally Edward is able to voice his feelings, her tearful, inarticulate joy is most moving. This is an outstanding performance. Charity Wakefield plays the good-hearted, headstrong Marianne to a T, and their mother is the excellent Janet McTear, who conveys the bewilderment and dignified lack of practicality of one in her position wholly convincingly. Edmund and Willoughby are both good and I must say I found David Morrissey better than Alan Rickman, good as he was, in the famous film, pace another reviewer. Rickman is a mannered actor - a very good one - and he was too creepily lugubrious for me, whereas Morrissey is dignified, well-bred, reserved as he should be and (actually) also very dashing - lucky Marianne, in the end, though she has to go through a lot before she gets there. The background music is sometimes intrusive, but that's not a serious problem. The film ends delightfully, with Brandon carrying his young wife into his splendid country mansion and Elinor, laughing, watching Edward chasing chickens round their parsonage yard. It's a lovely adaptation and very enjoyable to watch.