Happy Birthday, Jane Austin:
What is it like to be a Cultural Phenomenon?
Anya Taylor-Joy transforms into Emma recently released in 2024
It has been 250 years since the birth of Jane Austin. England (and the world) will be celebrating the official date in December 2025. Consider this your Official notice. I have a background in film/television media, as well as dramatic literature; I am often reviewing literature from a hybrid film vantage point. If your first encounter with Jane Austin was through a film , you are not alone. If you thought this article was about France, this time, I make an exception. Of course, the idea of France, the EUROPEAN grand tour was an integral part of the finishing school of the British aristocracy and explains why so many country homes in England are filled with European art. Edward Austin, upon his 18th birthday was sent on the tour that Jane as a woman of modest circumstances could only dream of.
Celebrate Jane Austin’s Birthday with A Film
When you read or view the stories I outline here, the period known as the REGENCY PERIOD (1811-1820) in England comes to life. The film that ignited the Jane Austen ‘cultural revolution’ was SENSE and SENSIBILITY starring Emma Thompson (who wrote the script adaptation). A dashing Hugh Grant joins a stellar British ensemble cast of new and old faces. I cannot count the number of times I have watched it; the script won an Oscar and set the gold standard for adaptation. Director ANG LEE with his light hand ( some input from Emma Thompson) makes it one the best versions. My second personal favorite is EMMA starring Gwyneth Paltrow but this version has been supplanted by a version starring ROMOLA GARAI as EMMA. This sparkling update is even better. Michael Gambon plays her father (you may know him from the Harry Potter series) with a young ensemble cast. The newest version of Emma played by Anya Taylor-Joy in a recent updated version directed by Autumn de Wilde. In the cast is musician Johnny Flynn and Mia Goth. British actor Bill Nighy plays Emma’s father in a wonderful turn as the hypochondriac country squire. For Emma fans this version promises a more presentational style that is similar to a English musical comedy in using ensemble scenes like Greek Choruses. A noted performance by Josh O’Conner as the eager Mr. Elton (the parson) is worth the watch alone. He is charming in his pretentiousness. For Kate Beckinsale fans a more traditional version of EMMA typical of Sunday programming on BBC is also available to stream. The romantic lead playing KNIGHTLY is much older than Kate Beckinsale, setting up a father dynamic that allows him to dole out advice. The final scenes of this version are a grand harvest festival that ties up the story nicely. The empowered EMMA of the Anya Taylor-Joy version seems more timely in her feisty modern portrayal. Jane Austen dedicated this book to the Prince Regent.
The Regency World
The recent version of EMMA starring Anya Taylor-Joy has embraced the “wedding cake” designs more typical of the Regency. The previous versions of EMMA present more 1990s visuals that are organic, less formalized and with softer color palettes. All of Jane Austin film designs and locations take place in the historic homes so readily available around England. The villages of England are an important element of any Jane Austin story. There is always a relationship between the town and the local estate both economically and socially. Jane’s own relationship to her relatives, and the parsonage she lived in was nearby the large estate of her brother Edward Austin. Her own reality mirrored that of her characters she wrote about. It is a well observed an sharply incisive.
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: A Gold Standard for British Television
Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth as Elisabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy
My list of Jane Austin films includes her most famous novel PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Several versions are available but the definitive version by BBC Television starring the young Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle set the standard. The author of “Bridget Jones Diary” (Helen Fielding) shared in many interviews that her characters were based on the Jane Austin BBC series. Her insistence on casting Mr. Firth in Bridget Jones Diary was a way to connect the characters. This BBC version of Pride and Prejudice in six episodes was written by ANDREW DAVIES. Back to Colin Firth: His iconic ‘rising from the waters’ moment at his stately home dressed in nothing but a wet shirt set women’s heart’s aflutter for a generation bringing back the “sexy” to the Jane Austin novel. It took newcomer Mathew McFayden to knock him off his perch in the 2005 feature film version starring Kiera Knightly. This version opened up the story in a grander way with full orchestral score and panoramic vistas. The BBC series is more like a charming chamber orchestra and more intimate in scale. Both are excellent introductions to the book.
“Emma” starring Romola Gerai and Johnny Lee Miller includes Michael Gambon. Available on AMAZON
FROM THE PAGE TO THE SCREEN with a JANE AUSTIN NOVEL
Jane Austin’s creation of the modern English novel puts her in the company of other female authors like the Bronte sisters. Her work translates from the world of the novel into the film or television media. Screenwriters relish the use of Jane’s ear for sparkling conversation that is no doubt drawn from the life around her. Upon reading the novels you’ll note the screenplays adapt much of the dialogue. American audiences understand “British English” from shows like Downton Abbey. Jane Austin’s dialogue, however is more formalized and echoes the vernacular of the times. The screenplays sometimes move some of the settings or events around. However, the best adaptations always respect the characters. She was a keen observer of society from her modest social position on the sidelines. I imagine her rushing back up the narrow stairway to her modest room to take down snippets of conversation. Like all writers, her plots were often lifted from a short story for later use in her novels. On some occasions she was able to experience high society because her brother Edward Austin was adopted by a wealthy family. He later inherited their estate and gave a home nearby to his sisters to live. Her famous writing desk is located in this modest parsonage where she spent her last days and wrote many of her most successful books there. If you visit BATH, a place featured in Jane’s novel Persuasion you can visit the Jane Austen Center. It is now a museum and a tea shop filled with the delights of the REGENCY period in celebration of her residency there.
THE REGENCY PERIOD: Jane Austen’s Life and Times
The Regency period and the Napoleonic Wars played a part in many of Austen’s stories. The war is in the background of her stories and not central to the plot lines but we are often aware of its presence. There are always red uniformed soldiers in the stories adding that bit of history (and color) of the ‘dashing men’ in uniform. When they arrive in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE they take over the local town and play an important role in the plot. At Mary Ann’s wedding, in SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, Colonel Brandon is beautifully attired in his uniform on his wedding day. You will notice troops in many of the London crowd scenes in the film. I have chosen group of stories on film for those of you who are not familiar with her work. I have added some links* throughout so you can rent some films on your own to watch as you prepare for the year’s long celebration of this talented writer who stands today as an important creator of the English novel. The biography of Jane Austen is outlined by historian LUCY WORSLEY HERE and always entertaining and informative. Her expertise on Jane Austin is notable.
“Persuasion” Starring Rupert Penry-Jones and Sally Hawkins - Rent it Here
PERSUASION.
In Jane Austin’s PERSUASION, there are two versions, the first and most well known stars a handsome and young CIARAN HINDS who is tall and stately in his Captain’s uniform as the love interest for LADY ANN ELIOTT played by FIONA SHAW. In many scenes we are told about his adventures aboard the ships of the English navy that ruled the seas and also made many men’s rise in social status. The second version by BBC features the handsome good looks of Rupert Penry-Jones playing opposite the deftly sensitive portrayal of Sally Hawkins. Special shout out to the ELLIOT FAMILY who resemble cast of CINDERELLA in their hideous treatment of their eldest sister. Their grasping for wealth and position is the most prominent theme in this story based on themes of marrying for money and social position instead of love. Both of these are worth viewing. A recent version of Persuasion (this one stars DAKOTA JOHNSON) received very bad reviews. It is not a version I would suggest and was painful to watch.
Social Commentary on the Regency Period
Other stories written by Jane Austin include MANSFIELD PARK (video) that has also been turned into several British Television series. This novel has a serious social consciousness. Oxford University includes this novel in their curriculum on women authors. I recommend this novel and series with some caution about the storyline; it include topics about British Slavery that may be disturbing to some readers/viewers. Jane Austin questions this system and explores the economic and social aspects of the slave trade. Personal behavior and its social consequences is also present in the moral lessons experienced by the characters. In this novel, the questions about the social, political and economic order of the Regency are woven into a personal story of a family. MANSFIELD PARK was published twice (1814) and (1816) and reflects the later Regency period when Slavery was still active and not fully abolished until 1833.
HAPPY 250th BIRTHDAY JANE!
If you were to send Ms. Austen a birthday card, what personal note would you include? I would say “Thank You” for the romance, the comedy and the families you have shared with us! England (and indeed the world) is set to celebrate her unique storytelling that crosses many cultural divides and appeal to all ages.
*Editor’s Note:
We include many links to AMAZON our film and book partners and do receive small tiny compensation for our suggestions, thank you in advance for using our links so that we can keep the lights on!
To visit her home/museum in England follow this link here: Jane Austen’s Museum