Sense and Sensibility: Not Your Ordinary Chick Flick

Watching Sense and Sensibility makes me long for a time when manners were required, when reputations were important, and when empire waist dresses were in style because any woman can look good in such a dress. On a more personal note, Sense and Sensibility gave me the courage to show love again, and to accept love again, which is why it remains my favorite film and why I wanted to write a movie review of it.

The movie is based on the book by Jane Austen and as such is already a classic movie. It is perfectly adapted for the screen by Emma Thompson who won an Oscar for her screenplay, found love again with co-star Greg Wise (who ironically, plays a cad in the film) after her husband Kenneth Branagh cheated on her (sounds like the makings of another movie), and who turns in a superb performance as the eldest sister Elinor Dashwood.

Although there are three Dashwood sisters, Elinor - the eldest and most sensible, Marianne, the middle sister who follows her heart, and Margaret, the youngest, who is outspoken in her own way, but still at an age where she loves her tree house, the movie focuses on the relationship between Elinor and Marianne. As I watch the movie, I see my younger self in Marianne - youthful exuberance for life, full of feelings and not yet tainted by heartbreak. Elinor is my older self - sensible, responsible, restrained, and putting her head before her heart.

I'll let a little dialogue from the movie, courtesy of the Internet Movie Database web site (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114388/quotes) illustrate the differences between Elinor and Marianne Dashwood.

First, let's read a conversation between Marianne and her mother regarding the initial attraction between Marianne's sister Elinor and Edward.

Mrs. Dashwood: Why so grave? You disapprove her choice?
Marianne: By no means. Edward is very amiable.
Mrs. Dashwood: Amiable? But?
Marianne: There is something wanting. He's too sedate. His reading last night...
Mrs. Dashwood: Elinor has not your feelings. His reserve suits her.
Marianne: Can he love her? Can the soul be really be satisfied with such polite affections? To love is to burn - to be on fire, like Juliet or Guinevere or Eloise...
Mrs. Dashwood: They made rather pathetic ends, dear.
Marianne: Pathetic? To die for love? How can you say so? What could be more glorious?
Mrs. Dashwood: I think that would be taking your romantic sensibilities a little far.

And now, let's eavesdrop as Colonel Brandon and Elinor discuss Marianne.

Colonel Brandon: Your sister seems very happy.
Elinor Dashwood: Yes. Marianne does not approve of hiding her emotions. In fact, her romantic prejudices have the unfortunate tendency to set propriety at naught.
Colonel Brandon: She is wholly unspoilt.
Elinor Dashwood: Rather too unspoilt, in my view. The sooner she becomes acquainted with the ways of the world, the better.
Colonel Brandon: I knew a lady very like your sister - the same impulsive sweetness of temper - who was forced into, as you put it, a better acquaintance with the world. The result was only ruination and despair. Do not desire it, Miss Dashwood.

If you don't know the story, here is a brief synopsis and yes is contains plot spoilers.

The Dashwood sister's father dies. Since their mother was Mr. Dashwood's second wife, his son from his first wife inherits all. Deprived of their home, the Dashwood sisters Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret along with their widowed mother must depend on the generosity of others in order to survive. With no money for dowries, the girls are not considered good marriage prospects. Interestingly, those with money frown upon the have-nots, not unlike today. The exception is Col. Brandon an older, but very kind gentleman (played by Alan Rickman) who falls for young Marianne (played by Kate Winslet) at first glance, but believes she would never return his feelings. Along comes the dashing (and unbeknownst to the Dashwoods) libertine Willoughby and Marianne is at once smitten and does nothing to conceal her feelings. As Marianne and Willoughby's relationship blooms, Elinor, the more reserved of the sisters, meets Edward Ferrars (played by Hugh Grant in his first film role after his arrest for lewd conduct with a prostitute) and they form an attachment. \

Intending to propose to Marianne, Willoughby instead runs off to London and it is on a trip to London that Marianne and Elinor learn that his aunt cut him off due to his prior indiscretions and he is set to marry a young rich woman for her money. On the same trip to London, Elinor learns that her beloved Edward has been secretly engaged for 5 years to a Miss Lucy Steele, from the source herself - Ms. Steele - who begins to insinuate herself into Elinor's life. Sworn to keep Lucy's secret, Elinor can confide in no one, not even her sister Marianne. Broken hearted, the sisters ride home. After a walk in the rain, Marianne's heartbreak turns into a life threatening fever. She is rescued from the rain by Col. Brandon and finally sees him for the goodness inside him. When Edward's finance tells his sister of their secret engagement, Edward's family disapproves and disinherits him, giving all the family fortune to his brother Robert. Believing herself forever divided from Edward after hearing that Miss Steele is now Mrs. Ferrars, Elinor is surprised to find Edward at her door where the misunderstanding is explained. It seems his fiancé dumped him for his richer brother Robert and Edward, freed from his obligation to Miss Steele can at long last declare his love for Elinor and ask her to marry him.

Marianne's gratitude toward Col. Brandon blossoms into true love and as Marianne marries Col. Brandon a very sad looking Willoughby watches from a hilltop, clearly regretting putting his pocketbook before his heart.

The Dashwood sisters could not be more different. Elinor, the elder sister is reserved and calm. Marianne wears her feelings on her sleeve. The contrast between the two sisters is embodied in the movie's title although they both find a balance between sense and sensibility in life and in love. There are plenty of witty remarks throughout the movie, but of, course, my favorite part of the move is when Edward declares his love for Elinor and her feelings burst forth in a very Marianne-like way. Elinor's display of her great love for Edward - long held inside her with no appropriate outlet, gives me hope no matter how many times I watch the movie (and it has been a considerable number of times) - the hope that my most sensible self can let loose and continue to show my feelings of great love for my husband. Yes, like Marianne, I have shown love to the wrong man in my life and was desperately hurt in the end. As I came to my senses (more Elinor-like), I focused on work, friends, my child, my duty. Then love walked into my life surprisingly and unexpectedly. Like Elinor and Edward, we formed a fast and true friendship. Love followed from there. The movie gives me the courage to be more like Marianne - life is too short to allow past hurts or fears of future hurts to taint the present. But I also want to be sensible like Elinor. I believe one can wear one's heart on one's sleeve for one's husband, but still keep one's senses. Although getting intoxicated with love for your husband is pretty wonderful.

Perhaps the best quality of this movie is the screenplay. If you have just endured a heartbreak, you won't be sad watching this movie because of all the witty dialogue. You may even end up grateful for your situation after watching it. If you are happily involved with someone, you become even more grateful for your love. If you are single and happy with your life, the movie will work for you as simply great acting in a movie that deals with classic emotions and situations. In other words, this is not some sappy, sentimental, romantic movie. It is an intelligent chick flick and there are far too few of them around. This one even comes with a bonus - if you are a fan of the TV show House, you'll get to see Hugh Laurie.

Here are some options for buying the movie:

http://www.amazon.com/Sense-Sensibility-Special-Emma-Thompson/dp/0800141660

http://www.overstock.com/Books-Movies-Music-Games/Sense-and-Sensibility-DVD/77521/product.htmlhttp:

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