Over the past few weeks, I have accidentally undertaken a survey of Jane Austen film and TV adaptations.
It started innocently. Over Christmas, I mentioned to my sister-in-law that maybe I’d been a bit too harsh toward the 2005 adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice” when it was released and I wanted to watch it again. She enthusiastically suggested we watch it together, as soon as possible. So we commandeered the TV and subjected all of my in-laws to two hours of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. I believe a good time was had by all – even by my male relatives. If there’s one thing I wish I could convey to the uninitiated, it’s that Jane Austen is funny.
When I got home, I started on some other adaptations and just … didn’t stop. Every night, after a long day of work and parenting, I make a cup of peppermint tea and sit down to watch my latest selection. So far, I have watched:
The 1995 “Pride and Prejudice” miniseries because it’s (maybe) my favorite and I wanted to compare.
The 2007 adaptation of “Persuasion.” Good but not great (Anne sprinting about Bath at the end baffled me).
The 1995 adaptation of “Persuasion,” a film I had only vague memories of watching in middle school. Honestly, this one deserves more attention, I loved it.
The 1996 adaptation of “Emma” with Gwyneth Paltrow, which I also hadn’t seen since middle school. Pure, charming confection all the way through.
Now I’m part-way through the 1999 adaptation of “Mansfield Park.” An interesting take on Austen, but a little too loose with the source material for my taste.
Although this little Austen marathon was unplanned, it turned out to be just what I need. January is tough. I’m run-down from the holidays, it’s cold and dark, winter viruses are running rampant, and the pressure to engage in self-improvement is at an all-time high. Even though I’ve resolved not to make resolutions (is that a resolution???), it’s hard to resist the culture of New Year’s goal-setting and the existential angst of another year passing by. I need counter-programming, some kind of alternative structure to help me ease through this weird, hard month. Why not Jane Austen?
I reach for Austen when I need comfort, but I’m also craving some depth. And when I say depth, I mean something that rewards nerdy deep-dives. There are enough Jane Austen adaptations to fill weeks of dull winter evenings, and enough Austen scholarship, passionate fandom and spin-offs to fill a lifetime. Best of all, these texts reward rereading (and rewatching). I notice something new, appreciate some fresh nuance, every time. While, of course, enjoying the comfort of a familiar story and a happy ending.
This January counter-programming – Jane Austen January – brings me so much delight. Instead of stewing on questions like, “Who in my house will get sick next?” or “What am I achieving professionally?” or “Should I get in shape?” I have so many other questions to mull over, including:
Why were so many Austen adaptations released in the mid-1990s?
How does the film translate the characters' interiority on screen?
How do the costumes balance historical accuracy with building the visual narrative of the film?
Do the filmmakers change the plot for a modern audience, and what do those changes say about us?
Why does the 19th century seem so romantic on film, when it was a time when these (admittedly privileged) heroines had virtually no economic or legal rights? Put another way, why do I fantasize about the Regency when I definitely wouldn’t want to live in that time period?
I could go on. I mean, I haven’t even gotten to comparing films that retell Austen in a modern setting! I’ve enjoyed myself so much, I think I may reserve January for my Jane Austen deep dives every year.
If this isn’t you thing, I get it. But may I gently recommend engaging in something fun this time of the year? Something other people might consider mildly embarrassing, but that you love so wholly you just don’t care? Something that doesn’t demand too much of you or make you better, but instead offers little pockets of joy and engagement within the life you have right now?
It’s only January 9th and I feel like I’ve endured a whole month already. And so, I’ll keep watching (complete with tea and knitting) and perhaps even keep writing about Austen. I do it to please myself, but who knows, maybe it will please some of you too?
I will only add, God bless you.