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In 1995, Ang Lee directed a film adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. It starred Emma Thompson (also the head screenwriter) as Elinor, Hugh Grant as Edward, Kate Winslet as Marianne, Alan Rickman as Colonel Chrisopher Brandon, Hugh Laurie as Thomas Palmer and Imelda Staunton as Charlotte Palmer.
It begins with the death of one certain Mr. Dashwood, who asks his son John to look after his second wife and the three daughters he had with her: young adult Elinor, teenager Marianne, and young teen Margaret. However, John's wife Fanny convinces John to take over the family home; while the impoverished Dashwoods still have a roof over their heads, the situation is... immensely awkward, to say it at least.
Things get rather interesting when Fanny decides to invite her handsome brother, Edward Ferrars, to visit her... and he catches sight of Elinor, becoming very interested on her. Thing is, he already has a secret marriage promise to a lady named Lucy Steele, plus he can't just go and marry a woman who's less wealthy than him. And after the Dashwoods move to another place, Barton Cottage, other people step into the plot: the kind-hearted Colonel Christopher Brandon, the handsome John Willoughby, the meddling but kind Mrs. Jennings, sarcastic Mr. Thomas Palmer and his cheerful wife Charlotte...
The movie provides examples of:[]
- Adaptation Expansion: The movie adds scenes where Edward interacts with Elinor in ways not shown in the book, such as helping her to coax youngest sister Margaret out of hiding and discussing their respective future prospects. Not only are many of the scenes hilarious ("What is swabbing, anyway?"), they help give a reason for Elinor falling for Edward where the book never did. The film also gives Margaret some personality traits, notably being a tomboy. She has almost no characterization in the book.
- Age Lift: Emma Thompson was thirty-six, playing a character who was nineteen in the novel. It is implied that the character is perhaps in her mid to late 20's due to the Values Dissonance of a 19-year-old worrying about becoming a spinster. Because it's Emma Thompson, nobody cares.
- Ascended Extra: The youngest Dashwood sister Margaret, who is barely present for most of the novel, is given a considerably larger role in the film, as well as a more fleshed-out personality - she's a tomboy, something of a geography whiz, and has a bit of an Intergenerational Friendship with Edward.
- Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Lady Middleton was written out of the screenplay; Sir John is introduced to the audience as being a widower.
- The Comically Serious: Mr. Palmer, and how.
- Composite Character: Lucy Steele is a combination of the novel's Lucy and her older sister Anne. Anne would fit under Chuck Cunningham Syndrome, except that Lucy picks up her Idiot Ball task of confiding her secret engagement to Mrs. Dashwood.
- Dawson Casting: Emma Thompson, who was in her mid-30s playing a character who is 19 in the novel. Some attempt is made to address this by saying that Elinor is 25 in the screenplay. Actually somewhat averted by Kate Winslet, who was 19 playing a 17-year-old.
- Directed by Cast Member: Emma Thompson was the head screenwriter for the film.
- The Ghost: Unlike in the novel, Mrs. Ferrars never actually appears, though she gets mentioned frequently by other characters.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Colonel Brandon.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Mr. Palmer is not shy with a snarky comment for every situation, which makes his sincere offer to stay by Elinor's side and offer any and all help he can when her middle sister may be dying all the more heartwarming.
- Love At First Note: Colonel Brandon first sees Marianne while she's playing a harpsicord and singing. He visibly falls in love with her in an instant.
- Meet Cute: Marianne meets Willoughby when she slips and falls in the rain. He rescues her, rides her back to her home and carries her inside, like something right out of one of Marianne's stories.
- Spot of Tea: Elinor, to an even more ridiculous extent than in the novel. At one point, the Palmers her two successive cups of tea within a period of three minutes. In another scene, Elinor drinks the tea she had ordered for Marianne (without Marianne's ever asking for it).
- True Love's Kiss: Elinor and Edward get theirs in a deleted scene.