At first glance, "Sense and Sensibility" seems to have everything necessary to scare away the average movie-goer.
First of all, it is based on a book, and an old English one at that. Second, it is full of English people wearing funny clothes, and we know how monotonous those accents can be. Finally, it is over two hours long, and there are no explosions.
This adaptation of Jane Austen's 1811 novel, however, is one of the best films of the year, and everyone in last weekend's showing at the Nugget seemed to agree.
Well, except for the one man in the back row who was snoring so loud he was rivaling the movie for laughs. But after all, it was the late show.
"Sense and Sensibility" is directed by Ang Lee (who directed "The Wedding Banquet" and "Eat Drink Man Woman") and adapted for the screen by Emma Thompson in her screenwriting debut. It is the story of the two oldest Dashwood sisters, Elinor (Emma Thompson) and Marianne (Kate Winslet) and their search for love.
The film opens with the death of the girls' father, and the heroines find themselves nouveau-poor. The sudden lack of funds not only causes a major lifestyle change, but in the day of dowries it makes catching a husband quite a trick.
But soon enough, Elinor and Marianne each fall in love with men who fit their contrasting temperaments.
The ever-prudent and reserved Elinor falls for the mild-mannered and ever-polite Edward Ferrars (Hugh Grant), while the reckless and emotional Marianne finds love in the form of the tall, dark, and poetry-spouting John Willoughby (Greg Wise).
In a plot that has as many twists and turns as an episode of "Days of Our Lives," both Ferrars and Willoughby are forced off to London. Soon after the Dashwoods journey to London with hopes of reuniting with their loves, they find to, their surprise, they are not the only women in these somewhat fickle men's lives.
"Sense and Sensibility" is beautifully shot in the green and sheep-filled English countryside.
The script is very funny, and Thompson adapts it well to the screen. But, the movie is by no means all light-spirited.
The audience is exposed to heartbreak and happiness, and the film explores some issues pertinent to the day.
Ferrars and Elinor have a conversation alluding to the restricted role of women in society.
While Ferrars discusses his uncertainty over how he shall make his fortune, Elinor comments that at least he can inherit it while she is forced to wait and hope to find someone who can provide her with one.
A major theme of the film is the importance money plays in marriage.
Each man in the film has at one point been forbidden by his family to marry the woman he loves because of her economic standing. At this time, it was the dowry -- not love -- that mattered most.
It is the performances that make this film outstanding, especially those of the main characters. Grant is at his jittery best.
Alan Rickman of "Robin Hood" wonderfully portrays the melancholic but devoted Colonel Brandon. The colonel is very mysterious, and, at first, it is strange to see the man who played the villain in "Die Hard" playing this role. Rickman traditionally portrays evil characters in other films, and it is different seeing him in the role of a kind man who is devoted to the sisters.
But it doesn't take long for Rickman to win one over. He creates great sympathy especially by portraying a man who has experienced a great deal of loss.
The characters that make the film, however, are obviously the Dashwood sisters.
As the film progresses, each girl learns a little from the other about handling her emotions. The younger, Marianne, learns to guard her feelings more, while the stalwart, Elinor, begins to express herself. Elinor's final release is one of the funniest scenes of the movie.
"Sense And Sensibility," despite its accents, is a film to enjoy. It is a smart and funny comedy that makes one realize that there are some things that do not change much over time -- the power of love and the thrill of the chase.
