Ragione e sentimento

The book "Sense and Sensibility" is a great one. It is beautiful, poised and poignant and just a joy to read. Out of the adaptations of the book I have two favourites. One is the 1995 film with Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson, which was visually stunning and impeccably acted by the whole cast. The other adaptation is this one. I do marginally prefer the film, but this mini-series is mighty fine.

This adaptation of "Sense and Sensibility" isn't without its problems though. There are some scenes that felt rushed, particularly the ending and Colonel Brandon's departure from Delaford. Also, Dominic Cooper's performance as Willoughby was uneven. Cooper is a good actor, and has charming presence, but compared to the Willoughby in the book and the Willoughby in the 1995 film, this Willoughby seemed somewhat unlikeable and arrogant and the complexity of his feelings for Marianne I felt could have been explored more.

However, this is much to love about this mini-series. For one thing, it looks beautiful. The costumes are lavish, the scenery is sumptuous and the photography is crisp. I especially liked the shots of the cottage and the sea. The music is truly pleasant to the ear, romantic, lyrical and whimsical, the sort of effect Patrick Doyle's score in the 1995 film had on me. The script wasn't too bad really, it had a sense of intelligence about it even if it had some questionable modernisations on occasion.

The acting, with the general exception of Cooper's Willoughby, is excellent and ideal for the characters they play. Hattie Morahan is a mature and subtle Elinor, and Charity Wakefield is beautiful, innocent and tragic as Marianne. They are solidly supported by a superb Janet McTeer as the mother, a dashing Dan Stevens as Edward Ferrars and a suitably sincere David Morissey as Colonel Brandon(an improvement over Alan Rickman, Rickman was good but Morissey fitted the character better). Overall, this is a fine mini-series, perfect to go with the 1995 film and it manages to be solid as an adaptation. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Truth is, my wife is (was) the family's one Jane Austen addict so I had zero inkling up-front of the two truly extraordinary story arcs. To say that this production is one wild, nail-biting roller-coaster ride is putting it pretty mildly.

To follow Hattie Morahan's warm, kind, brave and hypnotically beautiful Elinor through to her dismal and heart-breaking dead-end in life, via a seeming never-ending series of emotional whacks... that's story-telling of the most profoundest kind.

And then into that truly stunning few moments where eyes are absolutely GLUED to Elinor's quivering back... that's movie-making beyond awesome.

I've dutifully watched the movie version too now. These REALLY go well together. The movie is intensely beautiful to look at and has great crowd scenes. Highly worth watching for the alternative take on the Marianne story; I liked it without necessarily preferring it. Each version has some dialog that greatly helps understand points in the other.

No review I've read yet has mentioned the great voice-over commentary on the DVD. Director, producer and four leads. Nice happy family that one is. Hattie Morahan is self-effacing almost to the point of invisibility, but she has a truly great laugh we hear often. Remarks by "Edward" and "Marianne" and "Willoughby" are warm, funny and at times really insightful, and leave one liking each of them a lot.

Plus we hear just how the director and producer arrived at many of their outcomes, adjusted things post-production, set up the scenes in the many houses and the studios, struggled for continuity, and came up with that proposal scene - told in that self-effacing and often funny British way, but they're true talents.

And Janeites, please get this: the team makes it increasingly clear that there are several hours of unused scenes still in the can. They are not offered here on this DVD. So, a 4-or-5-hour director's-cut version? Okay. You know what to do...

I believe that this adaptation shall be another triumph to add to Andrew Davies already sublime list of adaptations!! The beginning of the first episode left me a bit doubtful but then it really got going. I for one am waiting in anticipation for episode 2 to air!!

In response to the previous comment on the camera work - have you been watching TV and film lately?? Each adaptation offers us something new from the story, a story which has already been exploited many times before and is well known.

A huge well done to all involved - i just know this adaptation will give the 1995 version a run for its money!!

Praising the BBC for the quality of their costume dramas may be the equivalent of taking coals to Newcastle but in some respects it's what they do best and "Sense and Sensibility" is no exception. Of course, comparisons with Ang Lee's splendid film version are inevitable yet somehow the intimacy of television and the somewhat greater length that a serialized adaptation can afford gives this a deeper dimension that the albeit very entertaining film version.

The writer is Andrew Davies who is a dab hand at this sort of thing and the casting is, as ever, impeccable. Perhaps the best actors working anywhere in the world today are on British television, (note the recent adaptation of "Cranford"). The performances here are superb. Both Hattie Morahan and Charity Wakefield succeed in banishing all thoughts of Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet, (no mean feat), while David Morrissey as Colonel Brandon and Dan Stevens as Edward Ferrars are outstanding, acting rings round Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant who played the same roles in the movie. Morrissey, in particular, is one of the best actors on television, perhaps anywhere, and it is always a pleasure to see him. But then the whole cast are terrific as is the assured direction of John Alexander. Just perfect for a Sunday night in front of the fire.

I procrastinated watching this series as Ang Lee's 1995 film was still fresh with me and I knew i would keep comparing instead of enjoying. I finally watched it and I have to say, I simply loved it. Every bit. It was totally satisfying. I will share that with respect to the 1995 film, that I have watched multiple times, that as much as I appreciate Emma Thompson, it is always at the back of my mind that she was too old for Elinor and made her look like a spinster as opposed to a unmarried and eligible older sister. This Elinor made me cry and I was very much into her story. Both versions are lovely but this version made me go immediately to IMDB and write this comment. Thank you Andrew Davies.