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Roger Michell’s PERSUASION

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Does anyone want to discuss Roger Michell’s film PERSUASION? (It was released as a television film in the U.K., and as a theatrical release in the U.S. — which may make it unique!) I call it “Roger Michell’s PERSUASION” because he was the director — but of course screenwriter Nick Dear deserves as much credit as Michell for this understated, heartfelt adaptation.

I think Ciaran Hinds is very real as Wentworth — and a swoony romantic hero at the same time. Amanda Root is so true and so subtle as Anne that I don’t think I could ever picture anyone else in the part.

The silences in the film are amazingly powerful. This is an incredibly internal film.

The supporting performances are also great. I particularly adore Simon Russell Beale as Anne’s cheerful (but perhaps not too bright) brother-in-law Charles Musgrove, and Fiona Shaw as Mrs. Croft, the Admiral’s resourceful wife. (I once saw Simon Russell Beale portray Guildenstern in Stoppard’s ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD, and Fiona Shaw play King Richard II in Shakespeare’s play, but I assure you I am quite unbiased!)

So, which were your favorite parts of the film? Or what didn’t work for you?

Cara
Cara King, www.caraking.com
MY LADY GAMESTER, Signet Regency 11/05

Posted in Jane Austen | Tagged , , | 10 Replies

More About Movies

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Funny that we should have been discussing so many movies watched over the holidays and over the past year. This past week I made use of the “On Demand” function of my cable service and watched movies instead of reruns of Clean House (my favorite show).

These were all historical movies, two I’d never seen before.

1. Emma, the Gwynth Paltrow one, not my favorite, but it was the only Regency movie I could discover and I like to see the settings and costumes, if not Paltrow’s performance.

2. Amazing Grace. Can you believe I never saw this movie before? I did like it very much. Such a wonderful message. Ioan Gruffudd, older than his Hornblower days, is quite an appealing man. And his singing voice! Sigh. The hymn Amazing Grace is special to me; it was a comfort in the days my mother was ill (almost twenty years ago). I still cry when I hear it.

3. Miss Potter. What a charming film. I did not mind American Renee Zelwegger playing the English part nearly as much as I minded Gwynth Paltrow, although I did wish she had not scrunched her mouth up quite as much. The scenery was beautiful, as was the story and I loved the use of animation. What one of us does not believe our characters aren’t really real?

I’m turning in the revisions of my Undone story, the one you helped me with. You forgot to tell me to make it sexier….What a hard job this is!

Next I turn to my book revisions…..status check: Where are you in your writing or reading or simply living now that we are in the new year?

Did I tell you my The Mysterious Miss M is included in Romantic Times Readers Forum list of 1001 Books We Must Read Before We Die? See this and more on my website. Enter my contest for a chance to win a copy of my backlist.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 16 Replies

JANE AUSTEN MOVIE CLUB: Master and Commander

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Welcome to the September meeting of the Risky Regencies Jane Austen Movie Club!

(And I apologize for our last-minute cancellation last month — I’ll blame it on my cat, as soon as I think how.)

Today, we’re discussing the feature film MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD.

Have you seen it?

If so, what did you think?

For those of you who’ve read some or all of the O’Brian books, did the movie satisfy you? Annoy you? How?

For those who aren’t familiar with the Aubrey/Maturin books, how did the movie work for you? Did it make sense?

To aid the discussion, the major credits follow, with some “you may have seen this actor before in this” in italics…

DIRECTOR: Peter Weir

SCREENPLAY: Peter Weir and John Collee

Based on the novels of Patrick O’Brian

CAST:

Russell Crowe: Capt. Jack Aubrey

Paul Bettany: Dr. Stephen Maturin, Surgeon

Bettany will play Lord Melbourne in the upcoming THE YOUNG VICTORIA. He was also Prince William of Orange in SHARPE’S WATERLOO.

James D’Arcy: 1st Lt. Tom Pullings

Does the handsome first lieutenant look familiar? James D’Arcy played Tom Bertram in the most recent MANSFIELD PARK adaptation, and Nicholas Nickleby for television in 2001.

Edward Woodall: 2nd Lt. William Mowett

Woodall played Robert Martin in the Gwyneth Paltrow EMMA.

Chris Larkin: Capt. Howard, Royal Marines

Max Pirkis: Blakeney, Midshipman

Jack Randall: Boyle, Midshipman

Max Benitz: Calamy, Midshipman

Lee Ingleby: Hollom, Midshipman

Richard Pates: Williamson, Midshipman

Robert Pugh: Mr. Allen, Master

Richard McCabe: Mr. Higgins, Surgeon’s Mate

McCabe also played a naval man in the Root/Hinds PERSUASION — he was Captain Benwick. He was also Mr. Brocklehurst in the 2006 JANE EYRE, and will appear as Sir James Hare in the upcoming THE DUCHESS.

Ian Mercer: Mr. Hollar, Boatswain

Tony Dolan: Mr. Lamb, Carpenter

David Threlfall: Preserved Killick, Captain’s Steward

Billy Boyd: Barrett Bonden, Coxswain

Boyd, of course, was Pippin in the LORD OF THE RINGS movies.

Bryan Dick: Joseph Nagle, Carpenter’s Mate

Joseph Morgan: William Warley, Cpt. of Mizzentop

Morgan was William Price in the recent MANSFIELD PARK.

George Innes: Joe Plaice, Able Seaman

William Mannering: Faster Doudle, Able Seaman

Patrick Gallagher: Awkward Davies, Able Seaman

Alex Palmer: Nehemiah Slade, Able Seaman

Mark Lewis Jones: Mr. Hogg, Whaler

John DeSantis: Padeen, Loblolly Boy

Ousmane Thiam: Black Bill, Killick’s Mate

Thierry Segall: French Captain

So . . . what did you think???

All answers welcome!

Cara
Cara King, who isn’t even master and commander of her cat

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 15 Replies

JANE AUSTEN MOVIE CLUB: Sense & Sensibility (2008), pt. 2

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Welcome back to Risky Regencies’ JANE AUSTEN MOVIE CLUB!

Today we’re discussing the new SENSE & SENSIBILITY, particularly its second half.

If you’d like to look at last week’s discussion, or the cast list for this adaptation, just click here.

So: what did you think???

All comments welcome!

Cara
Cara King, author of MY LADY GAMESTER, in which no one chops logs and men rarely take off their coats

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 14 Replies

JANE AUSTEN MOVIE CLUB: Sense and Sensibility (2008)

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Welcome to the Risky Regencies JANE AUSTEN MOVIE CLUB!

Today we’re discussing the new BBC adaptation of SENSE AND SENSIBILITY.

Or, at least, we’re discussing the first half of it. We’ll discuss the second half next Tuesday!

So…what did you think of the casting, costumes, carriages, country-dances, or anything else?

To aid the discussion, here are the major credits:

Screenplay: Andrew Davies

Director: John Alexander


CAST:

Marianne Dashwood: Charity Wakefield

Elinor Dashwood: Hattie Morahan

Margaret Dashwood: Lucy Boynton

John Dashwood: Mark Gatiss

Fanny Dashwood: Claire Skinner

Mrs. Dashwood: Janet McTeer

Colonel Brandon: David Morrissey

Edward Ferrars: Dan Stevens

The non-horrific-looking Dan Stevens has recently appeared in television adaptations of both FRANKENSTEIN and DRACULA.

Robert Ferrars: Leo Bill

Lady Middleton: Rosanna Lavelle

Mrs. Jennings: Linda Bassett

Sir John Middleton: Mark Williams

Are you wondering why Mark Williams looks familiar? He plays Arthur Weasley in the HARRY POTTER movies. He was also seen in the recent TRISTRAM SHANDY (a.k.a. A COCK AND BULL STORY.)

Charlotte Palmer: Tabitha Wady

Miss Steele: Daisy Haggard

Lucy Steele: Anna Madeley

Mr. Palmer: Tim McMullan

Willoughby: Dominic Cooper

Fans of BECOMING JANE’S James McAvoy may have seen Dominic Cooper in STARTER FOR TEN; Cooper also gained notice in HISTORY BOYS. Later this year he will appear alongside Keira Knightley in THE DUCHESS.

Eliza: Caroline Hayes

Mrs. Ferrars: Jean Marsh

So…please let us know what you thought of it!

All opinions welcome!

(And if you’re interested in finding out which Austen adaptations we’ve already discussed, and adding your point of view, just click on the “Jane Austen Movie Club” link below!)

Cara
Cara King, who has more sense than sensibility…and more hair than wit…

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 29 Replies
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