Love & Friendship: A Regency Review
April 3, 2016
Dear Jane,
I know this is all very untoward, but instead of a writing you a normal letter, I will instead, be reviewing a film that I saw on the thirtieth of March in this, the year of our Lord, two-thousand and sixteen. It was a movie adaptation of your own novel, Lady Susan called "Love & Friendship." I am sure you may be surprised to learn that this was the chosen title as you have a different story (from your juvenilia period) of the same name. Rest assured that they have not merged the two stories, but just had a notion that "Love & Friendship" would be a good title for the film. After all, you never actually called the novel Lady Susan on your original manuscript, that was just how it was published after your passing (it gives me great pain to speak of such a woeful event). Anyway, with out further ado, here is my review. I do hope you enjoy it and that all of my gentle readers have the opportunity to see this movie!
Dear Jane,
I know this is all very untoward, but instead of a writing you a normal letter, I will instead, be reviewing a film that I saw on the thirtieth of March in this, the year of our Lord, two-thousand and sixteen. It was a movie adaptation of your own novel, Lady Susan called "Love & Friendship." I am sure you may be surprised to learn that this was the chosen title as you have a different story (from your juvenilia period) of the same name. Rest assured that they have not merged the two stories, but just had a notion that "Love & Friendship" would be a good title for the film. After all, you never actually called the novel Lady Susan on your original manuscript, that was just how it was published after your passing (it gives me great pain to speak of such a woeful event). Anyway, with out further ado, here is my review. I do hope you enjoy it and that all of my gentle readers have the opportunity to see this movie!
Love & Friendship:
A Regency Review
By: Amanda Forker
It
is a truth universally acknowledged that a Janeite living in the year 2016 will
always take any chance she or he (yes even the modern gentleman can appreciate
Jane Austen) has to experience Austen characters in the midst of 18th
Century England on the big screen. Luckily, I recently had just such an
opportunity when I attended a screening of Whit Stillman’s, Love & Friendship at the Park Avenue
screening room in New York City. (Thank you, Jane Austen Society for getting me
in!)
For
those of you who are not familiar with the story of Love & Friendship it is based on one of Jane Austen’s early
novels, Lady Susan. Not only is this novel unique because of it’s
epistolary format (a novel written as a series of documents- in this case,
letters…thank you, Wikipedia) but because Lady Susan was the exact opposite of
what one thinks of when they think of a Jane Austen heroine. The story follows
a dangerously beautiful and cunning widow name Lady Susan Vernon, still in her
prime, who is in search of a husband not only for her daughter, but for herself
as well. She has a reputation for being a reckless flirt and is more or less
having a flagrant affair with a married man. Unfortunately, Lady Susan has no great love for her poor daughter, Frederica, and tries to marry her off to a
man she does not love. For the rest you’ll either have to read it or watch it (I
recommend both). Rest assured that all turns out well…for the most part.
First
let me say, what an utter delight this movie was. I enjoyed it right from the
beginning, though I do believe I was inclined to enjoy it no matter what. It should
be noted that as a loyal Janeite (an avid Jane Austen admirer) I have, of
course, read Austen’s Lady Susan. I must confess that I’ve only read it
once, so I appreciated Mr. Stillman’s clever notion to write the names of each
character as they were being introduced. This allowed the audience to easily
put names to faces without working too hard. After all, everyone truly does
begin to look the same when dressed in regency attire. This sort of tactic is
not quite necessary when one watches a classic like Pride & Prejudice, but with a relatively unknown story such as
this, it was a very smart move.
As
a long time fan of Kate Beckinsale, I was not surprised that she made a tremendous
Lady Susan. Her portrayal of this deliciously rich character was a perfect mixture
of manipulative coquette and charming gentility. That being said, I absolutely
loved to hate her. As for Chloë Sevigny, who portrayed the equally immoral
and intimate friend of Lady Susan, Mrs. Alicia Johnson, I must confess that I
was not sold on her performance or the choice to make her an American.
Unfortunately, Ms. Sevigny seemed out of place with her non-British accent and it
actually took me out of the story at times. However, I will say that as a
native “Nutmegger,” I thoroughly enjoyed the clever quips about Connecticut.
The rest of the
cast gave admirable performances, but Tom Bennett as the dull-witted and
hilarious Sir James Martin was a true stand out. I was literally laughing out
loud when he spoke of the Lord’s “twelve commandments.” To be sure, Mr. Bennett
(no, not that Mr. Bennett) knows how to deliver a well-written regency joke.
In
addition to the wonderful performances and the cleverly adapted screenplay, it
is equally important to mention the exquisite costume design. Every dress worn
by Ms. Beckinsale took my breath away and I wanted nothing more than to wear
each one myself. It should also be mentioned that the gentlemen looked quite
dashing in their regency finery as well.
To
conclude, I do hope you will agree with me when I say that it is, in fact, a
truth universally acknowledged that Love
& Friendship is a charming and sophisticated movie and an admirable
adaptation of Jane Austen’s, Lady Susan.
 |
| Photo credit: http://www.eonline.com |
I do believe you would have been proud, Jane; it was such a diverting film to behold! Between "Love & Friendship" and "Pride & Prejudice & Zombies," I dare say you are having quite an exciting year, Miss Austen!
Yours Faithfully,
Amanda
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