Sense and Sensibility Comparison: Part 3

The third part of the Sense and Sensibility Comparison by Miss Elizabeth Bennet from Elegance of Fashion and Melody from Regency Delight ~ Jane Austen, etc.

Lucy/Edward Engagement Revealed

1995 Scene

Miss Bennet: Since there was no Anne to reveal the engagement to Fanny, the 1995 scene is different from the book. In the 1995 version, Lucy and Fanny are talking and, until Lucy gains Fanny's confidence that any rich family would want her to marry any of their sons, Lucy tells Fanny that she is engaged to Edward and Fanny is thrown into hysterics. This wouldn't seem like Lucy to tell Fanny about the engagement since Lucy is so cunning. She may have told Elinor about the engagement, but it wasn't because she needed to get it off her mind, but rather because she was jealous that Edward might love another woman.

Melody: Since there is no older sister in this version to spill the beans, they had Lucy tell Fanny herself that she was engaged to Edward. After testing her ground a little, she whispered it – but apparently Fanny thought much more of Lucy as her little protégée than someone who could be a suitable sister-in-law for her. She screams and causes a commotion that makes Lucy fall to the ground, then Fanny pulls Lucy up, yelling and acting like a maniac…it was really quite funny.

2008 Scene

Melody: Now this one was more like the book. Anne/Nancy/Miss Steele is sitting in the parlor with Fanny and Mrs. Farrars, where she casually talks about Edward and Lucy seeing much of each other – and then about their long-standing engagement. It suddenly dawns on Miss Steele that, oh yes, that was supposed to be a secret, and Fanny becomes enraged. Right after that, Edward himself enters with Lucy…Mrs. Farrars questions Edward, and Miss Steele says to Lucy “I’m sorry, it just popped out!” Now in the book, instead of actually having this scene, it just has Mrs. Jennings telling Elinor about it. Mrs. Jennings said: “Poor Nancy, who, you know, is a well-meaning creature, but no conjurer, popt it all out.” I like how they took that quote and put it into the scene.

Miss Bennet: Much closer to the book! Since Anne was in this version, Anne was the one to, as she put it in the miniseries, "[pop] it out." I really liked this scene since it was comical and funny. If I remember correctly, however, I don't think Mrs. Ferrars was in the room at the time in the book, but she was present in the miniseries.

 Overall

Miss Bennet: The 2008 version. I love that scene!

Melody: As much as I enjoyed the scene from 1995, my favorite is the one from 2008. It’s more realistic – with all her precautions for secrecy (ulterior motivated though they may have been), I doubt she would just tell Fanny, especially without talking to Edward – and in any case, it’s not what happened in the book.

Colonel Brandon/Willoughby Rivalry

1995 Presentation

Miss Bennet: I think the movie was a little more accurate to the rivalry. Towards each other, for the most part, both Colonel Brandon and Willoughby were polite to each other, though neither of them liked the other. Willoughby had some unkind remarks about Colonel Brandon while he wasn't around, which was what it was in the book.

Melody: This version didn’t show much of rivalry between the two…the first time they are seen with each other on the movie, Col. Brandon is walking away from Barton Cottage and Willoughby is walking towards it…Col. Brandon looks back at him rather suspiciously. They meet in the same circles several times and Brandon looks displeased about Willoughby’s attentions to Marianne. In London, he tells Elinor of Willoughby’s evil deeds, and that’s pretty much it.

2008 Presentation

Melody: In this one, they really decided to play up the Willoughby/Brandon rivalry element. It has a similar scene to 1995…Willoughby is visiting Marianne the next day after she’d fallen, and Col. Brandon comes in while Willoughby is still there. But rather than having Willoughby cordially but perhaps slightly coldly greet Col. Brandon, he gets on his mad face and that mysterious music starts up and then the episode ends. Later, at a ball, Col. Brandon asks Willoughby what his intentions are towards Marianne. Finally, after Col. Brandon finds out the whole of Willoughby’s villainies, he takes him out and has a duel. I thought that was a little strange. They say they got it from the book, though, and I suppose it could be alluding to something of the sort (it was when Brandon was talking to Elinor in London), but it never mentioned swords.
Miss Bennet: In this adaptation, they film-makers really expanded on the Colonel Brandon/Willoughby Rivalry. Scenes were added, such as Colonel Brandon calling Willoughby in private to ask about his intentions towards Marianne and the sword fighting duel (though there was a duel in the book, it was only briefly mentioned by Colonel Brandon). From the start, both did not like each other and didn't really hide it.Cottage).

 Overall

Miss Bennet: I like the way the rivalry was presented in the 1995 adaptation better. It was closer to the book, and sometimes less is more.
Melody: I’m not sure I’ve exactly seen Brandon and Willoughby as rivals….Willoughby is the bad guy, and the Colonel is the good guy. So I suppose I prefer the 1995 version. I just didn’t like the way they went about it in the 2008 version…

Endings

1995 Scene

Miss Bennet: The movie ends with Colonel Brandon and Marianne getting married. Elinor and Edward's marriage is not shown, so it's implied that they already got married, Edward became a clergyman, and he presided over Colonel Brandon and Marianne's wedding. Because of all these implications, it was believed that it was a double wedding, but Edward and Elinor were already married for two years. They also included Willoughby looking on at the wedding, regreting that he didn't marry Marianne.

Melody: This one goes directly from the scene of Edward’s proposal to the wedding of Col. Brandon and Marianne. I love the music for that part, it makes me feel happy…

2008 Scene

Melody: The very ending of this movie shows Col. Brandon carrying Marianne to their new home…and Elinor and Edward at their cottage, with Edward chasing chickens and they are both laughing…

Miss Bennet: No wedding was shown, but there is a little insight shown into what happens after everyone gets married. They show what appear to be remnants a wedding for Marianne and Colonel Brandon and Marianne and Colonel Brandon immediately after the wedding; Marianne is shown to really love Colonel Brandon. Elinor and Edward are shown keeping a couple of chickens with Edward chasing after the chickens and Elinor watching and laughing and truly happy.

 Overall

Miss Bennet: They're both great endings! Though I am partial to a wedding, I liked the 2008 version a little more. Again, another close call...
Melody: I like the 1995 version’s ending better. What can I say? I like things that end with weddings. ;-) The 2008 version had Marianne tell Elinor she was engaged to Col. Brandon before Elinor had even seen Edward again…in the book, Elinor had been married for quite some time before that. I did like it that they showed more of Marianne being with Col. Brandon more…in the 1995 version, it seemed like they really rushed through (or past) it.

Navigate to the Different Parts of the Sense and Sensibility Comparison!
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4