Comparison of Ang Lee's 1995 movie adaptation and Rodney Bennett's made for TV 1981 version of Sense and Sensibility.

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Heather Romine

English R1A

March 8, 2006

Extra Credit: Comparison of Ang Lee's 1995 movie adaptation and Rodney Bennett's made for TV 1981 version

Ang Lee's version of Sense and Sensibility and Rodney Bennett's TV series adaptation of Sense and Sensibility both capture the spirit of Jane Austen's novel; however, there are discrepancies which enhance and detract from each adaptation. Differences arise due to variations in the directors' nationalities and intended audience, events and characters.

The American version is much more dramatic than the British version. Bennett takes the viewer back in historical time in an entertaining, smooth, and touching fashion. It is more true to Austen's time period; whereas Lee's movie is much more dramatic. Whenever there is tension in the novel, it is pouring outside even when it is not raining in the novel. It is raining when Willoughby finds Marianne with a twisted ankle, whereas the British version and novel have sunny weather. Margaret's tree house in the Emma-Thompson movie depicts Margaret as free-spirited tomboy creating more melodramatic tension which is not present in the novel or British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) version. The American version also portrays men always riding horses, possibly due to the cowboy history of the United States and film industry's considerable use of men on horses to depict heroic figures.
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The difference in budget between the two movies also created inherent differences. The BBC version was a series designed for TV with a smaller budget and less polished production. Lee's film was created with a larger budget allowing them to shoot at gorgeous locations with beautiful costumes. It is more refined and condensed because of its intended audience. The BBC adaptation was longer (three hours long without commercials) whereas the American production is only a little over two hours. The longer version includes more details from the novel and more of Austen's original language, making it more faithful ...

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