New favorite Austen heroine

My new favorite Jane Austen heroine is Catherine Moreland. How can anyone not love a gal who fancies herself a heroine in a gothic novel and keeps casting these romantic fanasies with herself and the gentleman du jour in the leading roles?

Last night’s KCPT presentation of Northanger Abbey was a frothy concoction with delightful characters, a likeable heroine and plenty of exaggerated drama to keep viewer interest.

Besides, the production opens with this musing by one of the older female characters regarding Catherine:  “I wonder if it can be good for her to read so many novels?”

Answer: Of course. All the most fascinating women read. 

Jane Austen as Hot Film Property

Who went to this program? I want comments/reviews/recaps.  I missed it because we got 5 inches of snow where I live. I really wanted to go but when it came time to leave my house to drive to KC for the program it was snowing like crazy.

Better than a Bond Girl

No one writes virtuous, feisty, impoverished spinster-heroines better than Jane Austen. But just try getting those gals up on the silver screen. Noted scholar Sheryl Craig discussed how difficult it is for Jane to make the leap from print to movie. All the internal dialogue, class distinctions, numerous scenes and characters make adapting Jane Austen a challenge at best and a period mess at worst.

Ms. Craig paid particular attention to the film adaptations of Pride and Prejudice. She pointed out the obvious change in the time period in the 1940 version (popularly known as the “Olivier” version). Many of the costumes were borrowed from the blockbuster film of the year before, Gone With the Wind and it was obvious to all viewers that Greer Garson was a little too old to be playing Elizabeth Bennett.

The “Colin Firth” version of the BBC miniseries Pride and Prejudice is noted for the BBC telling screenwriter/adapter Andrew Davies to take no notice of the broadcast time constraints and produce the most accurate and entertaining screenplay possible.

Interestingly, the 2005 version of P&P is referred to as the “Keira Knightley” version. Craig pointed out that most P&P films are differentiated by the actors who play Darcy, not the actresses who portray Elizabeth. Craig also explained the dire circumstances of the Bennetts’ in the first scenes in the 2005 movie. Noting that Americans have difficulty discerning between classes, she said, “Americans understand money.” This is the reason for the vast gulf between the Bennetts and the other characters.

Become a cine-Jane expert by catching the rest of the BBC productions on Kansas City’s local public television station, KCPT or the free films at Kansas City Public Library. The next one will be the “Keira Knightly” Pride & Prejudice on January 26.

Journey to the Center of Jane

Take a closer look at that photo and you will easily see that Jane Austen is the center of the world. Now, this is not news to the over 100 Janeites in the audience last night.

It wasn’t news to keynote speaker, Dr. Dorice Elliott either, who happily went through the films and books of Jane Austen to show us all her perennial appeal and discuss Jane’s relevance in the 21st century.

Dr. Elliott laughingly showed the attendees Jane’s write up in People magazine as one of the most Intriguing People of the year; Jane’s Newsweek cover; and pointed out that Jane wouldn’t have to worry about the current writer’s strike as she makes more than all those other screenwriters. When she works.

Dr. Elliott dispensed plenty of entertaining tidbits about Jane Austen and her works, but the one item participants were still talking about the next night was Jane Austen’s deft mix of third person omniscent and first person narration. Audience members buzzed and whispered as Dr. Elliott magnified a passage from Emma for all to read and pointed the subtle shifts in narration that advance and explicate the story at the same time.  

Heady stuff for a room full of Jane-ophiles and we couldn’t get enough.

Jane-iacs unite

Tonight is the KCPL Jane-uary kick-off event in Helzberg Auditorium with visiting local Jane Austen scholar, Dorice Elliott.

If you haven’t made your reservation for this informative and entertaining program, it’s not to late. Click here to RSVP. Showtime is 6:30 pm. Bring your parasol and spinnet.

Here’s a description:

The Perennial Appeal of Jane Austen
Dorice Elliott, an English professor at the University of Kansas, explains the qualities that have kept these canonical Austen works alive – and the reasons they will breathe easy through the next century. Elliott is a specialist in women’s literature as well as British literature.

Spoiler Alert!!!

Forgive me if you didn’t watch Masterpiece Theatre’s Persuasion. You should probably stop reading now.

Why in the world did they change the delivery of the letter? Plus didn’t more of the letter get read write in the 1995 movie version? You barely hear any of the letter in this version. Mind you, Wentworth is better looking in this version (sorry Ciaran Hinds).  I was liking this production until the very end. The end made me want to pull my hair out. I wanted to throw something at the TV. 

Do not mess with the Austen.

VOTE!!!

Who’s your choice for a first date or life mate? Read the profiles of the Austen men below and choose your helpmeet.

Men of the Austen canon

Wentworth is my weakness

For some women cowboys are their weakness but for me, it’s Captain Wentworth. I have a confession to make. I couldn’t wait until January 13th to watch Persuasion. It is, after all, my favorite Jane Austen novel. The minute someone posted the ITV movie on YouTube last summer I sat in front of my computer and watched it. Mind you, I will still watch it when it airs tomorrow and I’ve pre-ordered the DVD from Amazon. There is just something about Wentworth that makes him stand out to me over all the other Austen heroes. Apparently I’m not the only one that loves him and will have to challenge author and Austenphile, Laurie Viera Rigler to a duel at dawn for him.

I made a friend read his letter. She gushes, “I believe that I would die, or at the very least, feel faint, if a guy sent me a letter like that.” Listen up, gentlemen. You don’t realize that that’s all it takes.  Not jewels or expensive trips or even flowers, just something that comes straight from the heart that no price can be placed upon.” The actor that portrays Wentworth in the Masterpiece/ITV movie is a very good physical actor. Just watch him even when he’s not speaking. Which is a lot because Wentworth doesn’t speak much.

Monday I will review the movie. Believe me there are things I am dying to discuss. Be prepared for spoilers.

Heads up!!!

Just read on the Austen Blog: One lump or two? that all the movies shown on PBS for the Complete Jane Austen will be edited versions. It was said that the DVDs would contain the entire movies but apparently only in Europe. Region 1 DVDs are still edited.

So you think you know Pride and Prejudice?

Guest blogger, Jenny here. Kaite has asked me to post on here a few times. Hopefully you’ll see me at the Jane-uary events. I don’t live in KC so it’s up to Mother Nature on how many events I’ll get to.

Have you ever seen the Pride and Prejudice board game? I bought the game about 4 years ago at Brits in Lawrence. We have played it a few times at my Jane Austen book club that I run at one of the libraries I work at.

Click here for game! 

The woman who created the game lives in KC. She’s a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America-KC Metro region. I’ve met her a couple of times. She’ll probably be at some of the Jane-uary events.

The goal of the game is to be the first couple married. It is quite a challenging game. It shows who REALLY knows P&P. I’ve played it with fellow English majors when I was an undergrad and like I said before, Jane Austen book club members. Who do you think did better?