*ALERT* If you haven't read or seen Sense and Sensibility, you might not want to read this post. Here be spoilers.
Well, I posted about Elinor Dashwood (#3 in my Top Ten Heroines Series) yesterday, and here I am posting about her again today. I didn't say everything I wanted to say in yesterday's post, and then Alexandra pointed out that I hadn't included one of Elinor's very best scenes in my post. So here we go again.
The video clip I shared with you yesterday showed Elinor's outburst to Marianne about Edward and the secret she'd been harboring for the past four months. I chose it because I thought it was a great example of Elinor's personality (especially the part at the end). The clip below is another great Elinor moment, but in this case it's almost paradoxical. Elinor's reserve and discretion are her trademark, yet in this scene she lets loose more emotion than Marianne ever does. Without saying a word, at that (except for "you are not married?" which doesn't count). Edward does pretty much all the talking in this scene. "My heart is... and ever will be... yours." Happy ending to end all happy endings, what?
I dare you to watch this and not tear up, yourself. (I also dare you not to giggle when Mrs. Dashwood and Marianne whisk Margaret out of the room at the first sign of Something Romantical. :))
(Sorry the video is out of sync!)
The funny thing is that this scene never appears in the novel at all. It comes from the pen of Emma Thompson, not Jane Austen. In the book, Edward "makes his feelings known" to Elinor, but the proposal scene is not described--or, as my sister aptly puts it, "they don't show it".
I'm usually not a fan of moviemakers taking liberties with literature and adding in scenes that aren't there in the original book, but in this case I can only applaud. Because this scene is amazing. The script, the acting, the MUSIC.... I think Jane Austen would approve. Don't you?
12 comments:
Aww... I love this scene. I don't even need to watch your captions and out-of-sync video to talk about it. ;) (Because I like to talk about about things.)
Some people think it's silly or embarrassing or something when Elinor bursts out crying like that, but I think it's great. And realistic, because if she'd been holding it all in that whole time, it has to come out sometime.
Actually, they did get that from the book, in part. In the book, Elinor went running out of the room after she found out Edward wasn't married, and it was said that everyone could hear her burst of emotion after the door was shut. ;-) Then Edward sort of wandered away and then came back a day or two later, LIMM!
Though the scene is still my favorite in S&S95, I think the 2008 version did a swell job with it, too. Rather similar because Edward proposes right away, but different in that Elinor runs out of the room. He just follows her. ;-) And their hug... aw. Sometimes I'm more a fan of hugging than kissing in movies. ;-) Although there are both in that scene. But I liked the hug better.
Anyways, yes, I do think Jane Austen would approve. Which is a lot coming from me, you know! ;)
Heehee, I love the part where they start leaving & drag Margaret out of the room. Also where Marianne tells Margaret to run up and spy on them from the tree house. "Wait... he's kneeling down!" And then Mrs Dashwood and Marianne act all joyful... awww. =D
*Sigh* and I love movies that end in weddings. As you know. And this one makes me feel happy. As do the endings of P&P and Emma. (I don't need to specify Which Versions because you know. ha)
I suppose I'll stop my rambling now.
Sniffle. Sob. Blowing my nose.
LOVE this scene. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. And it's so perfect because, like Melody said, it's gotta come out sometime. And it's just sooooo sweet...and the whole last line of the proposal gives me chills...and just...ACK.
(runs for the Kleenexes, sobbing like Elinor).
And the wedding is one of my favorite in period dramas. LOVE.
Sigh. Happy, happy. And to be honest...I like all the changes they made in this film vs. the book. Well, I mean...some of the characters that they cut out would have been nice...but as far as plot changes. Love. :-)
Oh, yes. I love that scene. One cannot watch it and feel nothing. I love the way it suddenly "shows" how much passion Elinor actually has inside of her. In ways it feels more authentic than Marianne's passion, because it suddenly bursts.
This scene is my favorite (my second favorite is the wedding).
I always like to watch this scene by myself so I can cry all I want without having inquisitive eyes watching me.
I have a Mixpod account and 'Throw the Coins' is No. 1 on my playlist. It's so lovely.
On a side note that's totally unrelated to S and S, Emma Thompson wrote the scene in P and P 2005 when Charlotte tells Lizzy that she and Mr. Collins are engaged ("Don't you dare judge me, Lizzy!") She received a special thanks in the credits.
This is a great scene. When Elinor starts to sob... My mom breaks down. Every. Time.
Fabulous scene (as is the speech you wrote about previously). I really think Emma Thompson did a fabulous job adapting this novel. She entirely deserved that screenplay Oscar, in my opinion. She does add a few things here and there to the story, but for the most part I think these are all in line with Austen's narrative and characters.
Have you watched her Golden Globe acceptance speech? I *adore* that she wrote a letter on Austen's behalf as a means of expressing her own thoughts.
I love that scene, but I like it better *cough* in the 2008 version, which is my absolute favorite version; you have to see it! *cough, cough* : ) The only thing I have against the 2008 version is that Colonel Brandon is played by David Morrissey, who played Mr. Headstone in 'Our Mutual Friend.' Talk about yuck! I didn't like him in OMF and it took me a little while to like him in the 2008 S&S... but I eventually did. : D
And I know exactly what you were talking about in the previous post. My sister and I are exactly like Elinor and Marianne! I'm more of a romantic thinker and she's more of the sensible, elder sister type.
"Eowyn"
Melody,
"I like Melody. She talks about things." Haha, we ALWAYS talk about things, don't we? ;)
Whoops! You're right, the book DOES tell about her "burst of emotion" behind the closed door. My mistake. But I do like it so much better in the movie, how Edward proposes right then and there. And what a swooningly cute proposal it is, too. :)
Spying from the tree house... love, love, love. "They always kneel down!"
Ally,
My mom and I saw this together for the first time when I was 14 and I was so not expecting the ending to be so sweet and I just burst into tears. We had to pause the movie so I could get tissues. :)
Yeah, I wish some of those "cut" characters (Nancy Steele and Lady Middleton especially) had been left in, but overall it's a masterful adaptation.
Jillian,
Exactly so! She'd been holding it in so long, and you feel so happy for her when things FINALLY start going right, at last! :)
Eva-Joy,
I have the CD soundtrack for this movie, and Throw the Coins is my absolute favorite track (second would probably be My Father's Favourite).
What a fun fact about P&P 05! I wasn't favorably impressed with that movie as far as its being a good adaptation of the book, but that scene was one that I thought was really well done. And here it turns out that Emma Thompson wrote it! :) I love fun facts like that.
Hayden,
Awww....
Diana,
I agree, she did a fabulous job! I have indeed seen her Golden Globe acceptance speech--I think I posted it here when I hosted a Jane Austen birthday event back in December. So funny! "Nefarious creature" made me laugh out loud. :)
Eowyn,
I've been hearing a lot of good things about the 2008 version, and I think I definitely want to see it now. The 1995 movie will always hold a special place in my heart, but it will be interesting to see a more detailed interpretation. Haha, a dear friend of mine warned me to see S&S 2008 BEFORE seeing Our Mutual Friend, because she said if I see David Morrissey as Bradley Headstone first, I won't be able to like him as Colonel Brandon.
Although for me Alan Rickman will always be Colonel Brandon. But I'm willing to give the other one a try. ;)
Blogger, you make me mad because I know not when someone answers my comments unless I remember to check. And missing comments from Twinnie, well, that's just... disastrous. *bah humbug*
On account of their no-follow-up-comment-box, on my blog I switched to comments being at the bottom of the post rather than pop-up box, even though in all other respects pop-up box is ten times better, just because you can still subscribe that way. But I still find it hard to believe there's no way to subscribe to comments on here. Am I missing it??
Ahem. Anyways. A lot of grumbling for a comparatively short answer I'm making to your rather short answer to my original comment. But those who do not complain... do not get the satisfaction of doing so. hehe ;-)
We do indeed always talk about things. It is so delightful!
Yes, sigh, where JA left out the proposal scenes (Miss Austen, you naughty little creature! I declare, you do these things expressly to torture us!), at least some script-writers can make up, in part, for the disappointment.
I am glad, though, that the book says Elinor has a burst of emotion. Because by that time in the book, one really wants to see her show a little sensibility, for pity's sake!
Sophrosyne is a good word for Elinor, don't you think?
*Extremely loud Lydia-snort*
*Looks around and hopes no-one noticed*
Yes, you absolutely MUST see it. It's definitely worth your time. I actually saw the 1995 version before I saw the 2008 version, but didn't understand it. (I think it was only my second period drama movie, with P&P being the first. It was a while ago...) Anyway, I like the 1995 version for several reasons (Hugh Grant as Edward... talk about awesomeness), so don't think I only like the 2008 one. : )
And yes, if you haven't seen OMF yet, see the new S&S THEN OMF. Both are great movies, but... you really need to watch them in that order. lol!
I actually sort of liked Alan Rickman as Col. Brandon better, but I think David Morrissey did a great job. I think the main reason I like the 2008 version better is because all of the actors are younger - they actually look the age they're supposed to be and they're the exact same character. Elinor is as sensible as ever! And Marianne, well... : )
Whoops, that was long. Guess I'd better end it now before I keep going! : )
Eowyn
So don't like this scene. The actors overact in it (plus Hugh is just awful all around), and... it is just poorly done. I don't mind having the proposal scene (the fact that the book skips over it is not good) but the '95 version does it no favors.
The miniseries is WAY better. =)
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