Sense and Sensibility ★★★½ 1995 (PG) Thanks to the machinations of greedy relatives, the impecunious Dashwood family is forced to move to a country cottage when father dies. Sensible Elinor (Thompson) looks after the household while overly romantic Marianne (Winslet) pines for passion—ignoring the noble attentions of middle-aged neighbor Brandon (Rickman) for the far more dashing Willoughby (Wise). Elinor has her own hopes for marriage with boyishly ineffectual Edward (Grant) but all three men have secrets that could crush romantic dreams (at least temporarily). Somewhat slow-paced but witty adaptation (by Thompson) of Jane Austen's first novel, well-acted and beautifully photographed (oh, to be in the English countryside). 135m/C VHS, DVD, 8mm. GB Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Greg Wise, Robert Hardy, Elizabeth Spriggs, Emile Francois, Gemma Jones, James Fleet, Harriet Walter, Imogen Stubbs, Imelda Staunton, Hugh Laurie, Richard Lumsden;
Director:
Ang Lee;
Writer:
Emma Thompson;
Writer:
Michael Coulter;
Cameo:
Patrick Doyle. Oscars '95: Adapt. Screenplay; British Acad. '95: Actress (Thompson), Film, Support. Actress (Winslet); Golden Globes '96: Film—Drama, Screenplay; L.A. Film Critics '95: Screenplay; Natl. Bd. of Review '95: Actress (Thompson), Director (Lee), Film; N.Y. Film Critics '95: Director (Lee); Screen Actors Guild '95: Support. Actress (Winslet); Writers Guild '95: Adapt. Screenplay; Broadcast Film Critics '95: Film, Screenplay.
