How a Taiwanese director and a first-time screenwriter revived Jane Austen for modern audiences
In short: When producer Lindsay Doran sought to adapt Jane Austen’s 1811 novel, she chose Emma Thompson, an actress with no screenwriting experience. To direct, she hired Ang Lee, who had never read Austen. Together, they navigated cultural barriers and production disasters to create a definitive, Oscar-winning masterpiece of period drama.
The 1995 film Sense and Sensibility was a gamble that paid off, earning $135 million worldwide and securing seven Academy Award nominations. Producer Lindsay Doran, who had long dreamed of adapting the novel, spent years searching for a writer capable of balancing Austen’s wit with modern sensibilities. She eventually tapped Emma Thompson, despite studio nervousness regarding her lack of screenwriting credentials. Thompson spent five years drafting the screenplay, often working on it between other film projects, and even survived a near-catastrophic computer failure that nearly erased her work.
Ang Lee, known for his work on The Wedding Banquet, was hired to direct, though he initially felt like an outsider to 19th-century English culture. Lee brought a unique perspective, focusing on the emotional core of the story rather than period-accurate minutiae. He pushed his cast to avoid the 'stagy' traditions of British period drama, encouraging them to act more like natural human beings. This approach included unconventional methods, such as having the cast practice tai chi to improve body language and requiring actors to live together to build authentic chemistry.
The production faced significant physical and logistical hurdles. During the filming of a rain-soaked rescue scene, Kate Winslet collapsed from hypothermia after fifty takes, and she later suffered from phlebitis and a sprained wrist. Despite these challenges, the film’s meticulous attention to detail—from the costumes designed by Jenny Beavan and John Bright to the use of historic National Trust properties—helped cement its legacy. Thompson’s screenplay, which won an Academy Award, successfully updated Austen’s themes for a contemporary audience, proving that a 'director for hire' and a novice writer could produce one of the most enduring adaptations in cinema history.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Sense and Sensibility (1995 film)
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