Every artist tends to view the world slightly differently, which is always reflected in their art – some are more cynical than others, while others are more dedicated to capturing the intricate beauty of everyday life. Jane Austen occupies the latter category, and there is certainly very little doubt that she warrants every bit of adoration, with her status as one of the greatest writers in the history of English literature becoming more secure with every new reader that picks up one of her books, which contain some of the most beautiful stories ever composed in the language, all of which have transcended . This is also one of the reasons she has become such a cherished source for many filmmakers, with her stories being incredibly solid and wildly entertaining, making them profoundly cinematic, since they often transport the viewer into the past, allowing us access to a world that is familiar to us in terms of our shared historical knowledge, but separate enough that it feels almost fantastical. Sense and Sensibility is one of her most beloved works, and is the subject of an adaptation by Ang Lee (in his English-language directorial debut), who was working from a screenplay written by the film’s star, the irrepressible and formidable Emma Thompson, who spent years engaging with Austen’s stunning novel of love and heartbreak in the moors of Devonshire. Working closely with a cast of wonderful actors, Lee creates an absolutely gorgeous film that is more than just the stuffy period drama that we often associated with these kinds of films, especially those by Austen, being the kind of incredibly complex and beautifully crafted character-driven romance that has captivated audiences for generations.

Many have attempted to immerse themselves in Austen’s world across every conceivable medium. Understanding the appeal of her writing entails looking at it as more than just flowery romanticism, but as texts that take celebrate life in its most steadfast, undistilled form, where the machinations of the class system and socio-cultural milieux were often at the forefront of these intricately-woven stories that blended striking commentary with soaring romance, meaning that they were accessible and appreciated by a wide group of readers. Sense and Sensibility is one of her most incredibly insightful texts, a more sobering depiction of this time and place than her most famous works such as Emma and Pride and Prejudice (both of which are tremendous, but slightly more comedic than this one, which is often teetering very close on being a tragedy), so when it came time to craft a film based on the novel, everyone involved had an intimidating task ahead of them. Needless to say, the film was an absolute triumph – what Thompson did in adapting this novel is nothing short of an astonishing achievement, with her ability to consistently capture the spirit of Austen’s writing, in terms of both the heartwrenching melancholy and underlying humour, proving that she is one of our greatest artists, someone who has utilized all of her talents across a career that has turned her into a modern Renaissance woman. It’s difficult to imagine many people outside of Thompson being able to as effectively convey both the pathos and humour of Austen’s work, and it translates beautifully to the screen.

In light of the approach taken to looking at Sense and Sensibility, it’s not difficult to understand why Lee was brought on to helm the production. He may not be a director who was known for his knowledge or prowess in pastoral, 19th-century literature, but he was one of the great filmmakers when it comes to vivid and unique depictions of romance on screen, which is the launching point for most of this film. His directorial vision is assured and always interesting, and he works with a range of ideas that is not be bound to a particular time and place, which is part of its appeal. His work is always interesting, and proves that he is amongst our most chameleonic filmmakers – and not many directors would be bold enough to choose an intimidating period drama as their first English-language film, but Lee has proven many times that he possesses gifts that make him a perfect choice for any kind of film. Sense and Sensibility is positively bursting with life, produced under the guidance of a text that would have been difficult to ruin, but could have also resulted in a far less dynamic film than we ultimately received. Thompson and Lee work closely together to ensure that the spirit of Austen’s writing is not lost – and considering how much effort went into translating it to the screen, we can definitely appreciate that it was not the easiest task. It does help that a range of exceptionally gifted artists were hired to bring the film to life, with the cinematography capturing the splendour of the English countryside (which was in turn replicated by a dedicated team, tasked with constructing an image of the past that was detailed but not to the point of being distracting), the music evoking every necessary emotion, and the general tone and pace set by both the script and the direction of it leading to an enormously entertaining, and deeply moving, look into the trials and tribulations of a closely-knit family doing whatever they can to survive in the hostile terrain that is pastoral England.

Thompson is as brilliant an actress as she is a writer, and this was proven throughout Sense and Sensibility, a film that is very much centred on the characters, and thus needed a cast that was capable of delivering stellar performances. Thompson casts herself as Elinor Dashwood, which is a smart role for her – she is the de facto lead of the film, but she is not the one that occupies all of the space in the film. If anything, Elinor is more of a reactionary figure, someone who does show emotion, but really exists to facilitate the actions of those around her, grounding the film and allowing us to always have a neutral surrogate in this world – and she is exceptional, playing the role with candour and wit, and proving why she is one of our finest performers. The most substantial acting in terms of pure narrative significance comes on behalf of the ensemble – Kate Winslet is the heart of the film, playing the melancholy young Marianne with such incredible grace, it seems almost bewildering that this was one of her very first film roles, since she possessed such incredible maturity from such a young age. Thompson and Winslet share the screen with many other formidable actors, such as Alan Rickman (who has never been more dashing and heroic) and Hugh Grant, both of whom play romantic interests that anchor the film, never veering too far into the territory of being almost perversely valiant, but having a charm what would make any viewer absolutely swoon. Whether major roles or small, scene-stealing supporting parts, Sense and Sensibility is carried by its entire cast, and their willingness to follow Lee’s guidance shows in every frame of the film, which depends almost entirely on their incredible ability to bring these characters to life in a way that never feels artificial, which is one of the more common problems with many period dramas.

Over a quarter of a century later, Sense and Sensibility not only remains the gold standard for Jane Austen adaptations, but set the bar for all period dramas, proving that they do not need to be dour exercises at all, and that even if they don’t aim to be subversive to the genre, they can still be dynamic and witty, especially when working from an author whose writing has transcended all geographical and temporal boundaries, continuously being embraced by an audience that only grows as their work is discovered by each new generation. This adaptation serves a dual purpose – for newcomers, it is the perfect entry point into Austen’s work, since it offers the same enthralling and warm storytelling that has made her writing so beloved, but it has a gravitas that some of the more trivial versions of her novels tend to lack, especially since many of them are too interested in highlighting the romance, leaving the more sobering social commentary to fall by the wayside. On the converse, for existing admirers of Austen’s work, this version of Sense and Sensibility offers everything one could want to from such an adaptation – it is faithful to the novel, but not bound by it in a way that feels unnecessarily stuffy. It also has the kind of deeply sentimental tone that is often felt when reading these books, but doesn’t always translate well into film. Regardless of where one falls in terms of admiring the writer, this film is an incredible achievement that pays tribute to a great artist, revitalizing her work without needing to change it in a way that would make it unrecognizable. Sense and Sensibility proves that period dramas do not need to maintain the same overtly serious tone, but can be wildly entertaining, granted they don’t neglect to explore the aspects that made the original work so excellent in the first place. Lee’s masterful direction, Thompson’s excellent writing, and the brilliant work by the cast all work in tandem to create this thrilling, passionate and deeply moving ode to the act of falling in love, and the continuous action of maintaining it, which is often the most important aspect of them all.