We are two part-time academics. Ellen teaches in the English department and Jim in the IT program at George Mason University.

The Masterpiece Theatre Jane Austen films · 1 January 08

Dear Miss Vane,

On this first day of the New Year I thought I’d send you the schedule for showing the 7 Austen films which will comprise the PBS Masterpiece Austen film festival on Sunday nights at 9 pm this January through April. That’s four months worth, 1/3 of a year.

I do this lest after all our effort (all includes a determined effort on Jim’s part first to make our old analogue TV digital, and then, having failed through no fault of his own, going with him and Yvette & buying & setting up a new 19 inch digital TV), lest after all this, I forget to look to see when one of the films is playing and miss it.

The dates are:

Jan 13 Persuasion
Jan 20 Northanger Abbey
Jan 27 Mansfield Park
Feb 3 Miss Austen Regrets
Feb 10-24 Pride and Prejudice (3 2-hour episodes)
Mar 23 Emma
Mar 30-Apr 6 Sense and Sensibility (2 90-minute episodes)

No less than 4 (NA, P&P, Emma & S&S) of these 7 films are Andrew Davies’ products; thus, 7 of the 10 hours are Jane Austen presented filmicly through Andrew Davies’ perspective, and that of the particular film-makers, crew, actors, and (last but not least), the particular company’s budget. If we could resurrect her, Miss Vane, I think Miss Austen would call the festival an Andrew Davies’ festival with 3 one-hour breaks.

Miss Sylvia Drake

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Posted by: Ellen

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Comment

  1. Judy has written an excellent blog movie-review of Davies’s S&S; she compares the movie with the 1995 S&S and more briefly with the 1981 S&S and includes a few stills:

    BBC Sense and Sensibility, the first episode

    http://alice45.livejournal.com/9136.html

    E.M.
    — Elinor    Jan 6, 7:47am    #

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