A Very 'Becoming' Jane
by Flick Chick Vique
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Becoming Jane pens 4 Red Vines for being anything but plain |
I’ve seen just about every version ever made. From the 1940 vehicle with Greer Garson to Gurendr Chadha’s 2004 Bollywood production, I have seen every film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice that has come my way. Last night I had the pleasure of seeing Becoming Jane, a fictional biography of the literary great who penned Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen.
There’s not a whole lot of information on the love life of Miss Austen, who wrote 6 novels in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. What we do know comes from her prolific letters, over a hundred, written to her dearest friend, companion, and older sister, Cassandra.
Through two of those letters, we know that some sort of romance developed between a young Jane and Mr. Tom Lefroy. Though financially dependent on an uncle at the time, Lefroy eventually became Chief Justice of Ireland. It was during those later years that he confessed to a nephew that he had once had a ‘boyish love’ for Miss Austen. Becoming Jane is quite a fanciful love story, manufactured from such little consequence. But it is no matter that the movie is empty calories. Who counts calories when enjoying a sweet treat? And if you too are a Jane Austen fan, you will find Becoming Jane a remarkable mirror of her popular romance confections.
As is a frequent topic in her novels, the movie centers on the dire circumstances of Jane’s family: two daughters, no money. What they lack in finery, they make up for in love and wit. When Tom Lefroy ticks off his rich uncle for the umpteenth time with his roguish ways, uncle sends him to live with country relations. He meets Jane and their tempestuous beginning turns to temptation. But alas, their love is not to be, as he has no means of supporting her on his own. Meanwhile Jane’s mother feels that Tom is not a good match for the very same reason. She begs her daughter not to do as she did and marry for love, for it will only lead to a life of struggle. To add fuel to the fire, a rich man and his aunt have set their cap for Jane, along with another dufus who is equally smitten.
Director Julian Jarrold ( Kinky Boots-one of my absolute faves!) does a wonderful job of capturing the gentle era. From the beginning, the scenery is lush, the banter witty and the acting unrivaled. The always-gripping James Cromwell, tugs at your heart as Jane’s kindly, yet financially strapped reverend father. Julie Walters breathes passion, love and desperation into her role as Jane’s mother, dedicated to getting her daughter married to money. And though her role is small, Anna Maxwell Marin does a smashing job as Jane’s big sis Cassandra. Acting icon Ian Richardson makes the most of his last film role as Tom’s rich, unyielding uncle.
Then there is the doe eyed Anne Hathawy as Jane. I must confess it took some time to warm up to her but I’m not at all sure why as she really does a fine job. Never mind that she looks wonderful in the part and is no doubt much prettier than the real Jane was. Hathaway even learned how to play piano for her few scenes tinkling the ivories.
But a delightful surprise is James McAvoy as Lefroy. The Scottish born actor’s most recognized credit is The Last King of Scotland, a movie I have not seen, so this was my first exposure to him. Well, hello, can we say ‘yum’?! McAvoy is charismatic, handsome and decidedly sexy. Oh, yeah, I almost forgot, he’s pretty impressive at that acting thing, too. As this part is written, we are lead to believe that Lefroy and Jane’s love affair with him was the basis for Pride and Prejudice. While we don’t know that to be true, I will say that after seeing him in this part, I would love to see McAvoy play Mr. Darcy in the next remake of Pride and Prejudice!
One of the few complaints I’ve heard about this movie is its thoughtful pace and seemingly multiple endings. On the contrary, I think it is very much like any Jane Austen novel. The characters seem to go back and forth from city to country so many times that any one of those trips and encounters appear as if they would be the last. But wait-there’s always more!
No one will ever know just how autobiographical Jane Austen’s novels really were. But one thing is for sure: her knowledge of the human heart rings true even 200 years later! I for one enjoyed the trip to Becoming Jane so much that I know I will make that trip from country to city and city to country, again and again.
- WHAT KIND OF JANE ARE YOU?
She was headstrong, gifted and waaay ahead of her time. Here's a fun quiz to help you find out which character trait you most identify with. Enjoy!
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