Jane Austen Movies

Loosely adapted from Jane Austen's popular 1815 novel Emma, this Bollywood comedy follows the misadventures of two polar opposites, drawn together in an offbeat romance. Aisha is a busybody who habitually sticks her nose into everyone's business, Arjun a private boy who wishes that Aisha would keep to herself. Aisha not only lives among the Delhi upper crust and plays according to its rules, but exhibits considerable degrees of style and finesse. She has a remarkable way of getting just about anyone to do her bidding - from the local heartthrob Dhruv to west Delhi lad Randhir. With this skill at her disposal, she gleefully begins playing matchmaker. But when Aisha's plans get her into hot water, Arjun takes it on his shoulders to disentangle her - little realizing that he himself is about to fall under her spell. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

DVD Bookshelf: Pride and Prejudice presents a reading of the Jane Austen classic about two sisters who must balance love and practicality. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Based on the novel by Jane Austen (who in the '90s seemed to be in the running alongside William Shakespeare and Stephen King for the honors of most adapted author in Hollywood), this period romantic comedy stars Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma Woodhouse, a young woman who imagines herself an authority on matters of the heart. With the best of intentions, Emma plays matchmaker for her friends, most notably her friend Harriet (Toni Collette), who Emma links up with the Reverend Elton (Alan Cumming), and her governess, (Greta Scacchi), who she introduces to her future husband, Mr. Weston (James Cosmo). However, Emma is not nearly as good at playing Cupid as she likes to imagine, and she spends so much time trying to solve everyone else's romantic problems that it takes her quite some time to realize that she's fallen in love with Mr. Knightly (Jeremy Northam). A television miniseries based on Austen's book appeared a year later, while a year prior to Emma, the story appeared in modernized form in the popular teen comedy Clueless. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Jane Austen's well-intending cupid comes to the screen once again in this adaptation of her popular novel starring Doran Godwin in the title role and John Carson in the role of Mr. Knightley. Having already orchestrated the marriage of longtime friend Miss Taylor, the scheming Emma next sets her sights on local vicar Mr. Elton. As Emma plots to find love for the vicar and her protégée Harriet Smith, her longtime friend Mr. Knightley looks on with a bemused mix of delight and dismay. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Two sisters from Beverly Hills learn how the other side lives after their father dies unexpectedly, and they're taken in by their estranged aunt in East L.A. Nora (Camilla Belle) and Mary (Alexa Vega) grew up in a sprawling mansion, so far removed from their Mexican roots that Mary refuses to even acknowledge her heritage. Then, in a flash, their father is gone, and they're both left without two pennies to rub together. Fortunately, Nora and Mary have their kind-hearted aunt Aurelia (Adriana Barraza) to fall back on. Aunt Aurelia only lives a short distance away, but Boyle Heights is so steeped in Latino culture that it may as well be on another planet. Unable to speak a word of Spanish and completely ignorant about their culture, Nora and Mary leave their comfortable world kicking and screaming. But the more time Nora and Mary spend getting to know their extended family, the more they begin to get a sense of what they've been missing by remaining locked in their ivory tower all these years. Before long, Nora and Mary begin to regard their Mexican heritage with a sense of pride rather than shame, and realize that all the money in the world can't buy the happiness of being surrounded and supported by family. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Freely adapted from a novel by Jane Austen, this period drama is set in the early 1800s, as a girl named Fanny (Hannah Taylor Gordon) is being raised by loving but desperately poor parents. Wanting a better life for Fanny, they send her away to live with her aunts, high-minded Mrs. Norris (Sheila Gish) and drug-addicted Lady Bertram (Lindsay Duncan), who share an estate called Mansfield Park. Fanny joins the family at Mansfield Park, which includes Lady Bertram's husband Sir Thomas (Harold Pinter), who made his money in slaves and West Indian plantations; Sir Thomas's son Tom (James Purefoy), an alcoholic; Tom's intelligent younger brother Edmund (Jonny Lee Miller); and his two sisters, Julia (Justine Waddell) and Maria (Victoria Hamilton). Fanny soon makes friends with Edmund, though she's shown little respect by the rest of the family. In time, Fanny grows to adulthood (now played by Frances O'Connor) and gains skill and poise as a horsewoman while developing her skills as an author. When the stylish but secretive siblings Henry and Mary Crawford (Alassandro Nivola and Embeth Davidtz) arrive at Mansfield Park, romantic sparks begin to fly; the two sisters fight over Henry, while Mary is soon engaged to wed Edmund -- to the disappointment of Fanny, who has fallen in love with him. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Felicity Jones and J.J. Feild star in this made for television adaptation of Jane Austin's easygoing parody of gothic fiction concerning a hopeless romantic drawn into a mysterious relationship. Catherine Moreland (Jones) longs for the day that a dashing gentleman will finally sweep her off her feet. Upon receiving an invitation to a lavish medieval home deep in the countryside, Catherine allows her most lurid fantasies to wash over her. Later, as Catherine sets out to explore the sprawling mansion, she forms a friendship with Henry Tillney (Feild) - the youngest son of the estate. Much to Catherine's disappointment, however, their blossoming romance is soon stifled under shadowy circumstances. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones star in this adaptation of the Jane Austin classic about a lovelorn woman who receives a second chance for true happiness. Anne Elliot was just nineteen when she fell hopelessly in love with dashing naval officer Frederick Wentworth, so when her family attempted to convince her that she was making a terrible mistake the smitten young woman hastily broke off her engagement. That decision has haunted her ever since, and despite the fact that nearly a decade has passed not a day goes by that Anne doesn't long for Frederick's embrace. Now, eight years later, Frederick has returned a highly decorated, and extremely wealthy military man. As every eligible woman in Anne's district swoons over the handsome and successful naval officer, the crestfallen young woman still holds out hope that Frederick will somehow find it in his heart to look beyond her youthful indecision, and give her a second shot at true love. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Adapted from Jane Austen's final novel, the five-part British drama series Persuasion starred Anne Firbank as Anne Elliot, a young woman dangerously close to becoming an "old maid." Seven years earlier, Anne had allowed her opinions to be swayed by others (local busybody Lady Russell [Marian Spencer] in particular) and had spurned the advances of dashing Captain Wentworth (Bryan Marshall). Regretting her rashness, Anne could only stand aside in quiet desperation as the now-affluent and well-connected Wentworth ardently pursued the much-younger Louise Musgrove (Zhivila Roche). But though Anne might have been too proud to admit that she still harbored affection for Wentworth, her pride could easily be cast aside should she perceive an opportunity to win the Captain back. This TV version of Persuasion made its British TV bow on April 18, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Utah-based filmmaker Andrew Black makes his feature debut with Pride & Prejudice: A Latter-Day Comedy. The screenplay is an adaptation of the original Jane Austen novel, updated to reflect the contemporary dating situation among Mormons at Brigham Young University. Kam Heskin plays Elizabeth, an independent student who repeatedly rejects the advances of suave Jack Wickham (Henry Maguire). She lives with four roommates: best friend Jane (Lucila Solá), nerdy gal Mary (Rainy Kerwin), and the marriage-obsessed sisters Lydia (Kelly Stables) and Kitty (Nicole Hamilton). Jane starts dating the wealthy Charles Bingley (Ben Gourley), who brings around his British friend Darcy (Orlando Seale). At first, Elizabeth thinks Darcy is overly pompous, but he grows quite fond of her headstrong intelligence. Meanwhile, Charles' evil sister Caroline (Kara Holden) competes for Darcy's affections. Pride & Prejudice opened in a limited number of Salt Lake City-area theaters in December 2003. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Fay Weldon wrote the teleplay for this 5-part BBC TV adaptation of Jane Austen's 1812 novel Pride and Prejudice. Class-obsessed Mrs. Bennett (Priscilla Morgan) is dead set upon marrying off her five daughters to wealthy and influential young men. Headstrong Elizabeth Bennett (Elizabeth Garvie), the family's second daughter, resists her mother's plan. She is the "pride" that is "prejudiced" against snobbery and pomposity. Elizabeth is particularly incensed by the vain, aristocratic Fitzwilliam Darcy (David Rintoul)--at least until she realizes that Darcy is as prejudiced against high-toned class distinctions as she is. Telecast in the US on PBS' Masterpiece Theatre in the fall of 1980, Pride and Prejudice was later released to video in an uninterrupted, 226-minute single serving. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The second of the many British TV miniseries adaptations of Jane Austen's slyly satirical 19th century novel Pride and Prejudice was a six-parter broadcast by the BBC. Jane Downs starred as Elizabeth Bennet, the outwardly fragile but iron-willed young woman who maneuvered around her mother's plans to "arrange" a wealthy but loveless marriage by setting her cap for the supposedly indifferent -- and supremely haughty -- Mr. D'Arcy (played by veteran movie heavy Alan Badel). This adaptation was aired live to the British Isles from January 24 to February 28, 1958. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Long before 19th-century novelist Jane Austen became a hot property in Hollywood, MGM produced this opulent and entertaining adaptation of one of Austen's best-known novels. The elegant and slyly satirical comedy of manners gets under way when socially conscious Mrs. Bennet (Mary Boland), with the begrudging assistance of her husband (Edmund Gwenn), begins seeking out suitable (and suitably wealthy) husbands for her five daughters: Elizabeth (Greer Garson), Jane (Maureen O'Sullivan), Lydia (Ann Rutherford), Kitty (Heather Angel), and Mary (Marsha Hunt). One of the least likely matrimonial prospects is Mr. Darcy (Laurence Olivier), a rich, handsome, but cynical and boorish young man. Naturally, Elizabeth Bennet, the strongest-willed of the Bennet girls, is immediately fascinated by him, and she sets out to land him -- but only on her own terms, and only after she has exacted a bit of genteel revenge for his calculated indifference to her. Though Austen's novel was set in 1813, the year of its publication, the film version takes place in 1835, reportedly so as to take advantage of the more attractive costume designs of that period. Not surprisingly, a few changes had to be made to mollify the Hollywood censors (eager to find offense in the most innocent of material): the most notable is the character of Mr. Collins (Melville Cooper), transformed from the book's hypocritical clergyman to the film's standard-issue opportunist. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi