A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
a lot
The importance of family is shown through example, as the sisters face numerous crises of the heart. Discretion is shown to be more favorable than gossip, as the evils of gossip are shown through the behavior of some of the characters. The powerful nature of love is a strong theme, as are empathy and integrity.
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Positive Role Models
some
For the most part, Elinor maintains a great deal of discretion and reserve in the face of financial and emotional difficulties troubling both her and her sisters.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
very little
Tame discussions of characters who leave town when their lovers become pregnant. Intense discussions of poetic love, exemplified in Shakespeare's sonnets and in the intensity of the character Marianne.
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Language
very little
In one scene, a female dog is referred to as a "bitch."
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a little
Characters drink wine at dinner and at social occasions; during one dinner, an older couple drinks wine and acts intoxicated as they giggle and gossip and make jokes at the expense of one of the characters.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that there's nothing really objectionable for younger kids in Sense and Sensibility, but the plot may be too sophisticated for them to follow, and the film features some emotional intensity. Characters drink wine at dinner and on social occasions; during one dinner, an older couple drinks wine and acts intoxicated as they giggle and gossip and make jokes at the expense of one of the characters. There also are tame discussions of characters who leave town when their lovers become pregnant. In one scene, a female dog is referred to as a "bitch." To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
Directed by Ang Lee, Emma Thompson's adaptation of the Jane Austen novel follows the Dashwood sisters as they try to redeem a lost fortune by marrying well and end up finding love. Sensible Elinor and sensuous Marianne are left impoverished after their father's death because the law awards their estate to a half-brother. They retreat to a little cottage by the sea and hope to marry well. This is a trying task, however, since Elinor (Emma Thompson) falls for a young man who is previously engaged, and Marianne (Kate Winslet) is literally swept off her feet by a handsome rogue. Despite their marked temperamental differences, Marianne and Elinor are devoted to one another. As they find love, lose it, and find it again, sentimental Marianne learns the value of restraint, and sensible Elinor discovers that composure melts in passion's flame. And, as in many Austen novels, the sisters are plagued by gossipy neighbors and selfish in-laws, but through it all they manage to handle challenges with grace and humor.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why "costume dramas," such as Sense and Sensibility, are popular. Did you enjoy seeing how people once lived, dressed, and interacted? Do you think all people living in Georgian England enjoyed such clothes, balls, servants, and wealth? Why aren't more films about the far more numerous common people of the time? This also may be a good time for parents to introduce Austen's books to their tweens and teens.
What do you see as the challenges of adapting a Jane Austen novel into a film?
How are the values of the time conveyed in this movie, and how are they similar to and different from contemporary values, in terms of love, money, and family?
How do the characters in Sense and Sensibility demonstrate empathy and integrity? Why are these important character strengths?
Movie Details
- In theaters: January 1, 1995
- On DVD or streaming: September 25, 2004
- Cast: Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet
- Director: Ang Lee
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Sony Pictures
- Genre: Romance
- Topics: Book Characters, Brothers and Sisters, Friendship, Great Girl Role Models
- Character Strengths: Empathy, Integrity
- Run time: 136 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: mild thematic elements.
- Last updated: March 2, 2024
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FAQs
Most Faithful to the Book and Most Critically Acclaimed: Sense and Sensibility (1995 Film) Bookworms and critics agree: The 1995 film version, written by and starring British national treasure Emma Thompson and directed by Ang Lee, is the very best adaptation of Sense and Sensibility.
What is the main problem in Sense and Sensibility? ›
Sense and Sensibility has several major conflicts. While there are conflicts shaping the plot, the most major conflict in the novel is the overarching tension between practicality (sense) and romanticism (sensibility) as represented by Elinor's pragmatic approach and Marianne's aptitude to be led by her emotions.
Is Sense and Sensibility a good movie? ›
Great theatrical movie! I think this is a great movie to introduce kids to Jane Austen. A bit of humor, heartache, drama, and love. Love the cast, the setting, and the music.
What is the main message in Sense and Sensibility? ›
Sense and Sensibility is a novel by Jane Austen published in 1811. Sense and Sensibility tells the story of sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. The message of the novel is to find the balance between sense (the mind) and sensibility (the heart).
Did John Willoughby love Marianne? ›
He speaks to Elinor and confesses he had been genuinely in love with Marianne and intended to ask her to marry him (but says nothing of the girl he seduced). But when the scandal broke and his aunt dismissed him from her favour, he felt he had to marry for money because of his penniless state and debts.
How old was Hugh Grant when he filmed Sense and Sensibility? ›
Despite the fact that, y'know, she was just one year older than the actor. “It's extraordinary,” she told Yahoo Movies. “I remember listening to people say Hugh Grant was too young for me in Sense and Sensibility, when I was 35 and he was 34.
How old was Kate Winslet during Sense and Sensibility? ›
Kate Winslet was only 19 years old when she was cast as Marianne Dashwood in the 1995 film adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. She had very little experience in working with such esteemed co-stars as Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, and Alan Rickman, who played Colonel Brandon.
Who is the villain in Sense and Sensibility? ›
Answer and Explanation:
The villain of Sense and Sensibility is John Willoughby, the former suitor of Marianne Dashwood.
What is the point of Sense and Sensibility? ›
At its core, Sense and Sensibility deals with how individuals make meaningful lives in a world that is often deeply unfair. Its questions are set out by differences in its two sister-heroines' opinions and styles. The story also shows how the sisters have an impact on each other's evolving judgments.
What illness did Marianne have in Sense and Sensibility? ›
“Two delightful twilight walks . . . (where the) grass was the longest and wettest, had—assisted by the still greater imprudence of sitting in her wet shoes and stockings—given Marianne a cold . . .” Marianne develops a “putrid fever” and for several days alternates between a “heavy stupor” and wild delirium.
The moral of Sense and Sensibility is that both practicality and passion are necessary for a happy life. While a good character is more important than a charming personality, passion and attraction cannot be ignored.
What does the end of Sense and Sensibility mean? ›
Nonetheless, by closing the novel with their marriage, Austen shows the extent of Marianne's transformation: she writes, "She was born to discover the falsehood of her own opinions, and to counteract by her conduct her most favourite maxims." If Marianne's ability to love Brandon is unconvincing, it is because of ...
What is the best edition of Sense and Sensibility? ›
Without a doubt the 2008 version is the most true to the book. As a Masterpiece Classic it is not surprising. The 1995 version does not include Lady Middleton, nor does Edward visit them at Barton.
Which one is better Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility? ›
Sense and Sensibility: Most well-rounded
Its love stories are not quite as developed as Elizabeth and Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, but its portrait of the sisterly love between Marianne and Elinor is better than the corresponding relationship between Elizabeth and Jane.
Are there different versions of Sense and Sensibility? ›
Below, we look at four period drama adaptations of Sense and Sensibility — three BBC television mini-series, and one movie-length feature — and then some other films and books inspired by the classic. Director David Giles' adaptation of Sense and Sensibility is for the theater-lovers.
What is the difference between the Sense and Sensibility novel and the movie? ›
The film version takes some liberties right off the bat. In the novel, Edward is expressly depicted as not handsome but Lee cast the dreamy Hugh Grant for the role. It is to Grant's credit that he nevertheless portrays the bumbling Edward well. Appropriately enough, the dashing Greg Rise plays Willoughby.
