Becoming Jane (2007)

Director:

Julian Jarrold

Writers:

Jane Austen (letters)
Kevin Hood (writer)

Release Date:

10 August 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

"A woman especially if she has the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can." -Jane Austen

Plot:

A biographical portrait of a pre-fame Jane Austen and her romance with a young Irishman.

Plot Keywords:

Austen | England | Jane | Love | Bittersweet

Awards:

2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Anne Hathaway	...	Jane Austen
James McAvoy	...	Tom Lefroy
Julie Walters	...	Mrs. Austen
James Cromwell	...	Rev Austen
Maggie Smith	...	Lady Gresham
Anna Maxwell Martin	...	Cassandra 'Cassie' Austen
Lucy Cohu	...	Eliza De Feuillide
Laurence Fox	...	Mr. Wisley
Ian Richardson	...	Judge Langlois
Joe Anderson	...	Henry Austen
Leo Bill	...	John Warren
Jessica Ashworth	...	Lucy Lefroy
Eleanor Methven	...	Mrs. Lefroy
Michael James Ford	...	Mr. Lefroy
Tom Vaughan-Lawlor	...	Robert Fowle

MPAA:

Rated PG for brief nudity and mild language. (edited for re-rating; was PG-13)

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:PG | Taiwan:GP | Ireland:PG | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Germany:o.Al. | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:6 | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-7 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:12 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios - Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Company:

2 Entertain

Trivia:

The white muslin frock with red patterned overdress worn by Eleanor Methven as Mrs. Lefroy is the same one Brenda Blethyn as Mrs. Bennet wears in Pride & Prejudice (2005) in the Meryton scene when the Bennets learn that Mr. Bingley has returned to Netherfield Hall.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the beach scene, a crane is visible on the horizon in the top right corner of the screen.

Quotes:

John Warren: And the famous Mrs. Radcliffe, is she as Gothic as her novels?
Jane Austen: Not in externals. But her internal landscape is, I suspect, quite picturesque.
Mr. Wisley: True of us all.

Movie Connections:

Version of Miss Austen Regrets (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Irishman

Pleasant film

I have to say that I enjoyed it. I think there were some problems with it, but overall a nice film. Hathaway's accent is very good apart from a couple of very minor slips that could almost go unnoticed. The film, the person I went with said, was a little too slow in places, but I did not find this so. I think that the director perhaps put a little too much emphasis on Austen's inspirations for her novels and in particular Pride and Prejudice, but I did not mind this too much as that is my favourite novel. The acting all round was very good. MaCavoy played it nicely, giving a lot of energy. I thought that the opening and closing were perhaps a little weak. I don't want to say too much in case others have not seen it yet (though of course most know the ending, they may not know the films interpretation of it). Perhaps the only few weaknesses to the film was the fact that perhaps Hathaway was too pretty to play Austen, though she did a very competent job indeed. I think that Anna Maxwell Martin may perhaps have been more suited?! The other is that I would have liked to have seen slightly more quick wittedness on the part of Jane. She was shown as competent, but not as cutting and quick as I and, I imagine, many believe she was. However, despite this I quite enjoyed the film, and wouldn't mind watching it again. It is better that Pride and Prejudice 2005 adaptation in my opinion. 8/10.