Miss Austen Regrets (2008)

In the later years of her life, as she's approaching the age of forty, the novelist Jane Austen helps her niece find a husband.

Director:

Jeremy Lovering

Writer:

Gwyneth Hughes

Stars:

Samuel Roukin, Olivia Williams, Greta Scacchi

2 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Samuel Roukin	...	Harris Bigg
Olivia Williams	...	Jane Austen
Greta Scacchi	...	Cassandra Austen
Imogen Poots	...	Fanny Knight
Phyllida Law	...	Mrs. Austen
Pip Torrens	...	Edward Austen Knight
Harry Gostelow	...	Rev. Charles Papillon
Tom Hiddleston	...	Mr. John Plumptre
Hugh Bonneville	...	Rev. Brook Bridges
Tom Goodman-Hill	...	Mr. Lushington MP
Adrian Edmondson	...	Henry Austen
Sylvie Herbert	...	Mme. Bigeon
Jack Huston	...	Doctor Charles Haden
Jason Watkins	...	Rev. Clarke
Sally Tatum	...	Anna Lefroy

Storyline

In the later years of her life, as she's approaching the age of forty, the novelist Jane Austen helps her niece find a husband.

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Plot Keywords:

jane austen | empire fashion | london england | writer | sister sister relationship | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Official Sites:

PBS [United States]

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 February 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Miss Austen Regrets

Filming Locations:

Elizabethan Maze, Chenies Manor House, Chenies, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), WGBH

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The tan and brown print satin pelisse worn by an extra in the first church scene is the same costume worn by Anna Chancellor (Mrs. Peake) when she comes to the Worrall's house in Princess Caraboo (1994), by Sheila Gish (Mrs. Norris) to Maria's wedding in Mansfield Park (1999), by an extra during the French invasion in Goya's Ghosts (2006), and by Marion Bailey (Mrs. Croft) in Bath in Persuasion (2007).

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Quotes

Mme. Bigeon: [late at night, both in nightgowns; strong French accent] My friend in Paris has read a wonderful new book called 'Raison and Sensibilite'
Jane Austen: Sense and Sensibility?
Mme. Bigeon: My friend says, whoever the woman is who wrote this book, she knows more about love than anyone else in the world
Jane Austen: Like someone who can't cook writing a recipe book
Mme. Bigeon: Passion is for the young. It fades so quickly.
Jane Austen: [wistfully] Not in our dreams
Mme. Bigeon: Comfort remains, friendship remains, if you are lucky as I was.
Jane Austen: Happiness in marriage remains a ...
[...]

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Connections

Version of Becoming Jane (2007)

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Soundtracks

Drowsy Maggie
(uncredited)
Traditional

User Reviews

Biographically not fully bullet-proofed but historical events are accurate

Jane Austen's (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) last few years, gorgeously filmed and directed, just as it would be one of her own creations, with the difference that her novels end with 'happy endings', like love and marriage, whilst Austen died at 42 unmarried and depending on her family. One does wonder why Austen, whose very witty and vibrant (though social-critical) books are about women and the necessity of marriage for a social and financial security at her time, never married!?!

This movie is apparently very closely based on the few remaining letters between Jane, her sister Cassandra and her favourite niece Fanny; an assumption of those very intimate and loving letters, a sort of a hypothesis that Jane chose not to marry of her own, by refusing several marriage proposals to be able to write and for her 'freedom'. It is a very emancipated and 21st Century feminist friendly theory. Some hard- core Austen historians still insist though, that Jane never married because, in her very youth, she refused a marriage proposal from a very rich yet ugly, old and dull man...Mr Bigg...and then she was never asked again...for her no Mr. Darcy came along.

Therefore, biographically not fully bullet-proofed but historical events are accurate.

Love the many quotes incorporated in the movie!

I've never heard of Olivia Williams but I must say she earned all my admiration and will look out for her past and future works! Great actress!

If you like BBC period dramas or even Jane Austen's novels adaptations, then you most certainly will enjoy this; a great family-movie which will inspire the interested Teenager to read Jane Austen novels...(so I hope!)