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The Austen adaptations

By JEFFREY GANTZ  |  January 9, 2008

Masterpieces and mysteries: ‘The Complete Jane Austen’ on WGBH, and making book on the Austen detectives. By Jeffrey Gantz
Here are the major film and television adaptations of Jane Austen’s six novels. All are available on DVD save for the four new productions in “The Complete Jane Austen,” and it’s only a matter of time — probably not much — before those will be as well. Note that the original BBC productions of the six novels are available as a DVD set for just $60 (or $42.50 at Amazon).

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
1940 | MGM theatrical release | Directed by Robert Z. Leonard | With Greer Garson [Elizabeth Bennet], Laurence Olivier [Darcy], Maureen O’Sullivan [Jane Bennet], Bruce Lester [Bingley], Ann Rutherford [Lydia Bennet], Edward Ashley [Wickham], Edmund Gwenn [Mr. Bennet], Mary Boland [Mrs. Bennet] | b&w | 117m

1980 | BBC TV mini-series | Directed by Cyril Coke | With Elizabeth Garvie [Elizabeth Bennet], David Rintoul [Darcy], Sabina Franklyn [Jane Bennet], Osmund Bullock [Bingley], Natalie Ogle [Lydia Bennet], Peter Settelen [Wickham], Moray Watson [Mr. Bennet], Priscilla Morgan [Mrs. Bennet] | 265m

1995 | BBC/A&E TV mini-series | Directed by Simon Langton | With Jennifer Ehle [Elizabeth Bennet], Colin Firth [Darcy], Susannah Harker [Jane Bennet], Crispin Bonham-Carter [Bingley], Julia Sawalha [Lydia Bennet], Adrian Lukis [Wickham], Benjamin Whitrow [Mr. Bennet], Alison Steadman [Mrs. Bennet] | 310m

2005 | Universal Studios theatrical release | Directed by Joe Wright | With Keira Knightley [Elizabeth Bennet], Matthew Macfadyen [Darcy], Rosamund Pike [Jane Bennet], Simon Woods [Bingley], Jena Malone [Lydia Bennet], Rupert Friend [Wickham], Donald Sutherland [Mr. Bennet], Brenda Blethyn [Mrs. Bennet] | 127m

EMMA
1972 | BBC TV mini-series | Directed by John Glenister | With Doran Godwin [Emma Woodhouse], John Carson [Knightley], Robert East [Frank Churchill], Ania Marson [Jane Fairfax], Debbie Bowen [Harriet Smith], Donald Eccles [Mr. Woodhouse] | 270m

1996 | Miramax theatrical release | Directed by Douglas McGrath | With Gwyneth Paltrow [Emma Woodhouse], Jeremy Northam [Knightley], Ewan McGregor [Frank Churchill], Polly Walker [Jane Fairfax], Toni Collette [Harriet Smith], Denys Hawthorne [Mr. Woodhouse] | 121m

1996 | A&E/ITV TV movie | Directed by Diarmuid Lawrence | With Kate Beckinsale [Emma Woodhouse], Mark Strong [Knightley], Raymond Coulthard [Frank Churchill], Olivia Williams [Jane Fairfax], Samantha Morton [Harriet Smith], Bernard Hepton [Mr. Woodhouse] | 107m

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
1981 | BBC TV mini-series | Directed by Rodney Bennett | With Irene Richard [Elinor Dashwood], Bosco Hogan [Edward Ferrars], Tracey Childs [Marianne Dashwood], Robert Swann [Colonel Brandon], Peter Woodward [Willoughby], Diana Fairfax [Mrs. Dashwood] | 174m

1995 | Columbia Pictures theatrical release | Directed by Ang Lee | With Emma Thompson [Elinor Dashwood], Hugh Grant [Edward Ferrars], Kate Winslet [Marianne Dashwood], Alan Rickman [Colonel Brandon], Greg Wise [Willoughby], Gemma Jones [Mrs. Dashwood] | 136m

2008 | BBC/WGBH TV movie | Directed by John Alexander | With Hattie Morahan [Elinor Dashwood], Dan Stevens [Edward Ferrars], Charity Wakefield [Marianne Dashwood], David Morrissey [Colonel Brandon], Dominic Cooper [Willoughby], Janet McTeer [Mrs. Dashwood] | 170m

MANSFIELD PARK
1983 | BBC TV mini-series | Directed by David Giles | With Sylvestra Le Touzel [Fanny Price], Nicholas Farrell [Edmund Bertram], Robert Burbage [Henry Crawford], Jackie Smith-Wood [Mary Crawford], Samantha Bond [Maria Bertram], Bernard Hepton [Sir Thomas Bertram] | 312m

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