now about the truths and fallacy enshrined in the film.
i have been reading some findings on the life of Austen/Lefroy to better appreciate for myself, the premise surrounding these two lives. without a shadow of a doubt, the love/romance aspect of the movie is purely based on speculations. i can't say i agree with the potrayal of Tom's dissolute in the film but i guess it worked for the film and i suspect, is all that matters. The truth, however, elucidates Tom as an admired, well-respected and an up-standing character altogether dedicated to the call of his profession and honourable duties towards his impoverished family. yup, kinda difficult to get angry with Tom, at this point!
i will not attempt to list down my lengthy findings of Austen facts (hoards of them in cyberspace) with biases for Jane and biases for Tom. I do find myself symphathising with both compelling biases. for example, one finding stipulates that Tom never reciprocated Jane's affections, reducing the perceived romance to be merely a one-sided juvenile fliration, very much on the Jane side! and it also describes Jane as being an over-exhuberant tease, totally misguided by Tom's sincere yet plutonic intentions. There was even speculation that during their first encounter on Christmas day of 1795, Tom was already involved with a young lady from Country Wexford, who would afterwards, be his wife. Seriously, who knows!
On the other hand, another find s stipulates that Tom did fall wrecklessly in love with Jane and for socioeconomic reasons and his duties to family, their non-union was fated. Nonetheless, all through the years Tom remained very fond of Jane, which he allegedly confessed to a nephew, later on in his long life! golly miss molly, he even named his eldest daughter (who purported to be his favourite!) Jane Christmas Lefroy. now, that WOULD say alot about you, in my books, if your ex-boyfriend honoured you in that manner, hmmmm....?
this beautiful, poignant movie, with all its liberties chose to meander down the path of the latter. i am glad they did, for a JA film based on non-reciprocated-juvenile fliration and jilted love wouldn't make for a romance of the year movie, one would imagine! so with all the liberties, taken by BJ, i can see how the film can bring about such a hulabaloo (and from reading reviews, it certainly has done its job!) amongst Austen-purists.
anne hathaway's potrayal of Jane is fair - she's gorgeous and breathes new life into the person of Jane Austen. i can imagine, how JA would usually be conjured up by the general misinformed public - a dull and dowdy, middle aged spinster! some of anne's mannerism, intonation and pronounciation is still evidently very american thus isn't quite so english, but still as a whole, anne did well for the film.
Ahh, our dear Mr. Tom Lefroy! What can i say - James, so divine, is a genius and perfect potraying that rogueish yet kind love interest of Jane. his little gestures are so effortless and captivating, that you just cannot get enough of him. someone said, "I could certainly see why Jane would have been attracted to Tom Lefroy if he was anything like this portrayal by James McAvoy!" yes, if i were Jane, OMG, I would too - so totally head over heels and i wouldn't let no broad from Wexford get him!
seriously, we love our James, don't we? i am not complaining that, he, with this sexy scottish accent and yummelicious looks, is up and coming as an actor.
*sigh*
i have been reading some findings on the life of Austen/Lefroy to better appreciate for myself, the premise surrounding these two lives. without a shadow of a doubt, the love/romance aspect of the movie is purely based on speculations. i can't say i agree with the potrayal of Tom's dissolute in the film but i guess it worked for the film and i suspect, is all that matters. The truth, however, elucidates Tom as an admired, well-respected and an up-standing character altogether dedicated to the call of his profession and honourable duties towards his impoverished family. yup, kinda difficult to get angry with Tom, at this point!
i will not attempt to list down my lengthy findings of Austen facts (hoards of them in cyberspace) with biases for Jane and biases for Tom. I do find myself symphathising with both compelling biases. for example, one finding stipulates that Tom never reciprocated Jane's affections, reducing the perceived romance to be merely a one-sided juvenile fliration, very much on the Jane side! and it also describes Jane as being an over-exhuberant tease, totally misguided by Tom's sincere yet plutonic intentions. There was even speculation that during their first encounter on Christmas day of 1795, Tom was already involved with a young lady from Country Wexford, who would afterwards, be his wife. Seriously, who knows!
On the other hand, another find s stipulates that Tom did fall wrecklessly in love with Jane and for socioeconomic reasons and his duties to family, their non-union was fated. Nonetheless, all through the years Tom remained very fond of Jane, which he allegedly confessed to a nephew, later on in his long life! golly miss molly, he even named his eldest daughter (who purported to be his favourite!) Jane Christmas Lefroy. now, that WOULD say alot about you, in my books, if your ex-boyfriend honoured you in that manner, hmmmm....?
this beautiful, poignant movie, with all its liberties chose to meander down the path of the latter. i am glad they did, for a JA film based on non-reciprocated-juvenile fliration and jilted love wouldn't make for a romance of the year movie, one would imagine! so with all the liberties, taken by BJ, i can see how the film can bring about such a hulabaloo (and from reading reviews, it certainly has done its job!) amongst Austen-purists.
anne hathaway's potrayal of Jane is fair - she's gorgeous and breathes new life into the person of Jane Austen. i can imagine, how JA would usually be conjured up by the general misinformed public - a dull and dowdy, middle aged spinster! some of anne's mannerism, intonation and pronounciation is still evidently very american thus isn't quite so english, but still as a whole, anne did well for the film.
Ahh, our dear Mr. Tom Lefroy! What can i say - James, so divine, is a genius and perfect potraying that rogueish yet kind love interest of Jane. his little gestures are so effortless and captivating, that you just cannot get enough of him. someone said, "I could certainly see why Jane would have been attracted to Tom Lefroy if he was anything like this portrayal by James McAvoy!" yes, if i were Jane, OMG, I would too - so totally head over heels and i wouldn't let no broad from Wexford get him!
seriously, we love our James, don't we? i am not complaining that, he, with this sexy scottish accent and yummelicious looks, is up and coming as an actor.
*sigh*
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