Sense and Sensibility: The Final Score

One novel down! I watched 10 Sense and Sensibility adaptations over the last three months:

• Sense and Sensibility (1971)
• Sense and Sensibility (1981)
• Sense and Sensibility (1995)
• Kandukondain Kandukondain
• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
• Material Girls
• Sense and Sensibility (2008)
• From Prada to Nada
• Scents and Sensibility
• Sense, Sensibility & Snowmen

It was easier than I expected to watch so many adaptations of the same work. There's a lot of variety in the bunch, both in the way the story is told and in the quality of the telling. Even watching four straight adaptations wasn't that bad because I enjoyo nitpicking the details. 

Now it's time to move on to Pride and Prejudice, which has been adapted to film more than 30 times. But before I leave Sense and Sensibility behind, I want to hand out some awards.

Bitchiest Adaptation

Sense and Sensibility (2008)

Other adaptations have their fair share of bitches, but this one has the bitchiest version of Lucy Steele. 

Funniest Adaptation

From Prada to Nada

S&S the book surprised me with how funny it is, and this adaptation delivers a similarly large helping of humor to balance out the romance and the drama.

Least Pathetic Brandon

Kandukondain Kandukondain

There are plenty of less pathetic Brandon's, but Bala from Kandukondain Kandukondain is the most wholesome version of the character. Sure, he has some tragedy in his past and some bitterness in his present, but his love for Meenu/Marianne is completely pure. His own love for her — which he never expects or hopes to have reciprocated — transforms him into the best, happiest version of himself, and I think that's beautiful.

Most Believable Marianne

Sense and Sensibility (1981)

Several adaptations were able to improve on Marianne's character (not like it's hard), but this one pulled it off with the fewest changes to her personality and her arc.

Most Faithful to the Book

Sense and Sensibility (1971)

It seems only right that the first adaptation would follow the source material most closely. It overlooks the fewest important details and adds the fewest extra scenes, but this miniseries is a good reminder that adapting a book to film is not as simple as transferring the dialogue into a script. It may be faithful to Austen's work, but it's not particularly enjoyable to watch.

Best Modernization

Kandukondain Kandukondain

I loved the updated versions of the characters in this adaptation. The careers and backstories for most of the characters are spot on, and the Dashwood sisters are all boss bitches. Making it even more impressive, the story is transplanted from England to India, and it's still recognizable as S&S. 

If You Only Watch One

Sense and Sensibility (1995)

This is the most well-known and star-studded adaptation, it's the one all your friends have probably seen, and it's really fun to watch. I was tempted to choose the 2008 BBC miniseries, but it came down to the Mariannes. She's a very difficult character to get right, and the 1995 movie does her marginally more justice. 

Worst Overall

Scents and Sensibility

I bet you're surprised I didn't pick Material Girls! While Hilary and Haylie Duff did both receive Razzie nominations for their terrible Dashwood sister portrayals, Material Girls at least verges on being so bad it's good. Scents and Sensibility, though, is just plain bad.