Northanger Abbey (2007) (TV)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Jon Jones

Writers:

Andrew Davies (screenplay) and
Jane Austen (novel)

Release Date:

20 January 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

When Catherine Morland is given the opportunity to stay with the childless Allen family in Bath, she...

Plot Keywords:

Love | Abbey | Georgian | England | 18th Century

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Geraldine James	...	Jane Austen (voice)
Felicity Jones	...	Catherine Morland
JJ Feild	...	Henry Tilney
Sylvestra Le Touzel	...	Mrs. Allen
Desmond Barrit	...	Mr. Allen
Carey Mulligan	...	Isabella Thorpe
Hugh O'Conor	...	James Morland
Catherine Walker	...	Eleanor Tilney
Liam Cunningham	...	General Tilney
Bernadette McKenna	...	Mrs. Thorpe
William Beck	...	John Thorpe
Mark Dymond	...	Captain Frederick Tilney
Julia Dearden	...	Mrs. Morland
Gerry O'Brien	...	Mr. Morland
Liam McMahon	...	Sedley

Runtime:

Finland:93 min (excluding commercials) | 120 min (including commercials)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Finland:K-11 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Ardbraccan House, County Meath, Ireland

Company:

Granada Television

Trivia:

The red gown with brocade bodice and capped sleeves Sylvestra Le Touzel (Mrs. Allen) wears in Bath is the same gown Sophie Thompson (Mary Musgrove) wears to dinner at Uppercross in Persuasion (1995).

Quotes:

Catherine Morland: When shall we go into society, Mrs Allen? I suppose it is too late this evening?
Mrs. Allen: Bless you, my child, we neither of us have a stitch to wear!
Catherine Morland: I did bring my best frock and my pink muslin is not too bad, I think.
Mrs. Allen: No, no, no, no! Would you have us laughed out of Bath?
Mr. Allen: Resign yourself, Catherine! Shops must be visited! Money must be spent! Do you think you could bear it?
Catherine Morland: Very easily, sir!

Movie Connections:

Version of Northanger Abbey (1986) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Chestnut

The best of the current offerings

Having suffered through Persuasion and Mansfield Park I was expecting very little from this production, particularly as the tongue-in-cheek humour in the novel is missed by so many readers. However, Andrew Davies pulled it off (again) mainly by introducing some over-the-top Gothic scenes into the narrative, which helped to set the tone, and padding out some of the minor characters - particularly Thorpe, who was truly repulsive. JJ Field was an amazingly attractive Tilney with his gentle mocking of Catherine and his twinkly eyes. Felicity Jones carried Catherine's wide-eyed innocence and trusting naivety off a treat and I really felt her distress at upsetting Tilney - a nice twist by Andrew Davies which would have made JA proud.