6
Jul
2009
Becoming Jane
Last week I watched Becoming Jane for Stephanie’s Everything Austen Challenge. I’ll be totally candid in saying that if it weren’t for this challenge, I probably wouldn’t have watched it.
I remember seeing the previews for it and rolling my eyes. There’s something about taking a real person and making up a story about them that I don’t like. For all of my love of historical fiction, you might notice I haven’t read, say, The Other Boleyn Girl or Loving Frank.
However, I learned some things through the special features on the DVD. For one, this is loosely based on Austen’s real life. The story comes from her latest biography of the same title.
So, I looked up a little bit about Miss Austen and Mr. Defroy after watching it. According to Wikipedia, Austen did write to her sister about spending excessive time with her “Irish friend” but that’s it. So the story itself is bunk. Only the characters and their socio-economic circumstances are real.
Yet, it was quite a lovely movie. Jane would be pleased with the story arc. But she would be exceedingly unhappy with a movie based on her–especially one that purports all sorts of nonsense about her life.
Jane Austen was a private person. She published her books anonymously for crying out loud. To that extent, I think that my feelings on books and movies based on historical characters–particularly those about which not much is known–and her feelings of private life would go hand in hand.
That said, I will not put words in her mouth, but feel that she would agree with me in the following:
Why not make a totally fictitious movie with a made up cast of characters but the exact same storyline, placing it twenty years ahead, and switch the role of Mrs. Radcliffe for Miss Austen?
I’ll tell you why.
It wouldn’t sell like one about Jane Austen.
I found this movie a little nauseating. Apart from being historically inaccurate, my love for James McEvoy was overshadowed by my strong dislike for Anne Hathaway and her airiness.
On the plus side, it inspired you, me, and I’m sure many others to actively seek out truer accounts of Miss Austen’s life, so I can appreciate it on that level, begrudgingly.
There were some nice bits with James McEvoy, but maybe just not enough of them…
I think if you totally suspend any belief than it is a really enjoyable movie. Thanks for writing your thoughts!
I agree, I didn’t like this movie as much either. It didn’t go on my to buy list. It was interesting, but a bit convoluted on why she never got married.
I have this movie on my list as apart of the mini challenge of the contest as well….I’ve tried to watch it before and didn’t make it very far, but blamed it more on the mood I was in then anything else. After reading your review, though I’m wondering why I put it on my mini-challenge list.
I’m going to watch this for the challenge, too. I’ve actually watched it before – well, the first hour or so anyway, but it didn’t really hold my attention. I’m determined to finish it this time, because I do quite like Anne Hathaway.
I’m on the team that actually liked this story. I thought it was interesting to imagine that Austen’s hero template could have been based on the Tom LeFroy character.
I guess it depends on if you like historical fiction that takes a lot of license.
For as much as it materialized about Austen’s life, “Becoming Jane” will always have a very special place in my heart — because it so inspired me to read more about her and, eventually, become so obsessed with her works and life! Before seeing the film, I’d only read Pride & Prejudice — and since then, well… things have definitely changed!
I also have a raging crush on James McAvoy. As Tom LeFroy, I found him utterly spellbinding. To be honest, I definitely consider the film one of my favorites of all-time!
I didn’t mind this movie but I didn’t think about it too much – just took it to be a fictional love story. I might have ‘wanted’ to like though ’cause I like Anne Hathaway.
When you say Jane was a private person and published anonymously – I’d question whether it was less about privacy and more about not being a man. Pretty common for the time that female authors published anonymously or under a male name.