The Best of Jane Austen: Pride & Prejudice / Sense & Sensibility / Emma / Persuasion [DVD] [2007]

Excellent BBC adaptations and some terribly handsome gentlemen in regency costumes.What's not to like‽Especially Sense and Sensibility by the way - we get a little bit of the duel between Brandon and Willoughby, and Brandon is played by David Morrissey. It's honestly worth buying the whole set just for that (too small!) bit. The commentaries on all the discs are great, but I was a little disappointed that the Sense and Sensibility one was missing Mr. Morrissey. 🥺 Still, Hattie Morahan said that when he enters the dining room there was a collective swoon, and I don't doubt it for a second 🤣.Any Austen fan needs this in their collection. 😊

I love all these shows! I hadn't seen pursuasion before, it is the only film in the box set. (I have this criticism of bbc dvd box sets, they don't provide seperate running time info on each adaptations episode which I would find helpful before I view as I sometimes only have a 1/2 hour to myself!)The episodes of Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Emma are just great, re watchable and well made.Pursuasion is different due to the different characters and feel of the book I think, but I also felt there wasn't great chemistry between the actors who played Anne and Captain Wentworth. But I liked the film overall. And the box set is worth it for the other three series.

These are all outstanding productions - not too much condensed. I bought them just to watch at leisure for the several times. I had not seen Emma before, and it is a very good production. Jolly good entertainment, well acted and filmed. I am not interested in comparisons with the original or departure from the story - just want a good evenings entertainment on the sofa with my partner, and will have several...annually, perhaps!

This box set contains four TV adaptations of Jane Austen's novels - three from the BBC and one from ITV.The most celebrated of the four is the BBC's 1995 "Pride And Prejudice". This is the 2009 Special Edition which has been frame-by-frame restored to a very crisp and clear image. The extras section illustrates with a split-screen the enhancement in picture quality from the original version to the new one. Set in the nineteenth century, Austen's iconic novel shows the prejudice that occurred between different classes and the pride which kept lovers apart. Colin Firth brilliantly portrays an upper-class and reserved Mr Darcy - it is enjoyable watching his emotions and mannerisms develop throughout as he tries to win the heart and head of Elizabeth. The striking Jennifer Ehle plays Elizabeth Bennet in a captivating and enchanting way. This adaptation is a romance for the ages, and is arguably better than the 2005 movie version with Keira Knightley.Almost on a par is the BBC's 2008 "Sense And Sensibility" - a wonderful energetic adaptation, with stunning performances from Charity Wakefield and Hattie Morahan as the two eldest Dashwood sisters. Dominic Cooper is a convincing and roguish Willoughby, with Dan Stevens a wonderfully confused Edward Ferrars and David Morrissey the knight in shining armour as Colonel Brandon."Emma" from the BBC in 2009 is probably not in the same class as the first two, but has an engaging performance from the sultry Romola Garai in the title role. Louise Dylan wonderfully plays Emma's nemesis Harriet Smith - the battle between these two friends for the attentions of various male suitors develops intriguingly throughout. The interesting extras section includes interviews with the costume, location and music teams, as well as an amusing interview with actor Michael Gambon.Possibly the weakest of the four is ITV's "Persuasion" from 2007. At only 93 minutes in duration, it is a relatively light production and does not draw the viewer in closely. Sally Hawkins is convincing as Anne Elliot, and Rupert Penry-Jones is suitably debonair as Captain Wentworth, but there is not much depth in this adaptation.Overall, a fantastic Jane Austen box set which is very good value for money.

I bought this DVD box set of Jane Austen's best books. I already had the Pride and Prejudice DVD, which has been remastered, but the price was worth paying to include Emma, Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility.The only DVD I had not seen was the ITV production of Persuasion and it is my favourite.I would recommend this box set of Jane Austen's DVD to anyone who loves period drama. You won't be disappointed.

It keeps surprising me just how incredibly good Johnny Lee Miller is (have I spelt that right?). Everyone knows Jennifer Ehle and the other one, Firth something, did the definitive Pride and Prejudice, but fairplay, the others are damn good productions. Really pleased with this. Husband asks me if I want petticoats if am generally feeling a bit crud. Yes I say, petticoats, and out this comes, with a cocoa or wine or wine followed by cocoa followed by more wine.

My daughter had to read Pride & Prejudice over the summer as part of the English course next term. She was finding it slightly heavy going so I ordered this set to help her. It arrived the next day, normal postage and is very good value for money. She has watched the DVD and found it enjoyable and true to the book. We all look forward as a family, to sitting down and watching the others in the collection.

As these are the most recent T.V.versions I was keen to see them again, as I enjoyed them very much when I had seen them on T.V. The settings and interpretations are beautifully done and the actors are to be commended for their sensitive portrayals of the characters. I bought this set more than a year ago and am happy to watch them when time allows.