Spoilers herein.
Doug McGrath did poor work before and after this, as have all his support crew. So I am at a loss to explain how it was that such refined and apt staging was accomplished. There are some very adroit transitions between scenes, which alone make this actual cinema rather than mere illustrated text. There is an accomplished use of architecture in framing shots that similarly transports us from the page. And there are simple frames (maps and globes) that subtly remove us from literature.
I think the casting is masterful. Paltrow has never been so good. She gets more assured as she gets older, but she will never be as committed as she is here. Her cadence in reading the lines is striking -- again, something that seems engineered to transport the words from the page. As with Gwyneth, all the actors might have narrow range (especially Northam), but that range is centered on what is needed.
It all works so damned well. It is not as biting an misanthropic as I recall Austen, instead recast as more mildly comic. That's a flaw. But the execution, the eye and the actor's coordination with that eye, really impresses.
Note that Ewan came from one great experimental director (Greenaway "Pillow Book") before this and went to another (Luhrmann "Moulin Rouge") later; these two films are in my top ten of all time. Juliet Stevenson had also worked with Greenaway ("Numbers") -- Collette and Walker would also go together to work on his "8 1/2 Women." Scacci had worked with Altman on his greatest film. I believe that McGrath sought out the Greenaway style which also influenced Altman...you can see it here, much toned down of course.
Doug McGrath did poor work before and after this, as have all his support crew. So I am at a loss to explain how it was that such refined and apt staging was accomplished. There are some very adroit transitions between scenes, which alone make this actual cinema rather than mere illustrated text. There is an accomplished use of architecture in framing shots that similarly transports us from the page. And there are simple frames (maps and globes) that subtly remove us from literature.
I think the casting is masterful. Paltrow has never been so good. She gets more assured as she gets older, but she will never be as committed as she is here. Her cadence in reading the lines is striking -- again, something that seems engineered to transport the words from the page. As with Gwyneth, all the actors might have narrow range (especially Northam), but that range is centered on what is needed.
It all works so damned well. It is not as biting an misanthropic as I recall Austen, instead recast as more mildly comic. That's a flaw. But the execution, the eye and the actor's coordination with that eye, really impresses.
Note that Ewan came from one great experimental director (Greenaway "Pillow Book") before this and went to another (Luhrmann "Moulin Rouge") later; these two films are in my top ten of all time. Juliet Stevenson had also worked with Greenaway ("Numbers") -- Collette and Walker would also go together to work on his "8 1/2 Women." Scacci had worked with Altman on his greatest film. I believe that McGrath sought out the Greenaway style which also influenced Altman...you can see it here, much toned down of course.