After a 10-year hiatus, the writer-director comes back with a project that once again brilliantly reveals his wit and directing prowess that the silver screen must have missed. Whit Stillman tackles a posthumously published, epistolary Jane Austen novel and reunites Kate Beckinsale and Chloe Sevigny in the 2016 film, "Love and Friendship."
The Plot of "Love and Friendship"
Set in the 18th century, the dialogue of "Love and Friendship" uses old-school language reflective of Jane Austen's voice and with the touch of Whit Stillman, manages to pull off 21st century laughs. Kate Beckinsale, stars as Lady Susan, the cunning, manipulative and ambitious widow who has bestowed upon herself the mission of finding a rich husband for her and her daughter. She is penniless, officialy speaking, but her wicked ways and deceiving demeanor get her what she wants. This is in spite of her daughter's refusal to marry the dim-witted Sir James Martin and the wife of her brother-in-law's disapproval of her and Reginald De Courcy (brother of the wife) after she successfully captivates the young lad with her beauty. The question, according to A.V. Club, is if Reginald will entertain his attraction and lead it to matrimony.
Kate Beckinsale, on an interview with Time, discusses the similarities of Jane Austen and Lady Susan who, for the actress, both represent what a feminist of their time is like. Maybe, in a different manner, but still, their position in a male-dominated society illustrates a strong woman who knows what she wants and asserts it.
"Jane Austen, in a similar way to Lady Susan, had unbelievable constraints on her freedom, her sexuality and her finances. So for me, taking Lady Susan in that context as a woman who's very intellectually bright, cultured, smart, social, witty, ambitious, and then the limited opportunity-Jane Austen herself couldn't publish under her own name, and this is a genius person!," Kate Beckinsale tells Time. "So I suppose she's (Lady Susan) kind of delicious and wicked, but what life could you have as a smart woman who wanted independence at that time? What could you hope for really?"
The Making Of "Love And Friendship"
With a promising plot, it's questionable why Jane Austen never published "Lady Susan," the original title of the novel that "Love and Friendship" was based on. It never even went pass through first draft, meaning the material was found hidden inside Jane Austen's drawers, still written on letterform, according to A.V. Club. In a Vogue interview, Whit Stillman speculates why "Lady Susan" was left unfinished. "There's a theory that the material was too racy and amoral to fit in with her publishing plans," he said to Vogue. "We had to counterbalance it with more goodness. I provided the goodness."
In fact, as per A.V. Club, most of the dialogues and the scenes in "Love and Friendship" were made by Whit Stillman, adapting a Jane Austen voice. Rolling Stone writes, "The language, a lyrical blend of Austen and Stillman, is a kind of music, the kind that bewitches, even as it stings."
The casting is also well-applauded with Kate Beckinsale receiving praise. This is her reunion film with co-star Chloe Sevigny who she worked with in the 1998 film, entitled "The Last Days of Disco" that Whit Stillman also wrote and directed. The Guardian calls Kate as a "devious delight" and is "a hoot to watch." The Vulture compliments her effective portrayal of the role, "Beckinsale's clear face and brisk cadence let the character's peculiar genius shine." With good reviews, this is a film that you might not want to miss.
Whit Stillman's "Love and Friendship" debuted on Sundance last January and is now out today on theaters nationwide. Are you interested to catch it? If you do so, let us in some of your film reviews on the comments section below!
