I was recently rereading this book and watching the 1981 BBC version, which once again emphasized for me the differences between the character of Brandon as written by Jane Austen and Alan Rickman's portrayal. One interesting detail I noticed is that, in the book, Colonel Brandon actually falls in love with Marianne only after she and Willoughby begin to be affectionate with each other:
Colonel Brandon's partiality for Marianne, which had so early been discovered by his friends, now first became perceptible to Elinor, when it ceased to be noticed by them. Their attention and wit were drawn off to his more fortunate rival; and the raillery which the other had incurred before any partiality arose, was removed when his feelings began really to call for the ridicule so justly annexed to sensibility. Elinor was obliged, though unwillingly, to believe that the sentiments which Mrs. Jennings had assigned him for her own satisfaction, were now actually excited by her sister; . . . (ch. 10, S&S)
The point is that Sir John and Mrs. Jennings take pleasure in teasing
everyone, whether the teasing is merited or not. The Barton neighbors want to believe that Brandon is in love, so they convince themselves that he is, but completely fail to notice when he really
does develop feelings for Marianne. As always, Elinor is presented as one of the few truly perceptive people in the story.
Needless to say, the movie totally ignores this passage and shows Brandon falling in love with Marianne well before Willoughby arrives on the scene. đ I certainly can't say that I
dislike the change (and Alan Rickman does a great job of looking lovesick), but it does take some of the irony and sharpness out of the story. Hmm... Could it be that the filmmakers thought that this was necessary to make Brandon's love for Marianne believable, or did they feel that Brandon would be less sympathetic to an audience if he began to love Marianne after she'd already entered into a relationship with someone else?
Now, before anyone mentions it, I do know that Mrs. Dashwood remarks in Chapter 45 that Colonel Brandon has been in love with Marianne "ever since the first moment of seeing her." However, Elinor thinks that this is merely an embellishment from her mother's overactive imagination, and since Austen obviously wants us to see Elinor as being far more reliable and rational than her mother, we are supposed to take
her interpretation of events to be the more accurate one.
I suspect that, although the novel's Brandon has his share of fans, most people who adore Brandon are probably reacting more to portrayals of him on film -- Alan Rickman's and David Morrissey's, in particular. Filmmakers apparently can't resist turning this character into a more conventional type of romantic hero.
"Courage is found in unlikely places." ~
The Fellowship of the Ring, J.R.R. Tolkien
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fatalframe80
9 years ago
I noticed that, also. In the exalted land of Moviedom,however, instantaneous love is more 'romantic' than a love built solidly on really knowing the other person and falling in love over a span of time. An ideal Jane Austen strictly endorsed. The only two people who even come close to instant love in her books are Marianne (whom is shown to be very wrong in believing that you can know a person instantly) and Catherine in Northanger Abbey (who is a satire of a Romantic Heroine and also an inexperienced young girl who has not been around guys very much and would be more likely to fall hard for the first charming man she meets).
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Raincrow11
9 years ago
I agree with you. Catherine Morland's initial attraction to Henry Tilney always strikes me as a very typical teenage girl's crush. Can't say that I blame her, though -- he's one of Austen's nicest (yes, that word was used intentionally đ), most appealing heroes. In general, though, the main characters in Austen's novels take longer to fall in love.
Having said that, I should clarify that I donât exactly interpret Rickmanâs first scene in the film as âThis is where Brandon falls in love.â Brandon is attracted to Marianne, obviously, and he is probably struck by how much she resembles long-lost Eliza. But initial attraction isnât love; itâs infatuation. Some people want to attach a deeper meaning to it, but I think they're wrong. đ However, attraction can lead to deeper feelings, and I think thatâs what we see happening in Brandonâs subsequent scenes. In the book, Brandon does indeed take more time to fall for Marianne, but when he finally does, Austen tells us about it instead of showing the natural progression. I never get the impression that book Marianne and book Brandon interact much when they are in Barton -- and that's okay, because that was never meant to be the point of the novel.
In the film, as well, Marianne doesnât initially think of Brandon as a potential love interest, but she does interact with him a little; they do things together, so we clearly see some basis for Brandonâs growing affection. The 2008 adaptation does something similar, but the 1981 version hews closely to the novel.
"Courage is found in unlikely places." ~ The Fellowship of the Ring, J.R.R. Tolkien
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