MovieChat Forums > Northanger Abbey (2008) Discussion > Was it love at first sight?

Was it love at first sight?

posted 10 years ago by sfwritr
9 replies | jump to latest

I just saw this movie and I really enjoyed it. I do have some questions about it though. When did Mr. Tilney start to fall for Katherine? According to the movie he seems to be delighted with her when he first sees her, but I don't think he thought of her as a romantic interest yet. When she doesn't meet up with them to go for the walk he seems cold and uninterested in her completely. Then she explains and he seems to warm up to her again.

Then when she goes to stay with them he talks about hoping the person he loved would have money. He has to know she doesn't have much money. He doesn't seem to reassure her, but he does state that it would be a show of his character if he were to be in that position. However, he does show her his house and is glad she likes it. This leads me to believe he wanted to propose to her soon. I wonder if he was on the way to do that when he found her in his mother's room. Anyway, I'm just curious as to when he possibly was in love with her.

I feel her love for him was immediate. She had that fantasy about him the very night they meet, so she's not so hard to guess.

[–] Cloudburst2000 10 years ago

No, Henry did not fall head over heels in love with Catherine when they first met...though she did pretty much fall for him. He did like her alot but he didn't love her. Even the book says this. It basically says that while he truly loved her by the end, he did not fall in love at first sight. It says he was initially interested in her because she was interested in him. He liked her to be sure, but his love developed over time. The story was very tongue-in-cheek at times. Jane Austen was poking fun at all the stories where everyone fell in love at first sight and even says humorously this was 'a new circumstance in romance (meaning not falling in love at first sight), and dreadfully derogatory of an heroine's dignity.'

Also, I do believe Henry was already starting to develop some feelings for Catherine when she accidentally stood him up for the walk. He was initially cold and distant to her because he felt slighted. He was a bit hurt because he DID feel something for her. It wasn't love yet but feelings were starting to develop.

I think he loved her by the time they took the horse ride. When he says that about hoping the woman he loved would have money, I believe he spoke in past tense like 'I have always hoped,' not 'I hope' because he knew the woman he loved did not have much money. Her family was not at all destitute though. Anyhoo, I think he is more talking to himself when he tells Catherine that it will show what kind of character he has if the women he loves does not have money. He is basically facing up to the fact that he will have to show his character by defying his father and marrying a woman with less money. I doubt he would have showed Catherine his home if he did not have an intention of making it her home also. And yes, both he and his sister knew Catherine was not rich. They never understood why their father was pushing him toward Catherine (at least not until the end). Their father's actions confused them because they expected him to want Henry to marry rich, but they both liked Catherine and were not going to look a gift horse in the mouth when he invited Catherine to join them in their home.

[–] webrowser 10 years ago

Also, I do believe Henry was already starting to develop some feelings for Catherine when she accidentally stood him up for the walk. He was initially cold and distant to her because he felt slighted. He was a bit hurt because he DID feel something for her. It wasn't love yet but feelings were starting to develop.

I completely agree. He was hurt when he thought she'd stood him up. His sister even mentions that he was "downcast" when he thought Catherine preferred the company of others to his. That's a definite sign that he had developed some feelings for her by then.

I doubt he would have showed Catherine his home if he did not have an intention of making it her home also.

I thought the same thing. He was very pleased when she liked it. I think he wanted her approval because he'd fallen in love with her by that point.

[–] summeriris 10 years ago

I've watched the film twice now Webbrowser and I'm not to sure that he fell in love with Catherine in Bath. I think he was amused by her, he certainly was very amused by Mrs Allen. I think he liked her very much and was rather charmed by her innocence. His feelings were hurt when it seemed she prefered going with John Thorpe, and this I took as a sign that he could fall for her, but he wan't at that stage then.

_____________
I am the Queen of Snark, TStopped said so.

[–] webrowser 10 years ago

I've watched the film twice now Webbrowser and I'm not to sure that he fell in love with Catherine in Bath.

I actually don't think he fell in love with her at Bath either, Summer. I should have clarified when I said "feelings" I meant that he had developed feelings of interest for her in Bath. I think he was attracted to her, and wanted to see more of her, but I don't think he actually fell in love with her until her visit to Northanger.

[–] summeriris 10 years ago

I do think he really was charmed by her. He definitely wanted to know her better, thus the invitation for her from his father. That in John Thorpe's deliberate spreading of gossip definitely caused Gen Tilney to issue the invitation. I'm just a bit puzzled as to why Henry fell in love with her at all. She just seems so young to me, but Austen was young when she wrote the novel. And I keep telling myself that girls were married young then.I'm still undecided as to whether or not I actually like 'Northanger Abbey', it just seems so bland to me.

_____________
I am the Queen of Snark, TStopped said so.

[–] webrowser 10 years ago

I'm just a bit puzzled as to why Henry fell in love with her at all. She just seems so young to me, but Austen was young when she wrote the novel. And I keep telling myself that girls were married young then.I'm still undecided as to whether or not I actually like 'Northanger Abbey', it just seems so bland to me.

Catherine is all wide-eyed naivete for sure, and that does give her a very young appearance. I think they emphasized that in order to show she was very sheltered growing up, but it can also give the impression that she's younger than she's supposed to be. Isabella seems older, to me, because she's so calculating. Were they supposed to be about the same age? 16ish or so?

I'm sorry you found it a bit bland. I truly enjoyed it. It's certainly not "deep", but I thought it was a beautiful production. I was very satisfied with the settings, music, casting, and costumes. Though I could have done without a couple of overtly sexual scenes. Overall, I found it sweet, funny, and entertaining. This adaptation is certainly worlds above the one from the 80's in my eyes. I simply can't get past the distractingly loud & dated musical score, and the 80's influenced makeup/hair/costumes in that production. Yikes!

I plan on reading the novel soon. I've never read it, but it's next on my list. It will be interesting to see if it will influence my view on this adaptation.

[–] summeriris 10 years ago

I enjoyed the 80's one for one reason, Googie Withers. It was a joy for me to see such a fine actress performing at the end of her career such a funny part. As she was mostly known for her dramatic roles I loved her appearance in this. Even with the crazy hats. But your right, the costumes were very 70's. Isn't it funny how you can tell when a film was made, even when it's a costume film.

Catherine was all very wide eyed innocence in this, but I did detect a bit of Austen's steel under the wide eyes. Unfortunately not enough for my tatrse. For me the production failed a bit because it lacked that steel under the charm that I think Austen has. Col Tilney was played by the great Liam Cunningham whom I love. I squealed for joy when I heard he was going to play Ser Davos in Game of Thrones. But in this production he seems to be forever staring at his watch and worrying about the time. Where's the General's greed. I think Isabella in the novel was about the same age as Catherine, but Davies has her hopping into bed with Captain Tilney like a woman of the world. You almost expect her to quote a price, well she does but gets shot down in flames. John Thorpe is so creepy you wander what James was doing with him.

Maybe I should just acknowledge to myself that I'm being fussy. At the end of the day Cathering and Henry make a nice sweet couple. I just like my sweetness with a bit of tartness in with it.

_____________
I am the Queen of Snark, TStopped said so.

[–] webrowser 10 years ago

Even with the crazy hats. But your right, the costumes were very 70's. Isn't it funny how you can tell when a film was made, even when it's a costume film.

The hats were so big, and gaudy! I kept staring at them. LOL Yes, it's funny how costume films still reflect the influences of current fashions at the time of filming. And I think we've discussed before, I have the hardest time with 60s - 80s period films. Anything newer doesn't distract me.

Col Tilney was played by the great Liam Cunningham whom I love. I squealed for joy when I heard he was going to play Ser Davos in Game of Thrones.

He is amazing, isn't he? I agree that he was under utilized, but he still gave me chills as Col Tilney. He was very intimidating IMO. I had a difficult time viewing Robert Hardy as scary and intimidating, in his role as the mysterious General Tilney in the 87 version - not because he didn't do a brilliant job, he did! - but because I so completely associate him with kindly Sir John in S&S 95. I kept wanting to pinch his cheeks.

John Thorpe is so creepy you wander what James was doing with him.

So true. Both John Thorpe's were appropriately wolfish IMO. Each reminded me a little of Jekyll's Mr. Hyde. Creepy! I think everyone but Catherine could see it. I found William Beck's Thorpe in 2007 more sinisterly sly than Jonathan Coy's Thorpe. Coy was off-putting right away, and a bit goofy IMO - and he seemed...sweaty. It didn't make sense that he wouldn't set off red flags for even Catherine. Beck's Thorpe, at least, had thin veneer of charm concealing his scheming character, and he was much smoother. (and not so sweaty, lol) So I could at least understand why Catherine was taken in.

I just like my sweetness with a bit of tartness in with it.

I understand. Nothing wrong with having preferences!

[–] Anhun 8 years ago

In the book, Catherine is 17 and Isabella is 21. Also, Henry begins to find Catherine "irresistible" (Austen's phrasing) before they leave Bath, although it wasn't love at first sight. When he first meets her he enjoys her fresh perspective and unaffected conversational style, a direct contrast to girls like Isabella.

"You two ought to be ashamed of yourselves . . . two grown men acting like . . . grown men!!!"