“Jane lived in a world where it was universally ackowledged that marriage was a market and this would become the central theme of her novels.”
This documentary, one of BBC’s “films for humanities and sciences”, directed by Nicky Patterson, uses potential look-alikes to Austen’s family, dressed in character, to present the information in a wonderful way. They role-play as the family members, including Jane herself, as though they are being personally interviewed for the documentary.
It is narrated by Anne Chancellor, the actress of 1995 BBC/A&E Caroline Bingley, who is also related to Jane Austen herself (by some long, winding road of genetics). It also includes clips from that well-loved version of Pride and Prejudice. Continue reading