Northanger Abbey (2007)

Northanger Abbey is Jane Austen’s least-adapted novel, which is a shame, because it’s so much fun.  Fortunately, though, it at least has this delightful Masterpiece TV movie.  Back in 2007, I saw this on TV on a whim (literally, I was channel-surfing and stumbled onto Liam Cunningham’s name during the opening credits – how serendipitous!)  I went into it knowing next to nothing about it and not having read a single Austen book, and I came out a dyed-in-the-wool fan determined to remedy my ignorance.

Novel-loving Catherine Morland hopes she’s in for a real-life adventure when her neighbors invite her to accompany them on a trip to Bath.  Her imaginative fantasies of what it will be like, based on the “horrid” Gothic romances she reads, don’t quite match up to the real thing, but she stumbles into some excitement all the same.  Her story sets her in the path of the charming and affable Henry Tilney, some scheming opportunists, whiffs of rumors and scandal, and a beautiful old manor that’s begging to share its secrets with her.

This is probably the only one of Austen’s novels that could be satisfactorily adapted into a less-than-90-minute film (Persuasion and Mansfield Park both tried the same year, but neither could pull it off,) and the resulting movie carries itself very well and Austeny.  It’s light and enjoyable, has a hoot playing with the juxtaposition of Catherine’s wild imaginings and the subtler intrigues of her real life, and is overall a fine way to pass a little time.  The story is only mildy streamlined, moving along at a good clip without feeling like you’re just scrolling through the highlights of the plot, and the film handles both ironic and earnest tones with equal skill.

Like I said, Liam Cunningham is the name that brought me to the film; though he’s probably most familiar now for playing Ser Davos on Game of Thrones, I’ll always know him best as Capt. Crewe from A Little Princess.  He does well as the possibly-menacing Gen. Tilney, as do William Beck and Carey Mulligan as John and Isabella Thorpe (I wonder if Mulligan will ever star in an Austen adaptation – she plays a supporting role in the Keira Knightley Pride and Prejudice, too.)  I’m not familiar with Catherine Walker, but she’s perfect as Henry’s sister Eleanor, and Sylvestra le Touzel, former Fanny Price, plays Mrs. Allen – I always love seeing Austen heroines pop up again in later adaptations.

But, as you’d expect, the main attractions are our lead actors.  A pre-Oscar-nod Felicity Jones from The Theory of Everything is cute as a button as Catherine.  I love the contrast between her crazy imagination and her earnest naiveté; Catherine is on a whirlwind, no doubt, and Jones makes us feel every bit of it with her sweet performance.  Equally great is J.J. Feild as Henry, who captures Henry’s playful wit to a tee.  There are moments when the story is a bit too “Jane Austen’s first novel,” but these two gladly make you forget that fact.  Their engaging chemistry easily carries the day – I love the banter the first time they dance together, and it’s too fun to watch Catherine react to Henry so seriously and then gradually realize he’s teasing her.  Other Austen pairings are sweeter or more romantic, but I think this one is the most entertaining.

Warnings

A few Regency-era sexual references.