Jane Austen Unspoken
Season 1
short | 05:31 | CC
Creator Andrew Davies discusses the powerful, unspoken moments in Sanditon and in other classic Jane Austen stories.
(upbeat orchestral music) - [Andrew Davies] Jane Austen was very good at creating characters with an enormous amount of superficial charm.
- Mr.
Thomas Parker, at your service.
- Oh!
- She constructs plots with great skill and precision.
- [Kris Marshall] Through Charlotte Heywood's eyes we open into this delicious world which is full of intrigue and romance.
- [Man] Sanditon House.
Lady Denham's place, now she is the great lady of the town.
- [Andrew Davies] I've written and read so much Austen dialogue that I can generate it without problems.
- Your aunt has responded magnificently to my treatment.
- Words cannot express our relief.
Doctor Fuchs has earned out eternal gratitude.
- Why?
I rallied despite him.
- [Theo James] Andrew Davies is able to balance humor with really emotional, grounded, thoughtful characters.
- [Woman] I find dying highly disagreeable and I have no intention of repeating the experience.
Although it has to be said, there is nothing like eminent death to focus the mind.
(wistful music) - Uncle Sidney's here!
- [Child] And he brought a pretty lady with him!
- [Andrew Davies] Really although people think the dialogue is the same, the best moments are often those where there's no dialogue at all.
And we understand so much about the characters with just a look between them can convey so much.
(door creaks) - Allow me.
- [Andrew Davies] My favorite scene in Pride and Prejudice, that's a scene in the music room.
Elizabeth rescues Georgiana, Darcy is very grateful and looks across with gratitude.
And then something that's clearly love, and Elizabeth looks back at across the piano and the music is going the whole time and that I think is my favorite scene.
(crowd claps) I also have a number of favorite scenes in Sanditon.
I love the ball scene in episode one, in which Sidney gives poor Charlotte a really fierce telling off.
- Pardon my word Miss Heywood, but you are very free with your opinions.
- I beg your pardon, I didn't mean- - [Sidney] And upon what experience of the world do you form your judgements?
- I- - [Sidney] Where have you been?
Nowhere.
What have you learned?
Nothing, it would seem.
And yet you've taken it upon yourself to criticize.
- I beg your pardon, I've offended you.
Please forgive me.
- [Sidney] No, you haven't offended me.
I shouldn't have expected so much from a girl with so little experience and understanding.
- [Andrew Davies] You get a great big close-up of her poor little face trying to hold back the tears and it's absolutely to die for.
(sentimental music) There's a scene in which Sidney is teaching Charlotte how to row.
- I need a second person to balance the boat, would you mind?
- I'm not sure if I- - Come on.
Careful.
Sit down behind you.
- [Andrew Davies] So they're sitting opposite each other, Sidney has his hands on the oars.
- Give me your hands.
- [Andrew Davies] He's pushing as Charlotte is pulling, and of course their hands can't help but touch and their eyes are locked together and you get sense that it's a kinda metaphor for a tender but experienced lover of teaching an innocent girl who knows very little of the world.
The director has had Charlotte's love rival for Sidney walking along the path.
- [Woman] Sidney!
- [Andrew Davies] Who immediately sees it with alarm.
- Miss Heywood.
- Mrs.
Campion.
- Rose has an intelligence but naivety which I think is really interesting for the part, she has these great wide brown eyes that are very expressive and thoughtful and pivotal to understand and to view this world through.
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