Jane Austen News - May 2019
What's the Jane Austen News this week?
In issue 163 of the Jane Austen News we looked at a list of the top Dame Judi Dench films. Well this week we were once again intrigued by a list ranking the best films by one of our favourite actresses - Dame Emma Thompson. Andrew Pulver's list of the top ten Thompson films was as follows:
10. Love Actually (2003)
We loved this film. Emma Thompson's character is utterly relatable and entirely endearing. But unlike in Sense and Sensibility (which we'll come to later), Alan Rickman who stars opposite her isn't the honest Colonel Brandon who Emma's Elinor Dashwood sees her as the knight in shining armour for her sister Marianne, but rather plays Emma's husband with a wandering eye and the ability to break her heart. If you haven't seen it before, definitely watch this film and be prepared to cry buckets when that necklace-CD mix up takes place.
9. Junior (1994)
We had completely forgotten about this one! Arnold Schwarzenegger isn't who we'd typically pair with Emma Thompson, but it did seem to work...
8. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban/Order of the Phoenix/Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2004/2007/2011)
In the Harry Potter series we see Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman on set together again (it's surprising how many films they both star in). This time we see Emma playing the wonderfully weird Professor Sybil Trelawney with style and some of the most gawky Coke-bottle glasses we've ever seen.
7. In the Name of the Father (1993)
"Emma Thompson shows inner steel playing the radical lawyer Gareth Peirce." We can't add much to this assessment as we've not seen it ourselves.
6. The Children Act (2017)
Emma Thompson plays a judge in this adaptation of Ian McEwan's recently recently novel of the same name. She's the ideal combination of incredibly intelligent and emotionally susceptible.
5. The Tall Guy (1989)
Apparently this has a classic "furniture-smashing, milk-carton-rolling sex scene" in it. Again, we wouldn't know, as we haven't seen it.
4. The Legend of Barney Thomson (2015)
"Thompson is totally unrecognisable and completely fantastic as Barney’s mum: a cigarette-chugging chip hooverer, swathed in fake fur and prosthetic jowls. Worth seeking out for her alone."
3. The Remains of the Day (1993)
Thompson plays Miss Kenton, the slightly less repressed of the two head servants in a pre-war English mansion. Her Miss Kenton to Anthony Hopkins' Stevens is a sight to behold.
2. Howards End (1992)
This film saw Emma Thompson win her first Oscar for her portrayal of Margaret Schlegel. When it comes to Period Dramas, Emma is truly a master.
1. Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Well this had to be at number one didn't it? As well as starring in the film as Elinor Dashwood, Emma wrote the script for the film (and some highly entertaining diaries documenting the filming process). In the eyes of the Jane Austen News, she will always be one of the great champions of Jane Austen's works.
Sherlock Holmes Joins Jane Austen in "Mint Condition" Obviously Jane Austen is our favourite author here at the Jane Austen News, but we do also have a soft spot for many other classic books - Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes novels being a very good example. It's only natural then that we're delighted to find out that Sherlock Holmes will soon be making an appearance on a new 50p coin. To commemorate the fact that it's 160 years years since Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born, the Royal Mint has issued this new uncirculated coin designed by Stephen Raw. Although not a coin you're likely to be given in change, it will be available from the Royal Mint's website with prices ranging from £10 for a "Brilliant Uncirculated Coin", to £795 for a "Gold Proof Coin". Despite the price, an incredible 85% of the gold coins are already reserved! The coin will feature the iconic profile of the literary detective, surrounded by titles of the most famous Holmes novels.
Previous commemorative coins have included: Beatrix Potter characters 
Paddington Bear 50 pence pieces from 2018 
Shakespeare themed £1 coins from 2016 
And, our favourite, a Jane Austen £2 coin from 2017
Sherlock Holmes Joins Jane Austen in "Mint Condition" Obviously Jane Austen is our favourite author here at the Jane Austen News, but we do also have a soft spot for many other classic books - Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes novels being a very good example. It's only natural then that we're delighted to find out that Sherlock Holmes will soon be making an appearance on a new 50p coin. To commemorate the fact that it's 160 years years since Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born, the Royal Mint has issued this new uncirculated coin designed by Stephen Raw. Although not a coin you're likely to be given in change, it will be available from the Royal Mint's website with prices ranging from £10 for a "Brilliant Uncirculated Coin", to £795 for a "Gold Proof Coin". Despite the price, an incredible 85% of the gold coins are already reserved! The coin will feature the iconic profile of the literary detective, surrounded by titles of the most famous Holmes novels.
Previous commemorative coins have included: Beatrix Potter characters Paddington Bear 50 pence pieces from 2018 Shakespeare themed £1 coins from 2016 And, our favourite, a Jane Austen £2 coin from 2017
Jane Austen News is our weekly compilation of stories about or related to Austen. Here we will feature a variety of items, including craft tutorials, reviews, news stories, articles and photos from around the world.
Read more
biographies
What's the Jane Austen News this week? An Event for Austen Fans in Oregon The second annual Jane Austen Tea & Faire, wi...
Read more
jane austen news
Top 10 Romantic Quotes - Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility Ranks Number 1
This heart-melting affirmation of love from Edward Ferrars to Elinor Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility has been ranked as the most romantic quote from romantic literature, film and TV drama.
Read more
Leave a comment
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.