REVIEW: Ellie and Marianne

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Ellie and MarianneLongtime Gentle Readers will remember news a few years ago about a student film made by the Department of Communications at Ball State University, a modern-set adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. It was said the film would be made available via iTunes, but we’re not sure if that ever happened. However, Alert Reader Amy H. took the initiative to contact a professor at the university, who offered to send a DVD for review. Information for ordering a DVD of the film will be available at the end of the review. Thanks to Amy for tracking down the film and for her review! –Ed.

Review by Amy H.

“Ellie & Marianne,” released in 2006, is a modern-set adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic Sense and Sensibility. The film was written and produced by and stars the students of Ball State University. In brief, Ellie (Elinor) is a paralegal who sketches and draws. Marianne is a former soap opera star who takes up a role in a local play. Together the sisters follow Austen’s canon pretty closely. In the end Ellie ends up with Edward (a professor in Art) and Marianne with Brandon (who has a job crunching numbers and is a peer in this film) only after being tossed aside by Willoughby, who moved onto the next pretty girl. My best comparison for this film would be to the Mormon “Pride and Prejudice”; I neither really liked nor disliked it. I found parts quite amusing and enjoyable, while others were just hard to watch due to over-acting. Now, that being said, I highly commend the students for their wonderful efforts in putting together such a project and I did find the script pretty solid. I would say it’s worth the watch for those diehard “Sense and Sensibility” fans looking for anything S&S-related. I would also like to thank Tim Pollard, Associate Professor, Department of Telecommunications at Ball State University. I had emailed Prof. Pollard inquiring about “Ellie & Marianne”, and it’s thanks to him that we are able to get our Janeite hands on this film. So a big Thank You goes out to him!

You can purchase the “Ellie & Marianne” from Ball State University at the following links:

TAXABLE – Indiana residents

NON-TAXABLE – non-Indiana residents

Film trailer:

9 thoughts on “REVIEW: Ellie and Marianne”

  1. What a pity we can’t see it outside US? :(….I was really curious about this project. Especially because it was a small one, outside of Hollywood circle. Anyway, who knows in future? 😉

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  3. “My best comparison for this film would be to the Mormon “Pride and Prejudice”; I neither really liked nor disliked it.”

    I’m intrigued, I too would have P&P Utah as the basis of comparison, but then.. how this Ellie and Marianne rates in comparison with the former? I’m among those who enjoy P&P Utah (and there are those who wrongly would call me a purist), so this one would be better or worse in comparison to it? That would be the key IMHO.

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    • I think Amy means to say she liked it about the same as P&P Utah, which she seemed to like less than you do, Cinthia (I liked it too, but it’s been ages since I saw it!).

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      • Amy H.

        Cinthia, yes Mags is correct. I liked it about the same as P&P Utah, which I did enjoy…but count it among one of the films I probably won’t watch again. If it helps, it’s more because I have a really hard time watching characters go through obviously embarrassing or heartbreaking moments. I know it’s strange (trust me my husband makes fun of me for it), but I just feel so bad for the person, that I either have to cover my eyes or fast forward those parts of the movie.

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  5. Pingback: Ellie & Marianne | Jane Austen em Português

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