Sense and Sensibility

A closer look at the story

Henry Dashwood's sudden death turns his family's life upside down. By law, his entire estate passes to the son from his first marriage. Before he dies, Dashwood asks his son to support his second wife and their daughters, but the son's wife makes sure the promise is never kept. Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters lose their home and are left with only a meagre income. Elinor, the elder sister, is a composed young woman who always lets reason guide her; Marianne, by contrast, is a passionate soul who follows her heart completely. In a world where wealth and social standing are everything, the family's fall also casts a shadow over their hopes of marriage. Where both money and men are concerned, the two sisters must learn to balance sense with sensibility. Directed by Ang Lee, with a screenplay adapted by Emma Thompson from Jane Austen's novel, this 136-minute 1995 period drama stars Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant.