Becoming Jane (2007 historical film)
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Becoming Jane is a 2007 historical film directed by Julian Jarrold. It is inspired by the early life of author Jane Austen (portrayed by Anne Hathaway), and her posited relationship with Thomas Langlois Lefroy (played by BAFTA-winning Scottish actor James McAvoy). Julie Walters, James Cromwell and Maggie Smith also appear in this picture. The film was produced in cooperation with several companies, including BBC Films and the Irish Film Board. The film performed well at the box office, earning $37 million worldwide according to Box Office Mojo. The casting was by Gail Stevens and Gillian Reynolds, costumes by Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh, and original soundtrack composed by Adrian Johnston. Although the film assumes an otherwise unproven relationship between Austen and Lefroy, the original screenplay was inspired by real events, which were chronicled in the book Becoming Jane Austen by Jon Spence, who was the historical consultant on the film. In fact, prior to Spence’s book, biographers Radovici (1995)[1] and Tomalin (2000)[2] have also acknowledged a relationship between Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy. Tomalin’s book was referenced in the making of Becoming Jane.[3]
Plot
Jane Austen (Anne Hathaway) is the younger daughter of Reverend Austen and his wife (Julie Walters) and has yet to find a suitable husband. She wishes to be a writer -- to the disdain of her mother and pride of her father (James Cromwell). Though Thomas Lefroy (James McAvoy) is a promising lawyer with a bad reputation, which he describes as "typical" for peers of that era and after a bad first impression, Jane cannot stand the arrogant Londoner. She turns down the affections of numerous men, including the nephew of Lady Gresham (Maggie Smith), a Mr. Wisley (Laurence Fox). Wisley proposes, but Jane turns him down cold. The mischievous Tom -- the later inspiration for Pride and Prejudice's Mr. Darcy -- continues his advances and Jane begins to take the idea of marriage seriously. The two get to know each other gradually, however, and eventually fall in love. Tom, Jane, Henry (Jane's Brother, played by Joe Anderson) and Jane's rich widowed cousin, Eliza the Comtessa, conspire to receive an invitation from Tom's Uncle, the Lord Chief Judge Langlois of London, for the rich "Madame de La Comtessa, and her friends to take a short break in their journey to see Jane's brother, Edward. This would allow Tom's uncle and benefactor, Judge Langlois, to get to know Jane and give a blessing for their marriage. However, the Judge receives a letter informing him of Jane's poor family, he refuses to give Tom his blessing, declaring that he wished Tom to be the whoremonger he had been than allow him to live in poverty because of a bad marriage. Jane insists that she and Tom may still marry, but Tom says he has his family to think about and, disillusioned, she leaves London. On her return home, and after finding out that Tom has come back to town with a new fiancee, Jane informs Mr. Wisley that she will marry him. Meanwhile, Jane's sister Cassandra has learned that her fiancee, Robert Fowle, has died of yellow fever. The girls are both devastated. Jane happens upon Tom again in the Southern wood, where he asks her to run away with him. She agrees, but halfway there, she learns that Tom's parents, along with his many brothers and sisters (Tom will not reveal how many), depend on the allowance he receives from his uncle to survive. Despite protestations from Tom, Jane ends their affair for his family's sake, returns home to her own family, and begins writing anew on a novel entitled "First Impressions", later renamed "Pride and Prejudice". Years later, Jane, accompanied by her brother Henry and his wife Eliza (Jane's cousin, a countess), encounters Thomas Lefroy again at a social function. He is with his eldest daughter, also named Jane, who turns out to be a fan of Jane Austen's writing. The film ends with Jane giving a most rare public reading. This scene most probably took place between 1810 and 1815, according to an interview with Anne Hathaway in which she stated the characters "had aged about 20 years". It is interesting to note that Jane never was able "to live by her pen." She was published anonymously until her death in 1817 of Addison's disease. She did not become well published until 1833. Since that time, her books have been in continuous print. Critical reception By April 2007, Becoming Jane had screened in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and Sweden; reviews of which mostly originated from the first three countries. Popular movie review site, Rotten Tomatoes, rates the movie as rotten with a 57% approval rating. Supporters of the movie praised the original screenplay, which was derived from biographies and letters of Jane Austen, the late 18th century costumes, the original soundtrack (orchestrated by Adrian Johnston) and solid performances by a leading cast.[4] 
Anne Hathaway and James McAvoy were lauded for the chemistry between their characters, lending authenticity to the love story between Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy.[5][6] Hathaway was also admired for her fresh take on Jane Austen.[6] Negative reviews focused on the choice of an American to play a much loved English writer, as well as the inauthenticity of her accent.[citation needed] James McAvoy defended the decision of casting Hathaway by stating that a movie creator should “find the right actor…and she (Hathaway) is undoubtedly brilliant”.[7] McAvoy further added that Hathaway was “the best Jane for the film”.[8] Actress Anna Maxwell Martin (playing Cassandra Austen) stated that when the cameras stopped rolling, Hathaway’s accent was sometimes “a bit of a hybrid but I don’t think she ever sank completely."[9] Anne Hathaway herself admitted the persistent tendency to “sound too much like myself and not at all like Jane”, blaming cold weather in Ireland, which meant she had to do voice retakes for several scenes.[3] Nonetheless, director Julian Jarrold praised Hathaway for her total transformation in becoming Jane Austen. In a wrap up party after the filming, Jarrold confessed that the actress had been a different person, ‘not just her accent but also the whole character, the way of holding yourself and speaking was so completely different’.[10] Jarrold and McAvoy further praised Hathaway as the 'real Austenite' who were impressed with her more than adequate knowledge on Jane Austen.[11]
Some reviewers have questioned the historical accuracy of the movie; for example, one promotional poster shows Jane holding a fountain pen. The creators of Becoming Jane have clearly stated, however, that it is not a biopic in spite of using many historical facts from Jane Austen’s life. The co-producer of the film, Graham Broadbent, explained that they ‘joined the dots in our own Austenesque landscape’.[3] Criticisms of the film's historical accuracy have led to increased public interest in the facts of Jane Austen's life, reflected in her novels, letters and in biographies. Costumes worn by the characters from Becoming Jane have been exhibited in Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, Hampshire (where she lived from 1809 until 1817, a few months prior to her death in Winchester) to accommodate the curiosity of fans. Awards
Won the 2007 People's Choice Award for "Favorite Independent Movie".[15]
Nominated for 2008 Ivor Novello Award for Best Original Film Score
received funding from The UK Film Council Lottery.
won the Heartland Truly Moving Picture Award.
References
^ Radovici, N. 1995. A Youthful Love: Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy, Merlin Books, Devon ^ a b Tomalin, C. 2000, Jane Austen: A Life, Penguin Books, London ^ John Warren is a non-fictional character - he was a friend of Henry Austen, and provided Jane with a sketch portrait of LeFroy.[1] ^ a b Lefroy, T. 1871, Memoir of Chief Justice Lefroy, Hodges, Foster & Co., Dublin.
Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becoming_Jane
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