Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen's 1811 novel and the 1995 film adaptation

Sense and Sensibility (1811) explores the balance of reason and feeling through the Dashwood sisters. Ang Lee's 1995 film adaptation, adapted by Emma Thompson, was a critical and commercial success and won Thompson the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The novel and film remain influential introductions to Austen's themes of social constraint, marriage, and moral balance.

About the novel

Sense and Sensibility was published in 1811 under the anonymous byline "A Lady." Jane Austen completed an early draft in her late teens titled Elinor and Marianne and revised it over the following years before publication. The novel contrasts two sisters - Elinor, who values restraint and practical judgment, and Marianne, who follows feeling and romantic impulse - and uses Austen's characteristic irony to examine class, marriage, and social expectation in Regency England.

Themes and style

Austen pairs wit with social observation. The novel explores how social rules and economic pressures shape personal choices, and it stages a moral argument about balance: emotional openness without recklessness, and prudence without coldness. The narrative voice mixes ironic commentary with intimate scenes that highlight character and social hypocrisy.

The 1995 film adaptation

Ang Lee directed the most widely known screen adaptation, released in 1995. Emma Thompson wrote the screenplay and stars as Elinor. The ensemble cast also includes Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant, Greg Wise and Tom Wilkinson. Thompson's script keeps much of Austen's plot and tone while tightening scenes for film.

Reception and awards

The film was both a commercial success and critically acclaimed. It received multiple Academy Award nominations, and Emma Thompson won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. The movie also earned major nominations and awards from other bodies and remains one of the most celebrated Austen adaptations on screen.

Legacy and availability

Sense and Sensibility has remained one of Austen's most popular novels and a frequent introduction to her work for new readers. The 1995 film brought the story to a broad modern audience and helped revive interest in period adaptations during the 1990s. The movie has been released on DVD and Blu-ray and is regularly available through digital rental and purchase services.

Why it still matters

The novel's core tension between prudence and passion still resonates because it frames choices that feel familiar: how to combine feeling with responsibility, and how social constraints affect intimate life. Both the book and the film continue to be taught, adapted, and enjoyed for their empathy, social observation, and craft.

1. Confirm whether Ang Lee's 1995 Sense and Sensibility won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.
2. Verify which Golden Globe awards (if any) the 1995 film won and in which categories.
3. Confirm specific BAFTA wins for the 1995 film, including categories and recipients.
4. Double-check the exact number of Academy Award nominations the film received.