Customer Reviews
Wonderful movie 
2008-05-27
I had never seen this movie before I bought it on here but I'm so glad I went ahead and got it. It's a wonderful Jane Austen movie with a great story. Different from any of the other one's I've seen but I think that's why I enjoyed it so much. I just feel completely in love with it!
Jane Austen is Brilliant! 2008-05-23
It was my first time to get to know Northanger Abbey. I loved this movie. I bought the book right afterwards. I loved all the cast. They were perfect for the roles! I especially loved the main couple. Both had a great chemistry together. It was such fun to watch. I'd watch it everyday if I could. :D JJ Field who plays Henry Tilney was so witty and handsome I couldn't stop smiling. He's my favorite Austen leading man...even over Mr. Darcy!
The Best Northanger Abbey yet! 2008-05-22
Excellent adaptation. Both leads really seemed to capture the essence of their characters, with Catherine not being silly so much as naive. This Henry Tilney is my new hero -- what a love! Eleanor seemed a bit older than she is in the book, and they dressed her in an older style than the young Catherine, but that's my only real quibble with the production. All in all, it's excellent!
Ending too abrupt, otherwise a five 
2008-05-15
Northanger Abbey
Jane Austen's books all have certain things in common--a heroine who comes from a large family of limited means and loves to read, a hero of better means who is misunderstood in some way, a rogue who will later be revealed as a money-grubbing womanizer, and a clergyman. There will also be at least one ball, lots of music, and dances.
So, the ball, music, and dances spring to life in three of the movies made from Jane's books (Pride and Prejudice--the Keira Knightley version, Sense and Sensibility--the Emma Thompson version, and this version of Northanger Abbey).
Here is the abbreviated story (without going into nauseating detail about what actor/actress played what part):
Catherine Morland is the eldest daughter in a family of ten children. They are much loved and happy. When Catherine turns seventeen, she goes to Bath with the wealthy Allens (who are a very kind couple) where they buy her fancy clothes and introduce her to society. She promptly meets two sets of siblings--Isabella and John Thorpe, and Eleanor and Henry Tilney.
John, assuming that the Allens will bestow wealth upon Catherine if she marries, immediately begins sabotaging her relationship with Henry and Eleanor, while his money-grubbing sister Isabella connives to get Catherine's brother James to propose to her. When both Thorpe siblings discover that neither Catherine nor James expect any wealth from the Allens, Isabella sleeps with the eldest brother of the Tilney siblings, Frederic (a real womanizer), and John spreads the info around town so no other beau will go near Catherine.
Fortunately, Catherine has already been invited to Northanger Abbey, the Tilneys' estate. The "sideline" story deals with Catherine's penchant for gothic romances. She thinks she's seeing ghosts and suspects that the Tilney siblings' father (an evil money-grubbing jerk) killed his wife. When Henry discovers that she believes this, he's rather nasty to Catherine and here's where I part company with the janeites--I never thought Henry was Austen's best hero. No, Darcy could whip the pants off him. So Henry runs off and, in the meantime, General Tilney (the evil dad) kicks Catherine out of the castle in the middle of the night, giving her no money, no carriage, and no methods of getting home. Eleanor gives her some money and Catherine manages to make it home (although things could quite easily have turned out differently).
Sometime later, Henry finally shows up at her family home to apologize and to propose. And the film is wrapped up abruptly in mere minutes.
Where this movie excels is in the characterization. John Thorpe is played by a hideously ugly ginger and oozes evil. Isabella is played by a chesty ginger with so many moles I lost count. Henry always smiles (until he's yelling at Catherine). And James acts the complete idiot. Where the movie falls short is in the abrupt ending. Seriously, the ending is wrapped up in about four minutes, leaving you wondering what happened.
Northanger Abbey 2008-05-14
In our modern day of instant gratification Austin's characters serve a refreshing example of people who persever in the face of frustration of purpose. This story in particular would provide a role model of a young woman who refuses to become destructive to her best self or to others in revenge for delayed gratification.
A disappointing Abbey 2008-06-16
For the first 15 or so minutes (maybe longer) I lived in hopes that this new adaptation of "Northanger Abbey" would stay closer to the original Jane Austen novel than the previous BBC production starring Peter Firth which had little of the wit of the original.
Perhaps it's impossible to do justice to Jane Austen unless one makes a miniseries the likes of the Colin Firth, Jennifer Erle "Pride and Prejudice". That said, Austen makes it quite clear in the novel that Northanger Abbey is an abbey in name only, that it is a modern, comfortable Georgian house with but the remnants of the original monastic building in the grounds - unlike the massive Gothic structure shown in the current version.
"Northanger Abbey" may be the slightest of Austen's works, however, even though this is an improvement on the previous attempt to present the piece on TV/DVD the novel deserves more than it gets in this version .
Wonderful Movie 2008-06-12
I saw this on PBS' Masterpiece and enjoyed it so much I wanted to own it and add it to our Jane Austen DVD collection. If you enjoy the movies that have been done bringing Jane Austin's writing to the screen you will probably enjoy this as well.
Northanger made understandable 2008-06-02
I have been a Jane Austen fan since I was a teenager (I am now retired), yet never enjoyed Northanger Abbey until now. Finally, someone has made this story pleasurable. At last the heroine, although still somewhat foolish with her overactive imagination, is believable.
Loved it! 2008-06-02
The main male character is so kind and loving. Great movie. I recommend it if you are a Jane Austin fan.
Persuasion 2008-05-31
I am delighted with this DVD not only the story but with the timely manner Amazon mailed it to me using free shipping. Thank you, Amazon.
Gwen
