Editing Sense and Sensibility (film) (section)

=== Gender ===
Gender has been seen as another major theme of the film, often intersecting with class. Penny Gay observed that Elinor's early dialogue with Edward about "feel[ing] idle and useless ... [with] no hope whatsoever of any occupation" reflected Thompson's background as a "middle class, [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]]-educated feminist."{{sfn|Gay|2003|pp=92–3}} Conversely, Dole wrote that Thompson's version of Elinor "has a surprising anti-feminist element to it," as she appears more dependent on men than the original character; the film presents her as repressed, resulting in her emotional breakdown with Edward.{{sfn|Dole|2001|pp=55–6}} Linda Troost opined that Lee's production prominently features "radical feminist and economic issues" while "paradoxically endorsing the conservative concept of marriage as a woman's goal in life."{{sfn|Troost|2007|pp=82–83}} Despite this "mixed political agenda," Troost believed that the film's faithfulness to the traditional [[heritage film]] genre is evident through its use of locations, costumes, and attention to details, all of which also emphasize class and status.{{sfn|Troost|2007|p=83}} Gay and Julianne Pidduck stated that gender differences are expressed by showing the female characters indoors, while their male counterparts are depicted outside confidently moving throughout the countryside.{{sfn|Gay|2003|p=93}}{{sfn|Pidduck|2000|p=123}} Nora Stovel observed that Thompson "emphasises Austen's feminist satire on Regency gender economics," drawing attention not only to the financial plight of the Dashwoods but also to eighteenth-century women in general.{{sfn|Stovel|2011}}