Editing Sense and Sensibility (film) (section)

== Legacy and influence ==
{{Anchor|Legacy}}
Following the theatrical release of ''[[Persuasion (1995 film)|Persuasion]]'' by a few months, ''Sense and Sensibility'' was one of the first English-language [[Period piece|period]] adaptations of an Austen novel to be released in cinemas in over fifty years, the previous being the 1940 film ''[[Pride and Prejudice (1940 film)|Pride and Prejudice]]''.{{sfn|Higson|2011|p=125}}{{sfn|Parrill|2002|p=5}} The year 1995 saw a resurgence of popularity for Austen's works, as ''Sense and Sensibility'' and the serial ''Pride and Prejudice'' both rocketed to critical and financial success.{{sfn|Higson|2004|p=38}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704594804575649041609261602 |title=In Jane Austen 2.0, the heroines and heroes friend each other |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |first1=Arden |last1=Dale |first2=Mary |last2=Pilon |author-link2=Mary Pilon |date=6 December 2010 |access-date=18 August 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110204075206/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704594804575649041609261602.html |archive-date= 4 February 2011 }}</ref> The two adaptations helped draw more attention to the previously little-known 1995 television film ''Persuasion'', and led to additional  Austen adaptations in the following years.{{sfn|Greenfield|Troost|2001|p=1}} In 1995 and 1996, six Austen adaptations were released onto film or television.{{sfn|Parrill|2002|p=5}} The filming of these productions led to a surge in popularity of many of the landmarks and locations depicted;{{sfn|Parrill|2002|p=43}} according to the scholar [[Sue Parrill]], they became "instant meccas for viewers."{{sfn|Parrill|2002|p=6}}

When ''Sense and Sensibility'' was released in cinemas in the US, ''[[Town & Country (magazine)|Town & Country]]'' published a six-page article entitled "Jane Austen's England", which focused on the landscape and sites shown in the film. A press book released by the studio, as well as Thompson's published screenplay and diaries, listed all the filming locations and helped to boost tourism. Saltram House for instance was carefully promoted during the film's release, and saw a 57 percent increase in attendance.{{sfn|Higson|2004|p=42}}{{sfn|Higson|2011|pp=149–50}} In 1996, JASNA's membership increased by fifty percent.{{sfn|Greenfield|Troost|2001|p=2}} The popularity of both ''Sense and Sensibility'' and ''Pride and Prejudice'' led to the BBC and ITV releasing their Austen adaptations from the 1970s and 1980s onto DVD.{{sfn|Troost|2007|p=75}}

As the mid-1990s included adaptations of four Austen novels, there were few of her works to adapt. Andrew Higson argues that this resulted in a "variety of successors" in the genres of romantic comedy and costume drama, as well as with films featuring strong female characters. Cited examples include ''[[Mrs Dalloway (film)|Mrs Dalloway]]'' (1997), ''[[Mrs. Brown]]'' (1997), ''[[Shakespeare in Love]]'' (1998), and ''[[Bridget Jones's Diary]]'' (2001).{{sfn|Higson|2011|pp=158–59}} In 2008, [[Andrew Davies (writer)|Andrew Davies]], the screenwriter of ''Pride and Prejudice'', [[Sense and Sensibility (2008 TV serial)|adapted ''Sense and Sensibility'']] for television. As a reaction to what he said was Lee's overly "sentimental" film, this production features events found in the novel but excluded from Thompson's screenplay, such as Willoughby's seduction of Eliza and his duel with Brandon. It also features actors closer to the ages in the source material.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/jan/19/broadcasting.bbc1 |title=Davies turns up heat on Austen |work=[[The Guardian]] |first=Tara |last=Conland |date=19 January 2007 |access-date=26 August 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921185939/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/jan/19/broadcasting.bbc1 |archive-date=21 September 2013 }}</ref>

''Sense and Sensibility'' has maintained its popularity into the twenty-first century. In 2004, Louise Flavin referred to the 1995 film as "the most popular of the Austen film adaptations,"{{sfn|Flavin|2004|p=42}} and in 2008, ''[[The Independent]]'' ranked it as the third-best Austen adaptation of all time, opining that Lee "offered an acute outsider's insight into Austen in this compelling 1995 interpretation of the book [and] Emma Thompson delivered a charming turn as the older, wiser, Dashwood sister, Elinor."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-16902121.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125173516/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-16902121.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 January 2013 |title=Senseless sensibility |work=[[The Independent]] |first=Liz |last=Hoggard |date=24 July 2008 |access-date=7 August 2012}}</ref> Journalist [[Zoe Williams]] credits Thompson as the person most responsible for Austen's popularity, explaining in 2007 that ''Sense and Sensibility'' "is the definitive Austen film and that's largely down to her."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/6426195.stm |title=Jane Austen – why the fuss? |work=[[BBC News]] |first=Denise |last=Winterman |date=9 March 2007 |access-date=20 May 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419155838/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/6426195.stm |archive-date=19 April 2012 }}</ref> In 2011, ''[[The Guardian]]'' film critic Paul Laity named it his favourite film of all time, partly because of its "exceptional screenplay, crisply and skilfully done.".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/dec/26/favourite-film-sense-and-sensibility |title=My favourite film: Sense and Sensibility |work=[[The Guardian]] |first=Paul |last=Laity |date=25 December 2011 |access-date=30 August 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140129155012/http://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/dec/26/favourite-film-sense-and-sensibility |archive-date=29 January 2014 }}</ref> Devoney Looser reflected on the film in ''[[The Atlantic]]'' on the 20th anniversary of its release, arguing that the film served as "a turning point" for "pro-feminist masculinity" in Austen adaptations.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/02/sense-and-sensibility-jane-austen-emma-thompson/434007/ |title=Sense and Sensibility and Jane Austen's Accidental Feminists |work=[[The Atlantic]] |first=Devoney |last=Looser |date=21 February 2016 |access-date=1 March 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301202311/http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/02/sense-and-sensibility-jane-austen-emma-thompson/434007/ |archive-date= 1 March 2016 }}</ref>