All right, who let Aunt Leigh Perrot on the movie set?
The Times reports that a wax portrait has disappeared from a historic house used as a filming location for BECOMING JANE.
The 18th-century painting is of the family of Richard Chapell Whaley, who built Newman House. It was on loan from the Whaley family to University College Dublin, the owner of the building.
Ironically, the family is believed to have given the wax portrait to UCD for safe keeping. The university has insured the work, but its value was probably as much sentimental as economic to the Whaleys.
Mystery surrounds why this particular painting was targeted. Although not large, 40cm by 58cm, it is in a heavy frame and an ebonised oak case.
The thieves ignored other valuable paintings in the building, which has its own security.
*coughsouvenircough*
The film was inspired by the little-known romance between the teenage Austen and Tom Lefroy, who were driven apart by their mothers. It portrays her as a romantic who was inspired to write great novels by the thwarted love affair.
So, so, so many things wrong in two sentences. So many.
Maybe they should make a movie about this guy instead:
Richard Whaley built 86 Stephen’s Green in the late 1700s and it contains some of the finest plasterwork of that era in Dublin.
The missing painting shows him with his family, including six children. One of these is Buck Whaley, best known to Dubliners for giving his name to a Leeson Street nightclub, but a notorious rake and gambler in his day.
He is said to have incurred gambling debts of £14,000 in one evening, and was forced to leave France when banks refused to honour his cheque.
Among his notorious capers was to jump from the couchant lion over the door of Newman House into the box of his carriage below, a feat usually undertaken after he had imbibed quantities of port.
An explanation of the title of this post: For those who don’t know, Jane Austen’s Aunt Leigh Perrot was once arrested for shoplifting some lace, though it seems that she was set up to be blackmailed. She refused to pay up, was put on trial and, fortunately, acquitted; had she been convicted, she could have been hanged, though most likely she would have been transported to Australia. Some scholars have written that despite her acquittal, Mrs. Leigh Perrot really was enamored of the ol’ five-finger discount, but we remain unconvinced; nevertheless, we could not resist the cheap and obvious joke. 
May 2nd, 2006 at 4:45 am
That Richard Whaley *does* sound like film material. The image provided by the “jump from the couchant lion over the door of Newman House into the box of his carriage below” was priceless
May 2nd, 2006 at 11:38 am
Well, they do try to redeem themselves later:
“However, this theory has been described as “fanciful” by Austen aficionados, who have noted that Lefroy got engaged to the sister of a college friend after meeting the author, and that Austen once wrote that she did not “care sixpence” about the Irish lawyer.”
Not that that will make the slightest bit of difference as the Hype-master 3000 kicks into gear. I swear, the use of the Austen name seems to be little more than product placement these days. (sighs)
May 2nd, 2006 at 11:44 am
SANDRA!!!!!! HI! *waves*
(And honey…you have NO idea.)
May 2nd, 2006 at 11:56 am
Hi back atcha! I’ve been lurking lately and decided to jump in–because I don’t fritter away enough of my time at that other place. (grins)
By the bye, I finally read up on the adventures of your boy Henry. You’re right, as you always are. Totally thudworthy. We wants greatcoats and Newfoundland puppies!
May 3rd, 2006 at 9:37 am
quote:So, so, so many things wrong in two sentences. So many.
Well whats wrong about it if we already know thats a Made up story. Its not bad if its a made up it could be awesome,too.
May 4th, 2006 at 10:45 am
Just because the movie is a Made Up Story doesn’t mean the articles about it have to be full of Made Up Crap as well.
May 5th, 2006 at 10:40 am
Well I am happy the way it is and am gonna watch it and am sure it will be awesome..
May 5th, 2006 at 10:52 am
Do you have enough Kool-aid there, Kareem? Can I get you some more?
May 6th, 2006 at 3:59 am
haha.. Your soo funny Mags… Mags?? Weird Name.. Well this is a Made Up that is rubbish,because you already have seen the movie? Lol…
May 13th, 2006 at 4:46 am
well.. enough.. I dont wanna fight. I just want everyone to stope saying bad stuff about the movie:).. Lets stop figting Mags.
May 13th, 2006 at 12:09 pm
I just want everyone to stope saying bad stuff about the movie
The thing is, my first loyalty is to Jane Austen and yours is to the film, or perhaps the actress. If those agendas are able to meet, all well and good. However, I will continue to comment upon the news about the film (and everything else) as I see fit. If that disturbs you, best take yourself elsewhere. I don’t mean that in a rude way. This is not Happy Shiny Let’s All Get Along Janeite Place.
May 14th, 2006 at 9:57 am
whatever.. do whatever you wans :S..