Andrew Davies: putting the sex back in Sense and Sensibility
Well, this oughta blow up the Jane Austen Internets for a couple of days. 
Andrew Davies told the Western Mail that he plans to add to Willoughby’s backstory–particularly, it seems, to the Eliza Williams story.
And he is also returning to Jane Austen with a version of Sense and Sensibility.
Admitting that there is always more material in an Austen novel he added that there was a certain back story he wanted to add to.
He said, ‘I want to do justice to the back story, the one about Willoughby in particular, which is quite interesting and steamy stuff like a lot of underage sex that goes on and is just talked about. I want to put it on the screen.’
Though Davies joked about his reputation, he added that side of storytelling is something that is often neglected and shied away from. Whether he is writing about heterosexual or homosexual relationships the key for him, he said, was writing about love.
‘I think a lot of people are a bit scared of it and just think to themselves that it’s not important, which it always is,’ he added.
We are of the opinion that such “explorations” belong more properly to the realm of fan fiction and scholarly papers than to film adaptations, which tend to leave out important stuff in favor of this sort of useless crap anyway. Jane Austen most likely made it backstory for a reason. Mr. Davies, here’s a free clue, fortunately for you introduced without the application of the Cluebat of Janeite Righteousness: you are the only one who wants to see Willougby getting it on with a bratty teenager. Seriously. Good job getting yourself some attention, though.
