Anne Hathaway admits that BECOMING JANE is a Made Up Story
Our Gentle Readers will no doubt forgive us as we do the Superior Dance. Hit it, Dorothy!
Anne Hathaway is interviewed in the Times in reference to THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA and talks a little about BECOMING JANE.
Hathaway seems to have things mapped out. In her next outing, Becoming Jane, she will be pursuing the well-worn route to big-league affirmation by playing English, as none other than Jane Austen. In this UK Film Council romp,
Romp?
shot in Ireland, she stars as the young author opposite James McAvoy’s Irish lawyer, Tom Lefroy — their doomed affair purportedly launching Austen on her literary trajectory.
“Purportedly,” indeed.
A sort of Shakespeare in Love take on proceedings, Hathaway says.
Not at all. As we’ve explained before, if it was a SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE-type film, then the indications that it was a Made Up Story would be honestly telegraphed early on. In that film, William Shakespeare drinks out of a mug that says “Souvenir of Stratford-upon-Avon,” which indicates to the audience “we’re having a little fun with Will here.” If Jane drinks out of a teacup labeled “Souvenir of Hampshire, Jane Austen Country!” or some similar metaphorical wink at the audience is employed, not only would we would be thoroughly delighted, but the comparison would then be valid. Until then, it’s just a Made Up Story.
Here’s where things get tricky, for the “Austenites”, as she calls them,
We prefer Janeites, dear. Probably not a bad idea to learn this now.
are already mobilising, crying excessive artistic licence. “We don’t have documented evidence.
HA!
What we do have is the letters and hearsay, and probably, on our behalf, some invention.
HA HA!!!!
A few things are out of sequence.
A few things are MADE UP!
But everything that we see between Jane and Tom could possibly have happened.”
And this blog could possibly win the Pulitzer Prize, and the Editrix could possibly become Queen of all the Russias.
The International edition of Newsweek also mentions BECOMING JANE in an article about the recent spate of biopics coming out of Hollywood.
And what about Jane Austen, the original doyenne of chick lit?
Grrrrrr….
Maybe a sprightly, well-connected singleton working the room and trading gossip at a lavish dinner party?
Yeah. Sure. Whatever. (Not!)
Adrien Brody, who plays the Spanish bullfighter Manolete in a forthcoming film, says he wondered how audiences would react to his depiction of such a beloved icon, whom he strongly resembles. So far, they seem pleased.
We swoon, off-topically. 
September 24th, 2006 at 5:19 am
Oh my, it seems like Anne Hathaway doesn’t know much about Jane Austen. I’m worried. I wonder if she read all Jane’s books. I think she should have! The fact that she doesn’t really seem to know that ‘Becoming Jane’ will be a totally different movie from ‘Shakespeare in Love’ makes me worry too… Sometimes I wish it actually is going to be a ‘Shakespeare in Love’ kind of movie, instead of a “biopic”.
September 24th, 2006 at 9:18 pm
Bitter, much? I think it’ll be a charming flick. Historical license is taken all the time in biopics. There’s no harm in this at all.
September 25th, 2006 at 12:00 pm
“Off-topically.” LOL, what a fun word, Mags!
September 25th, 2006 at 1:20 pm
Actually, I’m too busy laughing at the writer’s reference to Julie Andrews having “gotten her boys out” in SOB. Kind of a scary picture of female anatomy-or more likely writerly ignorance.
September 25th, 2006 at 1:54 pm
…and we are sure we are not taking this a little too seriously? So what if they are making a funny little movie? No one will remember it a year after it premiered anyway, but quite a few will still be reading the books.
September 26th, 2006 at 2:06 pm
As long as they separate fact from fiction. Of course we always have the books to retreat to, but I for one do not want to see Jane portrayed as a lovesick jilted female. Goes entirely against the grain of her independent tone. IF that is how they approach it, which, given Hollywood’s “your romantic relationship is your defining feature” stance…..she is so much more than that! And there is no evidence that anything happened more than a mere witty flirtation at a few balls! She had a whole life, people! So to portray her as pininh in regret of a great lost love is hogwash.
September 26th, 2006 at 10:38 pm
No, not bitter. Just getting the word out that it’s a Made Up Story.
Well, perhaps a trifle irritated that they aren’t trying a little harder to bring together “good story” and “box office bonanza.” It can’t be that freaking hard.
And on AustenBlog, can it be taken too seriously? If we don’t defend poor Jane and her literary legacy and genius, who will? Certainly not the yahoos running that circus.
September 27th, 2006 at 6:02 pm
Wont you just get over it? OK.. Whenever Mags does a post he has to cry and just screm MADE UP STORY!! Well we all know it is a made up story and that doesnt mean that the movie is gonna be shit. You didnt even see it so shut up and if your not intrested in the movie then there are lots of other jane Austen Movies. You can watch Pride&Prejudice again and again and leave Becoming Jane alone. By the way there are lots of Made up’s, which won lots of oscar(Titanic). Do you think the story between Jack and Rose was true? and lots of other movies that have became classics.
September 27th, 2006 at 7:59 pm
No, see, the issue at THIS BLOG is not whether the movie is any good. The issue is whether it is true to Jane Austen.
Also, it’s fun mocking the stupid stuff that those involved keep saying in the public press.
If it bothers you so much, why do you keep hanging around?
September 28th, 2006 at 7:24 am
whatever…
September 28th, 2006 at 8:01 pm
actually, annie is a big fan of those books ever since she was 14.
oh, and karim has a point. please don’t start yelling at me, i like that you said that the story wasn’t real, mags. i would’ve gone to the theaters and thought it was real if i hadn’t read this.
BTW, i love Titanic, karim!!!
September 28th, 2006 at 8:04 pm
oh, and I loooooooove Adrien Brody (i noticed you posted something about him)!!! he’s soooooo hott!! great reviews for Hollywoodland, his new movie!!!!! Mags, are you the one who does http://www.brodylicious.org? if so, hiiiii!!!
September 28th, 2006 at 8:15 pm
I love Titanic,too. Mags I just wanted to tell you that your blog is great and this has the latest news of Jane Austen and her movies,but I just am getting annoyed when you keep saying Made Up Story everytime you do a post and your like we dont even care what Anne says its a Made Up. that doesnt mean its rubbish or stuff. But whatever you do.. That was just an opinion!!
September 28th, 2006 at 9:02 pm
Does anyone have a dull spork so I can open my jugular? Please?