As I previously posted, my friend Toby (not her real name), alerted me to Hallmark’s February 2024 — “Loveuary with Jane Austen” film series. As I previously wrote, I was wary, citing Austen Scholar Devon Looser specifically about Austen’s treatment by Hallmark, but after reading the article Toby sent me — I decided to keep an open mind. The night of the first movie, Toby texted to remind me/see if I was watching, she found the first movie quite “a hoot.” Here is my break down of these Austen variations by Hallmark — spoilers follow. Please note, yes this is a long essay.
“Paging Mr. Darcy,” written by Reina Hardy. This story centers on Eloise an Austen scholar and professor who has been invited to be the keynote speaker at a conference of JALA — the Jane Austen League of America — a fictionalized organization I presume modeled on the actual JASNA — Jane Austen Society of North America. Eloise has issues about this key note speaker invite, she is an introvert and not comfortable in the cos-play the folks dressing up for the conference or the idea of public speaking, To note, I find the public speaking thing odd because as a professor you have to be out there speaking in front of your students and expected to schlep around and present research and papers to academic conferences, etc. — so it is part of the job description. Anyway, Eloise conceded to do this keynote because the JALA conference is run by Dr. Jennings of Princeton University, and Eloise is trying to land a coveted job there.
To Eloise’s horror, she is met at the airport — by a guy in full on Darcy Regency costume. People are staring and taking photos and Eloise freaks out, and initially refuses the courtesy ride to the hotel. To note, usually fetching a guest speaker or VIP from the airport is an underling job/for an assistant, and I say that as having held such bad jobs like that. See also The Devil Wears Prada — the film not the book. But apparently she is a conference VIP and Sam, the Conference’s designated Mr. Darcy was assigned to her. The idea why Sam showed up in costume is resolved — somewhat — a bit later.
Turns out that Sam, is the nephew of the Conference organizer/Dr. Jennings, which made me actually think of the book and film Austenland — it’s always a nephew helping out, but I think that is usually a nod to Austen’s own Lady Catherine, Darcy’s Aunt. Post airport run fiasco, Eloise and Sam end up in a kind of deal, Sam does not trust one of the other conference attendees/job applicants a former stage actor (he played Wickham) and academic also wants this same job — so Sam in protecting his aunt, Dr. Jennings, agrees to help Eloise with her misgivings about the conference and help her lobby to help land the job. This includes an introduction to his friend Annabelle — who is selling regency era dresses and wares onsite at the conference.
Then, Eloise offers to step up and help Sam when his aunt reports the caterers have cancelled. Again, weird logistics instead of going to the hotel/resort kitchen they run out to a sandwich chain shop and buy pounds of meat and all their fruit cups. Later though, Sam brings Eloise to an exhibit of Jane Austen’s letters, again logistics — this type of library exhibit would definitely be on the conference agenda — yet Sam and Eloise wander around alone and she gives her theories about how most folks are wrong about Mr. Darcy being based on Tom Lefroy — and they are chatting and then flirting before the requisite librarian shushing them.
Back at the conference/hotel and resort, things get complicated for Eloise (the introvert sister) with the unexpected arrival her sister Mia (the extrovert). And, if we are referencing Austen, specifically Sense and Sensibility, Eloise is the Eleanor (practical and down to earth) and Mia the Marianne (romantic, dramatic) — even the letters of the names match up to The Dashwood Sisters.
So, Mia’s long term boyfriend finally proposed to her but it was just a casual/regular question, he did not plan anything romantic or special, and she freaked out/broke it off with him. Mia mopes and grieves for awhile but then comes out of hotel room seclusion and joins the conference — it’s just a whirlwind of one misadventure after another, the ex shows up, Eloise’s student casts Mia as the lead with Sam in her play for the conference and then Mia blabs to Dr. Jennings about how Eloise does not believe in all the costumes and regalia around Austen conferences, etc. Eloise goes into a weird spin thinking that Sam is now smitten with Mia and gives him a dressing down about not wanting to dance at the conference ball — Sam tells her quite that she has hurt his feelings — and he does not want to dance with [or be with] someone that does not want to be with him.
Eloise eventually comes out of the tail spin, she approaches Annabelle, Sam’s friend and costume lady who helps her out with a Regency dress and clarifies that Sam too is an introvert. Per Annabelle, Sam was a shy nerd who discovered he could put on a costume and become someone else and it gave him the ability to do things otherwise he could not. To note, I’m thinking maybe that is why he wore the costume to the airport pick up — to be able to sort of charm Eloise in full Darcy mode. From other expository: Sam also was a tech guy who left to do a nonprofit start up — there is a weird run-in scene with golf bros/dudes at the resort/conference.
There were several plot lines here: Eloise and her anxiety issues/job hunt, Eloise and Sam’s JASL convention romance, and Eloise and her sister relationship centered on her sister’s very recent disappointment around a marriage proposal.
As in Austen and also Hallmark, things turn out okay. Eloise wears the Regency dress and then before she can give her speak to open the ball — Mia’s boyfriend appears, clad in the Darcy jacket/outfit and proposes in front of the entire audience — romantic overture — ta-dah!
To note, in Austen’s books, proposals are usually not romantic events — the logistics and the practical gestures are more valued. Darcy’s proposal to Elizabeth, where she accepts is low key on their walk with Jane and Bingley. And the idea that he saved Jane and Lydia were the wide sweeping Romantic gestures — chiefly behind the scenes because: 1) He did not want credit for them, 2) Even though her Aunt spilled the truth to Elizabeth, and Elizabeth spilled to her dad — mostly Darcy did not get credit for saving the day — which he did for her and only her — there’s the romance still that holds up today. Sacrifice and sacrifice with no credit what so over beats all. Bad boy with a heart of gold icon — yes I daresay.
Back in this film’s third act — Eloise opens the ball and in her speech is honest about her issues and misgivings with doing this type of conference, making the speaking appearance, dressing the part, etc., and she learns from her now engaged sister that she had no designs on Sam, she talked his ear off about her boyfriend’s lame proposal, and so Sam reached out the boyfriend/loaned him the Darcy costume and coached him, etc. Eloise also lands the Princeton job and she and Sam learn, the guy they thought was her rival for the employment never even replied, in a very Austen’s Persuasion twist, he was just looking for a second chance from a young love that did not previously work out because he left for his theater career. And finally, Eloise and Sam patch things up, have a dance and a kiss and the end.
Overall: I’d say okay because some parts were cute. I’m unfamiliar with the actress who played Eloise, but the actor who played Sam: Will Kemp who is a Hallmark veteran player with solid chops and good comedic timing made this work as best he could. This one of the three I think I liked the best.
“Love and Jane” — Was the 2nd Loveuary film written and directed by David Weaver and with actress Alison Sweeney as the lead Lilly — to note she was also a producer. In this film, Lilly is a woman/writer who started off strong in her literary career, she won some sort of a Young and Up and Coming Writer’s award but then had to pay the bills so she took a lowly copyrighting job at an advertising agency in Boston. Yes, to note this one is set my home city and they did use some exterior shots. The rest, you can tell was shot elsewhere, probably in Canada. Lilly hosts a Jane Austen Society Book Club at a local English Pub. Again, logistics: actually I can think of only one English pub Cornwall’s near Kenmore Square and Fenway Park. Irish pubs throw a stone and you will hit several. Yes as most UK folks will tell you, there is a difference. Just saying.
Okay, so Lilly’s Jane Austen Society book group meets at this pub and on the way she realizes that she left her copy of the Austen novel they are to discuss at home. And she visits a local indie bookshop West Street Books to buy another copy for her meeting. To note, I think this may be a nod to the The Brattle bookstore or book shop, a big indie bookshop actually located on West Street in downtown Boston. As she is about to pull the volume from the shelf this big tall guy Trevor pulls it away. He tells her that it has just been sold through their web site and he can order her a copy from 1-2 days. Lilly tries to implore she should have dibs as on onsite in person sale, but Trevor is unmoved (and personally — thought perhaps neurodivergent), so she hits a wall and later recaps meeting a very frustrating man/clerk in the store. Also just before the meeting, the venerable pub owner says he is retiring/selling and so they must meet else where but he will try to help her find another place, etc.
Turns out that Trevor too is a tech entrepreneur who recently bought West Street Books and wants to try to re-invent it and so he is now a client at the ad agency. Lilly is duly pulled into to work on the pitch because he boss dimly recalls that Lilly runs a book group and so she is stuck. Plus the venerable bar keep has made friends with Trevor and arranged for Lilly to move her Jane Austen Society book group to the bookstore — yikes.
In between all of this, Lilly dismisses a proposal from a long time boyfriend who wants to marry and move to Chicago, where she can write and give up the day job. But Lilly is just independent and wants to succeed by her pen on her own, not having someone else paying the bills.
All this crisis and upheaval, apparently summons the spirit of Jane Austen herself from the ether. There is the hit and miss meet cute — but finally tea and counseling by the spirit of Jane Austen. Austen here is played straight forward and blithely and seems to accept Lilly’s answers about music and computers without too much follow up. Discussing the ex-boyfriend and Trevor though, “Jane” asks Lilly about their status and income, questioning if he owns cattle — which I thought was a weird device — as Lilly herself an Austen lover seemed befuddled and dismissed it saying that no they worked both work in tech so no cattle — no logistical confirmation if “Jane” actually comprehends “tech.” Overall, this could have been better expository maybe having “Jane” ask if they were gentry or had an estate would have been more appropriate. The cattle question was making “Jane” sound kind of flakey and by Lilly’s reaction, supposedly a life long fan that summoned her — even more so.
The theme of writing and Lilly’s ability and independence, reoccurs as her relationship evolves with Trevor. Inspired by “Jane’s counsel,” Lilly has submitted to an indie press and is thrilled to be accepted, but then learns that Trevor bought it. Turns out they accepted her before the Trevor buy out, but to Lilly it still feels like a set up and failure to succeed on her own. So, two (2) plots here to resolve, Lilly’s writing/career issues and her romance with Trevor.
Note here, Austen did write in solitude as most writers do. When it came to placing her work though she was assisted for better or worse, by her father and brother, and then brother took over completely after her passing. To return to this film, it does untangle, and full disclosure I did fall asleep. Had to re-watch a few times in revision. It does predictably end well with Lilly reconciling with Trevor somewhat as an agree to disagree but more vague terms — at the end, he is literally on her door step. He tells her also: 1) He is making in store onsite purchases the priority over the store’s web site and 2) He is investing in some sort of eco-livestock interest a/k/a cattle. Strange plot cite tied up, full circle as “Jane” post their last heart to heart chat, fades into the ether.
The third film, “An American in Austen,” written by Cameron Johann concerns Harriet who actually, receives a lovely proposal from her log term boyfriend Ethan. Harriet, hesitates and says maybe, basing her reaction on her long term love for Pride and Prejudice and her long time wish of meeting her own Mr. Darcy via the sweep off the feet cliche.
Somehow via her ride share ride home Harriet is transported into fictional Pride and Prejudice (P&P) and she is welcomed by the Bennet family as their American cousin. To note, her I’m unfamiliar with the actress actually named Eliza Bennet (yes her real name I checked IMDB dot com ), that played Harriet but I thought she did a good job with what she had to work with for the script. The scenes where she keeps waking to the rooster in a nod again to the “Ground Hog Day” movie were pretty good plus her trying to get into a corset — well done.
At first Harriet thinks this was a proposal re-do like an “Austen Land” immersion, but eventually and quickly learns she is in imaginary P&P and she is messing up the narratives of the novel, Darcy finds her an interesting weird creature and Mr. Collins proposes to Mary, and Elizabeth runs off with Wickham. To note, personally I always did feel Mary was disappointed post Elizabeth’s refusal that Charlotte grabbed Collins, and she was not considered — personally I felt that Mary would have welcomed or jumped at that opportunity. Maybe the writer of this film felt this way too about an alternate Austen universe.
Think the trouble here was that the main narrative was the two-fer of 1) Harriet trying to get out of the fictional book and back to her real life, 2) Harriet trying to right the story. And Harriet sees Ethan in the imaginary Merton and along the way she has thrown over a perfectly good person and relationship for something unrealistic — plus she learns she is trapped in imaginary Austen that she keep hoping is a dream — disappointed waking up to the rooster each morning, etc.
Harriet somewhat corrects the narrative and it this takes her out of the imaginary world back to reality, back to the ride share in present day. Harriet goes straight to Ethan’s doorstep and pours out her apology and her heart to his door bell slash voice mail but he is there watching her returning from around the corner, and all ends well. Did not fall asleep but I felt like this one was really stretched out to make the two hour time frame and had to keep sort of prodding myself awake.
Next Saturday is Mahogany – Hallmark’s interracial adaptation of Sense and Sensibility to end the month, I’m hoping this is much more well written and enjoyable.
Shalden & Neatham sister site to the Reluctant Janeite 