deborah, I don't think you can read too much into a film such as this. I grant you the scenery and the costumes are pretty but the truth about Austen's early life wont be got from watching it. As most of her letters were burnt after her death we may never really know the truth about her love-life or if she hit sixes at cricket. Probably the obvious inaccuracy of which we can be sure is that JA did not speak with an American accent. ;-)

The movie is completely fiction. If you want to know more about Jane Austen, read Jon Spence's book. He's a real scholar.

At the Jane Austen Centre in Bath, Sue Hughes and Glynis Hale both thought the movie was rubbish.

Here is a link that might be useful: Becoming Jane Austen

Another example of a movie that could have been sold as just a good story (change the names, of course), but not the biography they'd like you to think it was. Personally, I wish people would stop playing fast and loose with real people. Turn it into fiction and sell it-don't try to con audiences.
I blame Disney and their Pocohantas and Anastasia movies for this regretable trend.

Unfortunately, cece, Becoming Jane wouldn't have sold as a story (Lady novelist in the seventeenth century finds love? I'd rather go to see The Devil Wears Prada!). But call it Jane Austen, and suddenly it's a box office hit.

Way of the world, I'm afraid!

I was thinking of two thoughts when I posted this:

1- the sadness of the lives and loves that were thwarted in that era of society

2- authors that rewrite the life they would have liked to have had

When I read or see historical fiction I do keep in mind the "fiction" part.

I realize that Becoming Jane is fiction but I do believe it does reflect the attitudes of times.

Hi Deborah,I've actually been thinking about your questions since you first posted them, in terms of authors like Jane and people like myself and no doubt many others who escape by reading or writing. I'd like to share a quote from "And Ladies of the Club" that I've found insightful. Anne Gordon is mourning the tragic death of an elderly spinster school teacher, and reflecting that she must have had a sad and lonely life. Her husband John responds with this;"Happiness is small things. Love, of course, is not a small thing--but it is the small ways love expresses itself that make in the end for happiness, not the overwhelming passion. And some go through life happily without love--our kind of love. I mean happiness can be just sunlight on a treetop, a field of green wheat in the spring, a look in someone's eyes, a smile-even so slight a thing as a blue sky and a spring wind. Who can add up such moments in a man's lifetime? Not even the dying man himself; he will have forgotton most of them."

That is a nice quote. I willing stepped out of corporate America into a little log house in the mountains because I would rather struggle with chopping wood for my heat and have the flora, fauna etc than the office with a window,Coach purse etc and the BS that goes with it. Luckily for me I have had great love and small things too!

Sorry im chiming in a little late here (I just discovered this great forum!). I saw this movie a couple of weeks ago. I was in agonies the entire time. I love history and always hate it when the movies make it so inaccurate! Its a pet peeve of mine when people alter history. People who know nothing about Jane Austin before seeing this movie will have the wrong idea of her and her life. Its situations like these that lead to false and noxious misconceptions of people and circumstances.
Why did they even have to bring the good name and character of Jane Austin into this? As someone else said, it is her good name that sells tickets. I mean, how would you like it if someone took the story of your life and entirely 'redid' it to make it more interesting, even if it was grossly untrue? I also dislike how many authors are practically ripping off the Jane Austin's novels and plots and distorting them.
But I must say that I think the movie would have actually been pretty good had they simply changed all the names of the characters so it had nothing to do with Jane or the Austins.
CMK

cristin, having seen this fluff of a film, I completely agree with your comments. I really want historical accuracy, which is why I did not like "The Other Boleyn Girl", as well.