''Miss Austen Regrets'' is a 2007

biographical A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or ...

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

directed by Jeremy Lovering and written by Gwyneth Hughes. It stars

Olivia Williams Olivia Haigh Williams (born 26 July 1968) is a British actress who has appeared in British and American films and television. After studying drama at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School for two years followed by three years at the Royal Shakesp ...

Jane Austen Jane Austen (; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots of ...

, with

Imogen Poots Imogen Gay Poots (born 3 June 1989) is an English actress and model. She played Tammy in the post-apocalyptic horror film ''28 Weeks Later'' (2007), Linda Keith in the Jimi Hendrix biopic '' Jimi: All Is by My Side'' (2013), Debbie Raymond in ...

Greta Scacchi Greta Scacchi, OMRI (; born 18 February 1960) is an Italian-Australian actress. She holds dual Italian and Australian citizenship. She is best known for her roles in the films '' White Mischief'' (1987), '' Presumed Innocent'' (1990), '' The Pla ...

Hugh Bonneville Hugh Richard Bonneville Williams (born 10 November 1963) is an English actor. He is best known for portraying Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham, in the ITV historical drama series ''Downton Abbey''. His performance on the show earned him a nom ...

Adrian Edmondson Adrian Charles Edmondson (born 24 January 1957) is an English actor, comedian, musician, writer and television presenter. He was part of the alternative comedy boom in the early 1980s and had roles in the television series ''The Young Ones (TV s ...

and

Jack Huston Jack Alexander Huston (born 7 December 1982) is a British actor. He appeared as Richard Harrow in the HBO television drama series '' Boardwalk Empire''. He also had a supporting role in the 2013 film '' American Hustle'', portrayed the eponym ...

. It premiered on 21 August 2007 on

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in the United Kingdom and on 3 February 2008 in the United States by

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' drama anthology television series ''

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'' as part of ''The Complete Jane Austen'', the US version of ''

The Jane Austen Season ''The Jane Austen Season'' is a British television series of dramas based on the novels by Jane Austen. The season began on ITV at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday 18 March 2007, with '' Mansfield Park''. The following week, ''Northanger Abbey'' was ai ...

''.

Summary

In 1802,

receives a proposal of marriage, which she accepts. Her sister

Cassandra Cassandra or Kassandra (; Ancient Greek: Κασσάνδρα, , also , and sometimes referred to as Alexandra) in Greek mythology was a Trojan priestess dedicated to the god Apollo and fated by him to utter true prophecies but never to be believe ...

is concerned and asks her if she is sure of her choice. By the next morning, Jane has changed her mind, although she wonders if she has made the right decision. In 1814, Jane and Cassandra attend a cousin's wedding, from where "favourite aunt" Jane accompanies her niece Fanny and brother Edward Austen-Knight home. Fanny showers her aunt with questions about love, marriage, and particularly, why Jane herself never married. Fanny introduces Jane to one of her potential suitors, Mr. Plumptre, but Jane is unsure if their love is real or not. Admitting that she herself has no experience, Jane still declares that everyone should have the chance to marry once for love. Jane is startled and surprised to receive an unexpected visit from Fanny's uncle, the Reverend Brook Bridges – a man who has clearly played a part in Jane's past. Reverend Bridges has concerns about Jane as a role model, "leading her young niece astray with her fanciful ideas and clever wit". His worst fears are confirmed when Fanny, convinced that Mr. Plumptre will not propose, blames Jane for standing in the way of her desire to be happily married. The following year, Jane travels to London where her other brother Henry lives, whom she has asked to accompany her to negotiate with her publisher over her new novel, '' Emma''. Henry suddenly takes ill, and Jane is helped by a young and handsome doctor, Charles Haden, who heals her brother and is able to help secure ''Emmas publication. Jane is flattered by his attention, and fancies that he admires her for more than her writing. With Fanny's arrival in London, Doctor Haden's attentions turn to her, and Jane becomes sullen and resentful. She returns to Hampshire to continue writing her next novel, but becomes ill herself. At a family christening, Fanny tells Jane that Mr. Plumptre is engaged to another, and blames Jane for leading her to think him unsuitable. Fanny declares that she will never again trust the opinions of her maiden aunt. Her devoted sister Cassandra tries to comfort Jane, but as she becomes weaker she looks back on her life and wonders if she had made the right choices about love, money, and marriage. As sickness envelops her, Jane confesses to Cassandra that her only regret about not marrying her rich suitor years ago is that she won't be able to leave Cassandra and her mother financially secure. She admits that everything that she is, and everything she has achieved, has been for her sister, and is much happier than she thought she would be. In 1820, Cassandra attends Fanny's wedding, alone. At the reception, Fanny seeks Cassandra out only to find her burning the letters that Jane had written to her. Fanny begs her not to destroy them, hoping to finally find the answers to Jane's lost love, but she continues to burn the letters, overcome with grief. As Fanny returns to the party, Jane's words are in her head, telling her to listen to her own heart now. Fanny finally understands her aunt Jane.

Cast

References

External links

''Miss Austen Regrets''
at

Masterpiece Theatre ''Masterpiece'' (formerly known as ''Masterpiece Theatre'') is a drama anthology television series produced by WGBH-TV, WGBH Boston. It premiered on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) on January 10, 1971. The series has presented numerous acclaim ...

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