Jane Austen was a topic we explored on the February 3 Salon Saturday radio show. Many romantic movies were based on the novels of Jane Austen and many of our notions about romantic movies began with her. What was it like for a woman writer back in the late 18th and early 19th century? What impelled her to write novels that were only published anonymously?
Following that I’m continuing my list of romantic movies, which were inspired by Valentine’s Day, but are good any time of year we want to trade frights and violence for love. As before I have wine and spirit pairings to go with each movie to enhance your viewing experience and perhaps find a new passion; speaking of wine of course.
Jane Austen Still Au Courant
Both Austen and the Bronte sisters wrote romance novels, although at the time they might not have been given that moniker. However many modern films still dip into the works of Austen and since we continue with romantic films next, a little background on the author seems appropriate. Partly, this is from Wikipedia.
Jane Austen (1775-1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six novels, which implicitly interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen’s plots often explore the dependence of women on marriage for the pursuit of favorable social standing and economic security. Her works are an implicit critique of the novels of sensibility of the second half of the 18th century and are part of the transition to 19th-century literary realism. Her deft use of social commentary, realism and biting irony has earned her acclaim among critics and scholars.
The anonymously published Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1816), were a modest success but brought her little fame in her lifetime. She wrote two other novels—Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, both published posthumously in 1817—and began another, eventually titled Sanditon, but died before its completion.
One can assume from her somewhat sheltered life that none of her family was exactly ecstatic with her “biting social commentary” as most of her letters to her sister, Cassandra Austen were destroyed or burned. Cassandra’s reasoning was so “younger nieces did not read any of Jane’s sometimes acid or forthright comments on neighbours or family members”. Wikipedia
At least we have good images of Austen since Cassandra was an artist and watercolorist. Rather than imagining her in her writing room, which see did not possess, it is more likely she sat in a corner, writing with the distractions of family surrounding her. Yet she persisted in giving us an uncensored view of what life was like back then; the good and the bad.
Persuasion has been filmed several times, but none of the movie critics were giving rave reviews, except the 1995 Royal Shakespeare production directed by Roger Michell, with Ciarán Hinds and Amanda Root as the leads. It’s available for rent or purchase from Amazon.
Northanger Abbey (2007): Dir Jon Jones, with J J Field, Felicity Jones can be streamed on BritBox, but hard to find otherwise.
Romantic Movies for Any Time
Previously I covered romance films up to 1990, a good year for romance movies, so now I’m completing the list, again pairing films with wine and spirits. The nineties were no slouch for romance either. I did go overboard with 26 movies here, and that includes Titanic, so please forgive me.
Sleepless in Seattle (1993): Dir Nora Ephron, Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan
A recently widowed man’s son calls a radio talk-show in an attempt to find his father a partner. And a flood of fan mail ensued, but only Ryan was going to win his broken heart. One of several pairings of the two leads, which began with the underrated Joe vs. The Volcano (1990), this film, You`ve Got Mail (1998), and Ithaca (2015), which Ryan also directed.
If we’re going to be sleepless, I’m going with an Irish coffee, fresh coffee, Irish whiskey, Demerara sugar, and heavy cream, fresh-whipped. While tipping some whiskey in coffee was common enough, it was Shannon Airport where this concoction originated.
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994): Dir Mike Newell, Hugh Grant, Andie McDowell
Over the course of five social occasions, a committed bachelor must consider the notion that he may have discovered love. Grant slips into his likeable, a bit shy, sometimes bumbling, persona, basically a twit, but never utters a false note. The weddings take place in really big, grand houses that only the Brits seem to have.
Four Weddings and a Funeral possesses the rare ability to make an audience laugh (and laugh hard) and cry, without ever seeming manipulative or going hopelessly over-the-top. James Berardinelli
Since lots of bubbly will be served at the weddings, it’s best if you fortify yourself. I’m thinking a Gruet Sauvage Brut, which is just as crunchy as an English sparkler, and very dry. It says so on the bottle (no Dosage). Crunchy to many wine professionals is a style of crisp, taut wine with fresh cranberry-like tang.
The Bridges of Madison County (1995): Dir Clint Eastwood, Meryl Streep, Annie Corley
Photographer Robert Kincaid (Eastwood) wanders into the life of housewife Francesca Johnson for four days in the 1960s. In the end Robert and Francesca do part, but not before creating a beautiful love story. I also loved the jazz background, a passion I share with Eastwood.
James Berardinelli considers Streep’s performance her best since Sophie’s Choice, high praise, indeed.
Sazerac is an interesting cocktail that began as a brandy, cognac concoction, but later became Rye-based. This is the signature cocktail of New Orleans, which is one place you can trust them to do it right. Absinthe, to rinse, 1 sugar cube, 1/2 teaspoon cold water, 4 dashes Peychaud’s bitters, 2 1/2 ounces rye whiskey and garnish with a lemon peel. Locally check out Whiptail, just off 528 in Rio Rancho for inspired cocktails.
Sense and Sensibility (1995): Dir Eng Lee, Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet,
Rich Mr. Dashwood dies, leaving his second wife and her three daughters poor by the rules of inheritance. The two eldest daughters are the title opposites. While the source material, Austen’s first novel is weak, Emma Thompson’s screenplay fixes most of those points.
“The novel’s flaws guarantee that Sense and Sensibility cannot be a perfect motion picture, but it would be difficult, I think, to do much better with the material than Emma Thompson and director Ang Lee.” James Berardinelli
How about a 2021 Sixth Sense Syrah? Deep ruby in hue, layered aromas of berry cobbler, plum and cigar box fill the nose. Full bodied flavors of ripe raspberry, black licorice and tobacco lead to a long, captivating finish that will have you reaching for another sip. It’s $16 at Total Wine, a wine from some of Michael-David oldest plantings (1982) in Lodi.
Emma (1996): Dir Dennis McGrath, Gwyneth Paltrow, Greta Scacchi, James Cosmo
While matchmaking for friends and neighbors, a young 19th Century Englishwoman nearly misses her own chance at love. I still remember grumbling over this Jane Austen novel, when it was assigned in high school. I really didn’t like Emma then and I’ve never been keen on busybodies. But seeing Paltrow in the lead role I changed my mind, and it dispelled other teenage angst. But that’s another story.
This would be a hard movie for younger movie goers, who’d have little sympathy for Emma as I once did, but this is about as good a version of the novel as you’ll encounter and along with Persuasion one of Austen’s best adaptations.
An Oloroso sherry and Earl Grey tea would go well with this one, but add a blueberry scone. Oloroso is a relatively dry sherry as this Lustau Dry Don Oloroso Nuno suggests, and an excellent value at $27 sporting 92 points from Wine Enthusiasts.
Titanic (1997): Dir James Cameron, Kate Winslet, Leonard DiCaprio, Bill Zane
A seventeen-year-old aristocrat falls in love with a kind but poor artist aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic. Along with the heartrending song, My Heart Will Go On, this love story is a tragic one as everyone knows the ending of the ill-fated ship. Never has the retelling of its sinking had such a love story to complement it. Impressive to see in a theatre or on a big screen HDTV and a good audio system.
One might as well drink champagne since all the guests on board certainly are. Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut In Ice Jacket, $80 from Wine.com. This Brut, dominated by Pinot Noir with a touch of Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, epitomizes a perfect balance between its aromatic vigor and generous palate. And the jacket is reusable as I’ve done with my previous Moet & Chandon and Mumm’s jackets. But this ice jacket is not going to help Jack Dawson (DiCaprio), who sleeps with the fishes.
My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997): Dir P. J. Hogan, Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz
When a woman’s long-time friend reveals he’s engaged, she realizes she loves him herself and sets out to get him, with only days before the wedding. Julia Roberts is not exactly lovable as she tries every trick in the book to snag the groom. This story does not go where you think it will, as a well-crafted screenplay reveals, but where it should go.
“This is subtle writing, to end a movie not with a clear-cut plot resolution, but with the right note, struck and then held.” Roger Ebert
It just seems we continue to need a sparkling wine with all these weddings, but with romance movies you come to expect it. Piper Sonoma Brut reserve is under 25 bills, so get extra, you’ll need it.
Notting Hill (1999): Dir Roger Mitchell, Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant
The life of a simple bookshop owner changes when he meets the most famous film star in the world. This is the kind of movie both Roberts and Grant could do in their sleep, but fortunately they’re wide awake for this charmer that’s easy to cuddle up to; better if someone to cuddle is next to you.
This calls for an English sparkler, why go all the way to Champagne? I’m not kidding, this 96 point wine impresses. Gusborne Estate 2016 Blanc de Blanc, has delicate aromas of citrus blossom and green apple underpinned by richer notes of raw nuts and cream and a whisper of ginger spice. The palate is clean and crunchy, with a vivid, piercing line of acidity straight down the middle of the tongue. It’s broadened by a chalky texture. The fizz is fine and persistent, and there’s a long, lemon-and-ginger finish
Never Been Kissed (1999): Dir Raja Gosnell, Drew Barrymore, David Arquette
A newspaper reporter enrolls in high school as part of research for a story. Playing a 25-year old reporter, Barrymore has surely been kissed before, but not really kissed. Nonetheless she carries the movie with good support from Arquette as her baseball star dreaming brother and Molly Shannon for comic relief.
Never been kissed by an Amarone red wine is almost the same thing. If you haven’t tried it in Verona while gazing up at Juliet’s bower you’re missing out.
Black Label Pasqua Amarone, 15% ABV $20 from Trader Joe’s. This Amarone is a blend of 65% Corvina, 25% Rondinella, 5% Corvino and 5% Negrara from Valpantena, Veneto, Italy. The grapes are dried for 3 months, losing 25-30% of their weight, before being pressed. The wine is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels and has 9.5 g/L of residual sugar. This is a great buy featured by the Reverse Wine Snob who always offers a dependable review
Mansfield Park (1999): Dir Patricia Rozema, Frances O’Connor, Jonny Lee Miller, Embeth Davidtz
Fanny, born into a poor family, is sent away to live with wealthy uncle, Sir Thomas, his wife and their four children, where she’ll be brought up for a proper introduction to society. That also means Fanny (O’Connor) will be told to marry one of the eligible men by Sir Bertram (playwright Harold Pinter). Henry Crawford asked for her hand and Sir Thomas tells her, “I have agreed.” And that was that, no questions asked, do as I say, which was a man’s expectation, never expecting a rebuttal; except for Jane Austen who skewered this attitude in her writing.
“Rozema has chosen passages from Austen’s journals and letters, and adapted them to Fanny Price, the heroine of “Mansfield Park”; the result is a film in which Austen’s values (and Fanny’s) are more important than the romance and melodrama.” Roger Ebert in his 4-star review
We men will drink La Quinta das Carvalhas Late Bottled Vintage Port, 2018 with our cigars in the library. Yeah, good luck with that one. But this LBV at $24 is a good value in Port. “This wine has aromas of cassis and raisins with dried rose petals, bark and moist earth.” James Suckling 92 points
In the Mood for Love (2000): Dir Kar-Wai Wong, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung
The film is set in Hong Kong 1962 and it expresses longing and unrequited love better than most movies. It features two of Asia’s greatest actors who share two adjacent apartments in the city. They discover that their respective spouses are having an affair and this brings them together, not to also engage in adultery, but to console each other, even to imagining what their spouses are saying with make believe, but never consummating their own love. This is not a Hollywood ending, but as true as the two lovers who show their noble side by rising above it.
Premium sake works very well here. There are many less expensive domestic ones, but to be true to the story, go for Japanese sake. Kurosawa Junmai Kimoto Sake, 15% ABV, $30
Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001): Dir Sharon Maguire, Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant
Bridget Jones is determined to improve herself while she looks for love in a year in which she keeps a personal diary. While there was great alarm in some quarters when Zellweger was announced as the lead, they shouldn’t have worried because Zellweger was announced as the lead. She put on 20 pounds and an accent that even the Brit film mag, Sight & Sound found reasonable if not authentic. Some folks are just hard to please. And we have the always reliable Grant for anything smacking of rom-com.
Just so you know I wasn’t kidding, here is another English sparkler to sip with the movie. Digby Fine English NV Brut Sparkler is Pinot Noir-led bubbly from West Sussex, which bursts from the glass with singular notes of lemon, thyme and fresh hazelnut, then back to more citrus—fresh this time—with an underbelly of cream and a hint of smoke.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002): Dir Joel Zwick, Nia Vardalos, John Corbett
A young Greek woman falls in love with a non-Greek and struggles to get her family to accept him while she comes to terms with her heritage and cultural identity. Vardalos also wrote the screenplay for this very popular film.
GWC Assyrtiko Santorini, 12% ABV, $25 at Total Wine. Assyrtiko-Santorini wines are rare and distinctive. These wines are born from the indigenous Assyrtiko grape, cultivated in some of the world’s oldest vineyards, dating back 3.500 years, on the volcanic island of Santorini, where nothing is ordinary!
Under the Tuscan Sun (2003): Dir Audrey Wells, Diane Lane, Raoul Bova, Sandra Oh
Frances Mayes, a 35-year-old San Francisco writer, gets a divorce that leaves her with terminal writer’s block and depression. Later, she decides to buy a house in Tuscany in order to change her life. Lane is wonderful to watch and one of the main reasons this movie works. And the setting is a feast for the eyes. I found myself looking for a good Italian red to go with it.
Ebert liked the inclusion of Sandra Oh, “but that Frances’ whirlwind lover Marcello (Bova) needn’t have been so obviously ripped from the bodice of a romance novel.” So yes this is escapist fare, but done well.
La Sacresta Langhe 2018 Nebbiolo, 14% ABV, $20 at Total Wine. “A relaxed nebbiolo with excellent balance of dried cherry, spice and orange rind. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins and a spicy-fruit finish. Delicious.” James Suckling 90 points
Love, Actually (2003): Dir Richard Curtis, Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Martine McClutcheon
Follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England. Ebert thought there might be a dozen, and juggling all those romantic couplings was a challenge for Curtis and we the audience, but that hasn’t stopped me from re-watching it. Often at Christmas, but also Valentine’s Day.
Grant plays the prime minister, and you thought he’d never make it. He also finds it very inconvenient that he has fallen for the “tea girl” (McClutcheon) while trying to deal with Billy Bob Thornton as the US president, “combining the lechery of Clinton with the moral complacency of Bush.” Roger Ebert
The cast is loaded with excellent UK actors, so if this is a smorgasbord, at least it’s a tasty one. The first draft of the movie had about an hour cut out of its run time to make it a more acceptable 135 minutes. Still not enough time to spend with Neeson and his son’s romantic problems, or the scene-stealing antics of Nighy as a Richards-like rocker. But you won’t regret the time you do spend in a romantic romp through London. You should be able to find this one for streaming as it has become an annual treat.
Since lots of bubbly will be served around the holidays, why not celebrate. I’m thinking a Gruet Sauvage Brut Rose, gem-like colors, “vibrant fruit flavors of wild strawberry and a hint of cherry really shine on the nose and palate and are complemented by bright acidity.”
The Notebook (2004): Dir Nick Cassavetes, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands, Rachel McAdams, James Garner
An elderly man reads to a woman with dementia the story of two young lovers whose romance is threatened by the difference in their respective social classes. While this fits more easily under drama than romance considering the topic, the power of both sets of actors portraying young love and the regrets of age are powerfully moving. If you do know someone with dementia, however, you should know, Rowlands and Garner are heartbreakingly good in this and the pain of lost memory is felt by both.
I’d watch this with hot buttered rum, heavy on the rum.
Pride & Prejudice (2005): Dir Joe Wright, Keira Knightley, Mathew Macfayden, Brenda Belthyn
Sparks fly when spirited Elizabeth Bennet meets single, rich, and proud Mr. Darcy. But Mr. Darcy reluctantly finds himself falling in love with a woman beneath his class. Can each overcome their own pride and prejudice?
Jane Austen would be bemused by the number of well-cast films that have been made of her book, but not sure about Pride & Prejudice with Zombies (2016) with Lily James. Romance and zombies seldom mix, and this Rom-Horror was way of-kilter from the get go.
“Much of the delight and most of the heart comes from Keira Knightley, who plays Elizabeth as a girl glowing in the first light of perfection.” Roger Ebert in his 4-star review of the 2005 film.
I’m thinking a fine French claret, which is what the Brits call Bordeaux wines from the Graves subregion. Château Haut Selve Graves 2018, 14% ABV, $ 26-30. This vintage has richness and a ripe line of black fruits richly embedded in the still young tannic structure. The wood aging has added spice to the mix.
Atonement (2007): Dir Joe Wright, Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Saoirse Ronan
Thirteen-year-old fledgling writer Briony Tallis (Ronan) irrevocably changes the course of several lives when she accuses her older sister’s lover of a crime he did not commit. And if that sounds like a tragedy in the making, it is. But the story and the three principals in it make this a not-to-be-missed film. Ebert gave it 4 stars and so did I. Wright brings back Knightley from the earlier Pride & Prejudice and another great role. I could close my eyes and just listen to her voice and be smitten once again.
Saoirse (Seer-sha) at 13 received a best supporting actress nomination Oscar, for her role. So I’m going with Knappogue Castle Single Malt 12 Year Old, 80% ABV, $57. I’ve actually been to the castle in Ireland so it has some resonance for me.
The Proposal (2009): Dir Anne Fletcher, Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen
A pushy boss forces her young assistant to marry her in order to keep her visa status in the U.S. and avoid deportation to Canada. I shared Ebert’s initial reaction to an unlovable Bullock, but like him watched the movie change our minds, even as we saw the plot play out the way we thought. And having Betty White (1922-2021) as Grandma Annie did sweeten the results.
Even though this was filmed in New England for Alaska, I’m going with an ice wine. Inniskillin Vidal Icewine, 2018, 375ml, $75 “In a sensational vintage, this wine clocks in at 252 g/L residual sugar. Rare, expensive and luxurious, it takes you on a deep dive into flavors of honey, maple sugar, brown sugar, rock candy, sweet citrus, orange, peach, butterscotch and caramel.” Wine Enthusiast- 92 points
Valentine’s Day (2010): Dir Garry Marshall, Julia Roberts, Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway
Intertwining couples and singles in Los Angeles break-up and make-up based on the pressures and expectations of Valentine’s Day. What we have is too much intertwining, too little character development, and too many stars; count them 21. I know it’s all about Valentine’s Day, but maybe a week to sort out all the character interactions would have been better.
“Valentine’s Day is being marketed as a Date Movie. I think it’s more of a First-Date Movie. If your date likes it, do not date that person again. And if you like it, there may not be a second date.” Roger Ebert
Boy does that one call for a stiff drink? I’m going with a Trader Joe’s Highland single malt 10 year-old Scotch, well worth the 23 bills. Add a few drops of water and note the smoky element it awakens.
Blue Valentine (2010): Dir Derek Cianfrance, Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams
The relationship of a contemporary married couple, charting their evolution over a span of years by cross-cutting between time periods. This is not a happily ever after movie, but a brilliantly observed story of a marriage at its beginning and its dissolution, but we care about both Dean and Cindy throughout the film. Both were nominated for best actor by Critic’s Choice Awards and Michelle for an Oscar.
So I found a Blue Valentine cocktail, but it uses 2 types of Scotch, Pasubio Vino Amaro, lemon, honey and lavender bitters and egg white. Nah, a blended Scotch on the rocks works for me. To make it special, how about a Rob Roy? In a shaker add 4 parts blended scotch and 1 part white (dry) Vermouth, preferable French. Add ice, shake and pour into a martini glass and add a pimento-stuffed olive. I tried a blue cheese-stuffed olive once; never again!
Pasubio Vino Amaro is a wine from Amaro in the Dolomite mountains, that shows a mix of pine and light blueberry notes before alpine herbs and garrigue joined to smoke emerge from the glass. The palate balances the sweet and herbaceous with pine and blue fruits most prevalent. $23-$25 range
Carol (2015): Dir Todd Haynes, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara
Based on Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt, Blanchett and Mara find their attraction becoming intense enough to include a road trip where they can express their love for one another. Set in 1952/53, much in New York, the period when a lesbian affair would be severely condemned, both actresses perfectly express the danger, the longing and the sadness of a forbidden love.
I‘ve always enjoyed Blanchett, whether playing Queen Elizabeth, Bob Dillon or Maid Marion, she brings a realism to each role that stamps her as a great actress and Rooney Mara once more amazes me as she did in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011).
The Cosmopolitan was popular in the 1950s, but got a new lease on life when Sex and the City came to TV. A slight twist to the Cosmo is to use citrus flavored vodka as the base, made elegant with Cointreau, and adding lime and cranberry juice to get that characteristic pink color.
The Shape of Water (2017): Dir Guillermo del Toro, Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spenser
At a top secret research facility in the 1960s, a lonely janitor forms a unique relationship with an amphibious creature that is being held in captivity. To say this is an unconventional love story would be quite an understatement, but del Toro is a tremendously gifted filmmaker and weaves a tale that can enchant anyone. Few directors have his visual touch and so easily allow us to enter his fantasy world.
Let’s pair this with the scent of the sea, a Martin Codax Albariño from the Val do Salnés on the west coast of Spain’s Rios Baixas, the birthplace of Albariño, and a plate of raw shucked oysters.
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society (2018): Dir Mike Newell, Lily James, Tom Courtney
In the aftermath of World War II, a writer forms an unexpected bond with the residents of Guernsey Island when she decides to write a book about their experiences during the war. The always wonderful James explores the island and its history, which includes being occupied by the Germans during WWII.
The potato peel pie is apparently as tasteless as it sounds – a necessity of wartime rations. I‘d have put them to better use as a potato-based vodka like Chopin if you need that fancy a bottle. In a rush I’ve done this over the rocks with a splash of lemon.
Cold War (2018): Dir Pawel Pawlikowski, Joanna Kulig, Tomasz Kot
In the 1950s, a music director falls in love with a singer and tries to persuade her to flee communist Poland for France. The story of a tumultuous relationship spanning decades, filmed in black & white, recalls the story of Rick and Ilsa in Casablanca. The story is based on the director’s own parents closely observed love and hate. Nominated for Oscars in best foreign film, cinematography and directing.
“The tragic yearning in the impossibly sexy “Cold War” is so palpable that it makes you feel thankful to be alive with human feelings, heartbreaks of the past be damned”. Tomris Laffly (Roger Ebert website)
Saving money I’m going with Luksosawa Polish vodka, a much less expensive potato vodka that received the same rating as Chopin from Vodka Distilled by Tony Abu-Ganim, who I met at the Cocktails and Couture Festival in Santa Fe with Kevin Patruznick.
Emma (2020): Dir Autumn de Wilde, Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn, Mia Goth
What, another go at Austen’s last novel, is this possible? Apparently many actresses want this role. Kate Beckinsale was marvelous in the TV version (1996) and now we have Taylor-Joy who wowed us in The Queen’s Gambit (2020) who can do more than play chess. Mr. Knightley (Flynn) provides the proper foil to Emma’s matchmaking disasters. If you can’t get enough of Emma, here is another wonderful interpretation of the complex busybody who tries, hopelessly, to fix everyone else’s problems.
And with that I’m going back to my Lustau Oloroso sherry, but skipping the tea and scone. Salut!
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