February Calendar

To match the wonderful header, Maria has also produced a stunning calendar for this month. I can only apologise that we are already 7 days into the month.


Thanks Maria.

Update 8 Feb11:

Links to the high resolutions of the wallpaper:

1024 x 768

1280 x 800

1680 x 1050

Becoming Jane Banners!!

We would like to say a HUGE thank you to Maria for making such fantastic Becoming Jane banners for use on the blog.
I have to say they are exceptional and she has made a great choice in images. My favourite is Jane poised over the fence.

As you can see Icha has already displayed the first banner at the top of the page and this will be rotated with the other in due course.

Thanks again Maria.

Trivia Quiz ANSWERS

I posted a trivia quiz this time last week. I hope you all enjoyed it.

Here are the answers:

1. Of the following characters, who was fictional and who existed:

o Mrs Ann Radcliffe- REAL
o Mr Wisley- FICTIONAL (but based on the real Mr Bigg-Wither)
o Henry Austen- REAL
o Cousin Eliza de Feuillide- REAL
o Lady Gresham- FICTIONAL
o Benjamin Langlois- REAL

2. Which actor plays the character of Mr Wisley?

Laurence Fox

3. Which year did Mr George Austen (Jane’s father) die?

1805

4. Name Jane’s six novels in the order that they were published.

Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), Emma (1815), Northanger Abbey and Persuasion (both 1817)

5. What was the famous book that Tom gave to Jane in the library and told her to read?

Tom Jones by Henry Fielding

6. At the end of the film when she is reading an extract from one of her novels to the young Jane Lefroy, which novel is the extract from (clue: see post within the last week)?

Pride and Prejudice

7. Whilst at dinner with Tom’s uncle during their visit to London, Eliza describes how her husband was killed. Was he:- Hung- Guillotined- Missing, presumed dead- Drowned- Died of Cholera

Guillotined

8. What colour was the dress that Jane was wearing at the second ball when herself and Tom shared their first kiss?

Pale green

9. When Tom returns to Hampshire after news has broke that he is engaged to someone else, where does Jane learn that Mary, Tom’s new fiancé, is from in Ireland?

County Wexford

10. Which character from a Jane Austen novel is Lady Gresham supposedly modelled upon?

Lady Catherine from Pride and Prejudice

11. Which award did Becoming Jane win at the People’s Choice Awards?

Favourite Independent Movie

12. In the film, who sent the letter to the Judge telling him about Tom’s intentions to marry Jane and consequently ruining their chances of being together?

John Warren (friend of the Austen family)

13. What exactly does Tom say to Jane:- “I love you Jane, with all my heart and soul!”- “I'm yours, Jane, heart and soul!”- “You’re mine, Jane, heart and soul!”- “We are bound Jane, heart and soul!”

“I'm yours, Jane, heart and soul!”

14. When Tom arrives in Hampshire, Jane is reading a speech in celebration of which special event?

The engagement of her sister, Cassandra, to Thomas Fowle

15. What is Jane doing in the opening scene of the film?

Playing the piano

16. What does Jane read which prompts her to change her mind and return home to Steventon after Tom and herself had decided to elope?

A letter from Tom’s family thanking him for the money that he sent them on a regular basis

17. How did Jane communicate with her brother George?

Sign Language

18. What did George Austen (Jane’s father) do for a living?

Rector at Steventon parish

19. What was the name of the wood that Jane met Tom whilst they were both taking a walk?

Selbourne Wood

20. Which of Jane’s novels was influenced most by the work of Mrs Ann Radcliffe?

Northanger Abbey- due to its gothic nature

Pic 1: Jane and Tom

Pic 2: Jane Writing

Pic 3: Tom and Jane dancing

Pic 4: Jane Reading

Pic 5: Tom In Selbourne Wood

Pic 6: In Love

Trivia Quiz

I thought that it would be nice to do a 20-question trivia quiz for our faithful fans who love the film, Becoming Jane, as much as us.

Icha will be doing one of her more difficult, speciality set of questions (with prize) in commemoration of the death of Jane Austen on the anniversary date of 18th July.

Until then, I thought I would keep you occupied with this one.....Enjoy!

Answers will be posted this time next week.

1. Of the following characters, who was fictional and who existed:
- Mrs Ann Radcliffe
- Mr Wisley
- Henry Austen
- Cousin Eliza de Feuillide
- Lady Gresham
- Benjamin Langlois (Tom’s uncle)

2. Which actor plays the character of Mr Wisley?

3. Which year did Mr George Austen (Jane’s father) die?

4. Name Jane’s six novels in the order that they were published.

5. What was the famous book that Tom gave to Jane in the library and told her to read?

6. At the end of the film when she is reading an extract from one of her novels to the young Jane Lefroy, which novel is the extract from (clue: see post within the last week)?

7. Whilst at dinner with Tom’s uncle during their visit to London, Eliza describes how her husband was killed. Was he:
- Hung
- Guillotined
- Missing, presumed dead
- Drowned
- Died of Cholera

8. What colour was the dress that Jane was wearing at the second ball when herself and Tom shared their first kiss?

9. When Tom returns to Hampshire after news has broke that he is engaged to someone else, where does Jane learn that Mary, Tom’s new fiancé, is from in Ireland?

10. Which character from a Jane Austen novel is Lady Gresham supposedly modelled upon?

11. Which award did Becoming Jane win at the People’s Choice Awards?

12. In the film, who sent the letter to the Judge telling him about Tom’s intentions to marry Jane and consequently ruining their chances of being together?

13. What exactly does Tom say to Jane:
- “I love you Jane, with all my heart and soul!”
- “I'm yours, Jane, heart and soul!”
- “You’re mine, Jane, heart and soul!”
- “We are bound Jane, heart and soul!”

14. When Tom arrives in Hampshire, Jane is reading a speech in celebration of which special event?

15. What is Jane doing in the opening scene of the film?

16. What does Jane read which prompts her to change her mind and return home to Steventon after Tom and herself had decided to elope?

17. How did Jane communicate with her brother George?

18. What did George Austen (Jane’s father) do for a living?

19. What was the name of the wood that Jane met Tom whilst they were both taking a walk?

20. Which of Jane’s novels was influenced most by the work of Mrs Ann Radcliffe?

Pics taken from:

Anne Hathaway FanSite

and

US Official Becoming Jane Site

Winner of the BJF Anniversary Quiz!

Sorry for one day delay for the quiz announcement, I had a network problem yesterday. Anyway, after two weeks of announcement, finally we arrive at the winner of the BJF Anniversary Quiz! Team Jane would like to express our sincere gratitude to all readers and friends who have submitted their answers. It’s very surprising to have friends from Canada, the US, Belgium, and even Kazakhstan and Malaysia visiting us; a proof that Becoming Jane is indeed a popular and touching movie.

Anyway, without further ado, these are the answers for the quiz:

1. What was Jane Austen’s last letter that directly referred to Tom Lefroy?

Answer: Letter 17 November 1798, where Jane talked about Mrs. Anne Lefroy’s visit and that Mrs. Lefroy’s nephew was to go to Ireland to be a barrister.

“Mrs. Lefroy did come last Wednesday, and the Harwoods came likewise, but very considerately paid their visit before Mrs. Lefroy's arrival, with whom, in spite of interruptions both from my father and James, I was enough alone to hear all that was interesting, which you will easily credit when I tell you that of her nephew she said nothing at all, and of her friend very little. She did not once mention the name of the former to me, and I was too proud to make any inquiries; but on my father's afterwards asking where he was, I learnt that he was gone back to London in his way to Ireland, where he is called to the Bar and means to practise.”

Choose two places of BJ movie locations that have association with Tom Lefroy

Answer:

b. King's Inn, Dublin: Located on Henrietta Street, this is where the court-related scenes of BJ were conducted. The young Tom Lefroy (McAvoy) was late that time, and he had to run upstairs to the court room, and he passed a wall of stained glass. Interestingly, the name of the real Thomas Langlois Lefroy (“Thomas Lefroy, Esq.”) was there in one of the glass panel (our dear Rachel saw it when she went to Dublin and took the picture), for Tom Lefroy was indeed one of the best graduates of the law college (“On the window were the Coat’s of Arms of all the relevant people in the history of Irish law. Of course the Chief Justice, our Tom, was presented, in the bottom right hand corner.”).

e. Bray, Co. Wicklow: Some of the Becoming Jane scenes (Lady Gresham's manor) where done outside the Kilruddery House in Bray. Interestingly, Bray was the coastal town where the real Tom Lefroy passed away on 4 May 1869.

And the winner is: Mariana Gheorge!

Congratulations to Mariana! We will send the BJ DVD to you soon!

Oh, and a friend (Gail) asked how she could join a BJ fan club. Well, unfortunately, Becoming Jane Fansite is not an official fan club of the Becoming Jane. However, it IS a fan club in many ways, and we don’t have any memberships. Just drop by often to discuss stuffs about BJ and Jane/Tom, and you’re already part of the family!

Pic 1. One of the earlier movie poster of Becoming Jane

Pic 2. The stained glass in King Inn’s College, Dublin (photo by Rachel Kingston)

Pic 3. Kilruddery House in Bray, County Wicklow (photo by Rachel Kingston)

WINNERS: The Jane Austen Regency World Awards

The results for the Jane Austen Regency World Awards have been announced!!


You can see the results on The Giftshop Page kindly spotted by Linda but I am pleased to announce that Becoming Jane won:

Best New Film Award

Best Actor for James McAvoy

Best Acress for Anne Hathaway

It is clear from the site that other winners include:

Mr and Mrs Darcy by Alexandra Potter for Best New Fiction- click here for our review

Andrew Davies for The Outstanding Contribution Award

Pics: http://www.annie-hathaway.com/

The Inside Scoop on "The Kiss"

A very big thank you to Kari for unearthing this charming NY Times article, and to IMDB poster helloeeze who originally shared the article. This is one big "awwww" read (swoon-o-metre alert - so don't say I didn't warn you ;), and make sure you pop over to the NY Times and read the full article, it's gorgeous. It's so refreshing to read about McAvoy; so talented and yet so humble and unspoiled.

“James is not somebody who’s going to get his head turned,” the director Julian Jarrold said.

“He’s thoughtful about what he wants to do next.” Mr. Jarrold, who made “Becoming Jane,” said he had wanted to work with Mr. McAvoy again after directing him in a mini-series based on the Zadie Smith novel “White Teeth” five years ago. “It was quite a small role, but he shone out,” Mr. Jarrold said. “He’ll be around a long, long time.”

Mr. Jarrold praised Mr. McAvoy for bringing something extra to the party, an inspired flourish that bolsters a scene. “He gave me a lot of options,” Mr. Jarrold said. “And these were always in service of the story — not the things some stars suggest to make themselves look good.”

In “Becoming Jane,” there is a scene that both men call simply the Kiss.

The movie concerns a putative romance between a 20-year-old Jane Austen, played by Ms. Hathaway, and Mr. McAvoy’s character, a worldly Irish law student named Tom Lefroy. While there are other kisses in the movie — as you can only hope there were in Austen’s short life — this is the first.

The scene needs to pack a punch, and it does, not least because it’s she who kisses him, boldly and deliberately after weeks of wary distrust. But his response caps the moment: In one of those small, eloquent gestures that are a signature of Mr. McAvoy’s work, he draws back slightly, as if not daring to believe what just happened, and, seeing that she meant it, his eyes fill with amazed joy. A perfectly executed impulse — he did it on only one of the takes — it creates a second of tension that underscores each lover’s vulnerability and seals the scene in memory.

Not all Mr. McAvoy’s gestures are small. “Julian was the first guy who’d let me be funny if I wanted to be funny,” he said. “I didn’t like the script, I was afraid Lefroy would be too Darcy, and he said I could play with that image, and that interested me.”

Pic 1: Jane & Tom from: Rotten Tomatoes

Pic 2: The Kiss from: Tiscali