those looking for a dose of jane austen after watching the netflix adaptation of her latest novel, persuasionstarring dakota johnson, are in luck. There are more than a few good and even great film adaptations of Austen’s books available to stream now. From time-tested adaptations to more modern takes on the iconic English author’s classic work, there’s a film for every Austin fan. (Even those who can’t imagine a movie living up to the book it’s based on, we know you’re there too.)
This must-see list includes a bollywood version of pride and prejudice, a parody of mansfield park prep school, and a loving and hilarious tribute to the entire canon. austen’s literary Gwyneth Paltrow, Anya Taylor-Joy and Alicia Silverstone put their own spin on Emma‘s titular blonde heroine in three very different versions of the 1815 comedy of manners. For the hopeless romantics, there are also several Mr. darcys with whom to go from enemies to lovers. Unfortunately, Colin Firth’s take on the character from the 1995 British miniseries Pride and Prejudice didn’t make the cut, but only because this list focuses on Austen-inspired feature films. Don’t worry, there are more than enough proud men and feisty female leads on this list to make your heart race. Below are the 14 movies that will make you fall in love with Jane Austen all over again.
You are reading: Movies based on jane austen’s books
sense and sensibility (1995)
emma thompson and kate winslet star in director ang lee’s sublime version (written by thompson, who won an oscar for his adaptation) of austen’s first novel. The book tells the story of two sisters, on the verge of bankruptcy, who are forced to find financial prosperity through marriage. Prepare to fall in love with the late Alan Rickman’s majestic Colonel Brandon.
streaming on hbo max
island of fire (2022)
joel kim booster stars in this bizarre adaptation of pride and prejudice as noah, a true elizabeth bennett type, who, during his annual trip to long island’s titular summer hotspot, renounces the men in hopes of helping her best friend howie (bowen yang) have sex. That is until she meets wealthy Will (Conrad Ricamora), who goes from a thorn in her side to her dance partner at a lingerie party in one of the sexiest scenes ever broadcast.
stream on hulu
emma. (2020)
Director Autumn de Wilde delivers a sleek, smug take on the titular matchmaker (played by Anya Taylor-Joy) that modernizes the romance at the center of Austen’s story. on this count, mr. Knightley (a swoon-worthy Johnny Flynn) is no longer 16 years older than Emma, but a peer who encourages her to be a little less Regina George and a little more Cher Horowitz.
streaming on amazon prime video/freevee
love & friendship (2016)
The period comedy directed by Whit Stillman, based on Austen’s posthumous 1871 epistolary novel, Lady Susan, stars Kate Beckinsale as a flirtatious widow seeking to marry off her only daughter and find a rich husband for her. . all while she continues an affair with her married lover. what could go wrong?
stream on amazon prime video
austenland (2013)
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austen aficionado jane hayes (keri russell) books the vacation of a lifetime at the world’s only immersive austen experience – think: westworld for lovers of bridgerton, to find your own mrs. Darcy Unfortunately, the package she paid for from her only allows her to hang out in the servants’ wing, which makes it a little more difficult to become the Elizabeth Bennett of her dreams. she won’t stop her from trying though.
rent on amazon prime video
Clueless (1995)
Cool girl Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) stars as the matchmaker with varying degrees of success in Amy Heckerling’s charming ’90s teen movie version of Emma which, for over a quarter of a century, has had viewers in love. mostly, totally, madly in love with paul rudd.
stream on amazon prime video or paramount+
mansfield park (1999)
In this romantic drama inspired by Austen’s favorite novels, vivacious Fanny Brice (Frances O’Connor) is sent to live with her wealthy cousins in hopes of learning how to become a good society wife. She quickly realizes that being rich and privileged isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, which oddly enough makes her the object of every man’s affection.
rent on amazon prime video
bridget jones’ diary (2001)
Renée Zellweger stars as the film’s eponymous British single woman who finds herself caught in a pride and prejudice-style love triangle with her overconfident boss Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) and the proud lawyer mark darcy (colin firth). While the elements of this movie haven’t aged particularly well (the shaming, the sexual harassment, the power imbalances in the workplace, to name a few), Bridget and Mark’s will that they won’t hasn’t aged yet. .
broadcast on hbo max
northanger abbey (2007)
In this surreal adaptation of Austen’s mildly satirical gothic novel of the same name, Catherine Morland (Felicity Jones) can’t seem to tell her real-life romances from the supernatural love stories she adores. no wonder, this doesn’t make dating easy.
rent on amazon prime video
bride & prejudice (2004)
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bend it like beckham, director gurinder chadha’s bollywood take on pride and prejudice, stars aishwarya rai as lalita, a single woman, much to the annoyance of his mother, who is butting heads with a rich american named mr. darcy (martin henderson) on love, marriage and the economic future of india.
broadcast on starz
persuasion (2007)
This earlier adaptation of Austen’s latest novel features Sally Hakins as Anne Elliott, who is given a second chance at love eight years after her family convinces her to turn down a marriage proposal from poor Captain Frederick. goingworth (rupert penry-jones). She’s sorry that the now-rich war hero bears a grudge against her for breaking her heart all those years ago.
broadcast on britbox
metropolitan (1990)
new york city’s upper east side preppy replace the wealthiest of english society in stillman’s raunchy independent romantic comedy homage to austen’s 1814 novel mansfield park , who lovingly lashes out at the debutante class: often mocking Austen herself.
broadcast on hbo max
emma (1996)
In Douglas McGrath’s faithful interpretation of Austen’s 1815 novel, Gwyneth Paltrow stars as Emma as a know-it-all who only discovers how naïve she really is about matters of the heart after hers is broken. Toni Collette, Ewan McGregor and Alan Cumming also star in the period romantic comedy.
broadcast on hbo max
pride and prejudice (2005)
with all due respect to colin firth, matthew macfadyen became mr. definitive. darcy at the time she took that long morning walk across the english meadow to profess her love for keira knightley’s elizabeth bennet. The star of the future succession wowed audiences body and soul in Joe Wright’s beautiful adaptation of Austen’s greatest love story, and cinema hasn’t been the same since. /p>
rent on amazon prime video
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