Sense and Sensibility (1995)

Gemma Jones: Mrs. Dashwood

Photos 

Quotes 

• Mrs. Dashwood : Why so grave? You disapprove her choice?

  Marianne : By no means. Edward is very amiable.

  Mrs. Dashwood : Amiable? But...?

  Marianne : But there is something wanting. He's too sedate. His reading last night...

  Mrs. Dashwood : But Elinor has not your feelings. His reserve suits her.

  Marianne : Can he love her? Can the soul really be satisfied with such polite affections? To love is to burn - to be on fire, like Juliet or Guinevere or Eloise.

  Mrs. Dashwood : They made rather pathetic ends, dear.

  Marianne : Pathetic? To die for love? How can you say so? What could be more glorious?

  Mrs. Dashwood : I think that would be taking your romantic sensibilities a little far.

• Mrs. Dashwood : My youngest is not to be found this morning. She's a little shy of strangers at present.

  Edward Ferrars : N-n-naturally. I'm sh-shy of strangers myself and I have nothing like her excuse.

• Marianne : And as for you, you have no right, no right at all, to parade your ignorant assumptions...

  Margaret : They're not assumptions, you told me.

  Marianne : I told you nothing.

  Margaret : They'll meet him when he comes, anyway.

  Marianne : Margaret, that is not the point. You do not speak of such things before strangers.

  Margaret : But everyone else was.

  Marianne : Mrs Jennings is not everyone.

  Margaret : I like her. She talks about things. We never talk about things.

  Mrs. Dashwood : Hush, please. That is enough, Margaret. If you cannot think of anything appropriate to say, you will please restrict your remarks to the weather.

• Mrs. Dashwood : You must miss him, Elinor.

  Elinor Dashwood : We are not engaged, Mamma.

  Mrs. Dashwood : But he loves you, dearest, of that I am certain.

  Elinor Dashwood : I am by no means assured of his regard, and even were he to feel such a preference, I think we should be foolish to assume that there would not be many obstacles to his marrying a... a woman of no rank who cannot afford to buy sugar.

  Mrs. Dashwood : But Elinor, your heart must tell you...

  Elinor Dashwood : In such a situation, Mamma, it is perhaps better to use one's head.

• John Willoughby : Frailty, thy name is Brandon.

  Marianne : There are some people who can't bear a party of pleasure.

  Mrs. Dashwood : You're a very wicked pair. Colonel Brandon will be sadly missed.

  John Willoughby : Why? When he is the sort of man that everyone speaks well of and no one remembers to talk to?

• Marianne : When is a man to be safe from such wit if age and infirmity do not protect him?

  Elinor Dashwood : Infirmity?

  Mrs. Dashwood : If Colonel Brandon is infirm then I am at death's door.

  Elinor Dashwood : It is a miracle your life has extended this far.

  Marianne : Did you not hear him complain of a rheumatism in his shoulder?

  Elinor Dashwood : "A slight ache" I believe was his phrase.

• Marianne : Did you see him? He expressed himself well, did he not?

  Mrs. Dashwood : With great decorum and honour.

  Marianne : And spirit and wit and feeling!

  Elinor : And economy - ten words at most.

• Elinor Dashwood : [making painstaking conversation]  How is Mrs Ferrars?

  Fanny : My mother is always in excellent health, thank you. My brother Robert is in town with her this season and quite the most popular bachelor in London. He has his own barouche.

  Elinor Dashwood : Oh. You have two brothers, have you not?

  Fanny : Indeed yes. Edward is the elder and Mamma quite depends upon him. He's traveling up from Plymouth shortly and will break his journey here.

  John Dashwood : If that is agreeable to you.

  Mrs. Dashwood : My dear John, this is your home now.

• Fanny : Mrs. Dashwood, Miss Dashwood, Miss Marianne - my brother, Edward Ferrars.

  [Everyone bows or curtsies] 

  Fanny , Mrs. Dashwood : [together]  Do sit down.

  [There's an embarrassed pause as Mrs. Dashwood realises she is no longer the mistress of the house] 

• Mrs. Dashwood : Surely you're not going to deny us beef as well as sugar.

  Elinor Dashwood : There is nothing under 10 pence a pound, Mamma. We must economise.

  Mrs. Dashwood : Do you want us to starve?

  Elinor Dashwood : No. Just not to eat beef.

• Mrs. Dashwood : [feeling Marianne's ankle after she sprains it, Marianne being enraptured with Willoughby]  Tell me if I hurt you.

  Elinor : She feels no pain, mama.

• Mrs. Dashwood : We're so happy that you chose to invite Edward to Norland. He's a dear boy. We're all very fond of him.

  Fanny : We have great hopes for him. Much is expected of him by our mother with regard to his profession.

  Mrs. Dashwood : Naturally.

  Fanny : And in marriage. She's determined that both he and Robert will marry well.

  Mrs. Dashwood : Of course. But I hope she desires them to marry for love.

  Fanny : Love is all very well, but unfortunately we cannot always rely on the heart to lead us in the most suitable directions. You see, my dear Mrs. Dashwood, Edward is entirely the kind of compassionate person upon whom penniless women can prey. And having entered into any understanding, he would never go back on his word. He's simply incapable of doing so, but it would lead to his ruin. I worry for him so, Mrs. Dashwood. My mother has made it perfectly plain that she would withdraw all financial support from Edward should he choose to plant his affections in less... exalted ground than he deserves.

  Mrs. Dashwood : I understand you perfectly.

• Thomas : I fetched those beef fillets for you ma'am.

  Mrs. Dashwood : It was far less expensive in Exeter. Anyway, it's for Marianne.

• Mrs. Dashwood : To be reduced to the condition of visitor in my own home. It is not to be borne, Elinor.

  Elinor Dashwood : Consider, Mamma, we have nowhere to go.

  Mrs. Dashwood : John and Fanny will be descending from London at any moment. Do you expect me to be here to welcome them? Vultures.

• Mrs. Dashwood : [watching Brandon court Marianne]  He certainly is not so dashing as Willoughby, but he has a far more pleasing countenance. There always was a something, if you remember, in Willoughby's eyes at times that I did not like.

• [as Mrs. Dashwood sees off Marianne's dashing rescuer] 

  Marianne : [whispering]  His name! His name!

  Mrs. Dashwood : Oh, his name!

  [runs back] 

  Mrs. Dashwood : Please, could you tell us to whom we are so much obliged?

• [a large box has arrived at Barton cottage] 

  Margaret : It's for us!

  Mrs. Dashwood : What is it, Thomas?

  Thomas : I'm not sure, ma'am, but it's right heavy.