Rent Jane Austen in Manhattan (1980)
2.7 of 5 from 48 ratings
1h 46min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
In this delightful 'romance' from Merchant Ivory Productions, past meets present and flamboyant egos collide as two Manhattan theatre companies compete to stage a literary gem: a lost play by one of Britain's best-loved authors. Made in 1980 and starring Hollywood veteran and Oscar-winner Anne Baxter (All About Eve), Robert Powell (Jesus of Nazareth) and Sean Young (Blade Runner), "Jane Austen in Manhattan" intriguingly blends Jane Austen's charming 'playlet', tracing the seduction of an innocent girl by a devious rake, with the sexual mores of contemporary New York's theatre world. Two companies vie for the play's theatrical rights. One is lead by the traditionalist Lilianna Zorska, the other by her former protege and perhaps lover, the charismatic Pierre, a Svengali-like off-off-Broadway theatre guru. Complicating this situation is Ariadne, a beautiful young actress, whom Pierre is determined to seduce by way of various mind games. Modern-day events begin to mirror the play's themes of abduction and salvation as Lilianna strives to save Ariadne from Pierre's clutches, and to wrest the Jane Austen play from him for her own company. - Actors:
- Anne Baxter, Robert Powell, Michael Wager, Tim Choate, John Guerrasio, Katrina Hodiak, Kurt Johnson, Philip Lenkowsky, Charles McCaughan, Nancy New, Sean Young, Bernard Barrow, Lee H. Doyle, Bella Jarrett, Naomi Riordan
- Directors:
- James Ivory
- Producers:
- Ismail Merchant
- Writers:
- Jane Austen, Samuel Richardson, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
- Studio:
- Odyssey
- Genres:
- Comedy, Drama, Romance
