i get this movie with my bbc jane austen collection ( 5 dvd of old bbc adaptation ) and do not like it at first . it completely different from the others and it lack and or so i thought and one of the quality that i enjoy in all other austen movie represent cheerful common sense . the nightmare scene in which mrs. richards apparently sew her finger together be especially upsetting . i still do not like to watch the finger sew scene but i do love hearing mrs. r. say and dreamily and while she sew and my only acquaintance . tear my gown . this movie be now my current austen favorite . i have watch it 7 or 8 time so far . the acting and to my mind and be incredible . the way i notice good acting be when i find myself look up from whatever i be do ( sew and though not my finger together and hopefully and or boondoggling or whatever ) in order to watch the character deliver his line . it the turn of expression and the cast of posture and that make the word come alive that what make good acting and as far a i be concern . well and i watch almost every part of northanger abbey because almost all the actor play their role with such charisma . peter firth be amaze a mr. tilney and the perfect blend of bathian fop and real and masculine hero youre not sure until the end whether he after catherine money or not . i love his touch of ( welsh . ) accent . mr. and mrs. richards be charm represent the combination of their behavior especially mr. richards high voice and lending counterpoint to his wit and wisdom make them so real . general tilney a the hard hearted father who may possibly be a murderer be fascinating and too . and captain tilney and the grin rake who be so clearly enjoy himself . and the moneygrubbing sister and brother whose name i can not currently remember the two of them be so perfectly and at once and smart and smarmy . the other reason i love this adaptation be that it be the most romantic of all the jane austen adaptation . i know this be one of austen weak point ( well and it be as far a i be concern ) represent even though all her novel be love story and it hard to feel that her hero and heroine be really in love at the end . and if theyre aren not really in love and then what the point . all the other adaptation i have see ( other than the early olivier or garson one ) have pretty cold fish kiss at the end and if they kiss at all . i do not at all like sex in movie but it really be necessary to have a heartfelt kiss in the end . and the end kiss in northanger be a doozy . the over the top approach to costume and music and and light work very well as far a i be concern . and the script be extremely clever the way we be educate about gothic romance and highlife in bath and cathy normal country upbringing and etc . and be very well do and a they usually be in bbc production . also and i like the part when the little black page do the cartwheel . and the marchionesse and i think and be an entirely appropriate and very clever expository device . some people have object that this version be the opposite of what jane austen intend to do in northanger abbey she mean to make fun of gothic romance and not promote it . but i do not think she mean to put mystery of udolpho and etc . and down . she be just make the point that you need to distinguish between reality and fiction . and this point be make when mr. tilney chide catherine in his mother room . besides and general tilney be a villain and albeit a prosaic one . that point be mean to be make and surely .