In the BBC adaptation of The Other Bennet Sister, two of my favourite things collide: Period drama and women realising they are worth more than their appearance.
The 10-part series begins on Sunday March 15 at 8pm, on BBC One, and by the final episode I’m hoping all the women who tune in will unite to chant, “We are all Mary!” Because, I’m sure most ladies will recognise themselves in our protagonist, Mary Bennet (Ella Bruccoleri.)
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The early episodes offer an unflinching glimpse into how Mary actually feels about being apparently unattractive, overlooked, and seen as no more than a cash cow by her mother, Mrs Bennet (a delicious Ruth Jones.)
Mrs Bennet leads her to believe her only option is to marry, and protect the family fortune. And it’s just as uncomfortable as you’d imagine, to see her left out in the cold by her mother and entire family, simply because she doesn’t fit society’s desired standard of beauty.
Ella Bruccoleri was born for this role. She’s so engaging as an actress that all you can see are Mary’s talents, wit and vulnerability, and these are the things that make her beautiful. You simply don’t care what she looks like nor that she doesn’t look like Lizzy – everyone wants to be Lizzie Bennet, I’d rather be Mary.
But we haven’t really moved on very far from this idea of what is expected from young women. I was brought up to believe my goal was to get married, and fantasies of what my wedding dress would look like were encouraged.
Fairy tale weddings and happily-ever-afters with the princes we might find were discussed with my friends, who were being given the same message by their mothers – we were living Mary Bennet’s life, just with less restrictive regency clothing and more 90s music in disco halls than waltzing in ballrooms.
(Image credit: BBC/Bad Wolf/James Pardon)
Later down the line, Mary realises she can have a bit of freedom from the misogynist shackles she’s bound to and heads off on a journey of self-discovery. A true trailblazer of her time.
Ordinarily, I wouldn’t use the words ‘journey’ or self-discovery’ in my vocabulary. They’re a bit Live Laugh Love, Instagram inspirational meme sort of phrases that I normally roll my eyes at. In this instance, they’re 100% allowed.
I love this for Mary. She gets to step away from her family and actually work out who she is and what she wants.
Best of all, she gets what many period female characters don’t get to do, and understand her best bits aren’t her looks and she can be whatever the heck she wants to be – within some early 19th century confines, obviously.
I understand some readers of the novel were a little put out that this ‘journey’ of Mary’s involved some suitors, but at least she could enter into a relationship knowing who she is and what she wants. And hopefully with more boundaries than she had at the beginning.
She can choose intellect over ribbons if she wishes, and enter into a relationship when it feels right, not because it’s her only destiny.
(Image credit: BBC/Bad Wolf/James Pardon)
As for the rest of the cast, well, Ruth Jones is Ruth Jones – she’s perfect as Mrs Bennet. Cut glass and cruel, Ruth appears to have an absolute ball while she plays against type.
Richard E. Grant equally hits the mark as Mr Bennet. He’s supposed to be callous and dismissive, but he’s played by Richard E. Grant and he’s so cool you want him to be your dad instead of Mary’s.
The rest of the sisters are also on fine form, Maddie Close as Jane, Poppy Gilbert as Lizzy, Molly Wright as Kitty, and Grace Hogg-Robinson as Lydia. But as the title suggests, it’s all about Mary.
She’s a vintage heroine for the modern age. In a world that covets Lizzys, be more Mary.
The Other Bennet Sister airs on Sunday 15 March, with the first five episodes available exclusively on BBC iPlayer at 6am, with a double bill weekly on BBC One at 8pm. Episodes 6-10 will be available on BBC iPlayer on Sunday 29 March at 6am.
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