'Love and Friendship' is deviously funny

Jane Austin’s devious, shrewd, calculating and funny novella comes to life at the Panida as “Love & Friendship” opens this week.

Are you missing Downton Abbey, a fan of Jane Austin, or looking for a bit of humor to cut the intensity of the week? The Panida has you covered with the not so subtle 18th century scheming of director Whit Stillman’s saucy Jane Austen adaptation of “Love and Friendship”. This is the wittiest take on Jane Austen to hit the big screen in quite some time. Based on an early, little-known novella called “Lady Susan” that reminds us that Austen was not only a brilliant master of screen- friendly plots but also a very funny writer.

Verbal wit is well handled by the lovely Lady Susan (Kate Beckin-sale) and her ally, Alicia Johnson (Chloë Sevigny) as they down the frills and corsets of the Austen era and handle the customs of the time but with a comedic air to their manners. Lady Susan Vernon is a less than grief-stricken widow and near penniless and seeking opportunity for not only herself, but her daughter, Frederica (Morfydd Clark).

Callers are received, letters are opened, gossip is breathlessly exchanged and a beautiful setting. Reputations are a stake along with large sums of money. The desire of Susan’s heart is a wildly inappropriate choice to add a bit of action to the story. The London countryside add to the fun and adventure. Sir James Martin (Tom Bennett) is intended for the hand of Frederica and although he is the less wellknown of the cast he steals many a scene as a twittering eligible bachelor. Stillman’s “Love & Friendship” is pure pleasure and has already been named one of the best movies of the year.

The film is rated PG and you can catch it at the Panida this week: Thursday, July 14, 7:30 p.m.; Friday, July 15, 5:30 p.m. with happy hour starting at 5:01 p.m.; Saturday, July 16, 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.; and Sunday, 3:30 p.m.

Coming up at the Panida: “Hunt for the Wilderpeople”; “Me Before You”, dinner theater, “Charades at 5”; “Swiss Army Man”, “Free State of Jones” and watch for news on our new film noir series out of Denmark, “Department Q”.

Last summer the Panida was closed for the summer to restore the ceiling so this summer we are doubling the offerings to keep you and your out-of-town guests covered for entertainment.

Having been historically hip since 1927, the Panida was raised to a new dimension this last week as a Pokemon Go Pokestop.