Becoming

I just finished watching Becoming Jane for the 2nd time. Incredible story, incredibly done. Jane Austen’s stories translate beautifully to the movie screen. Her belief that her characters shall have, with a bit of trouble along the way, everything they shall desire.

The setup:
Tom LeFroy is a London-based lawyer visiting family in the very rural countryside. He is supported entirely by his Uncle, a high court judge, as his parents married for affection and are barely able to support themselves and their numerous offspring. Jane is the youngest daughter of a financially-challenged clergyman who married his wife, too, for the sake of affection. After many contentious encounters, Jane and Tom develop an undeniable chemistry. She is a quaint country girl writing essays on the female heart while she knows little of its expression firsthand. Tom is a worldly man encouraging her to learn more of the world and thus, a her own heart. He recommends a certain vivacious young man widen her horizons. Their early courting is full of delicious sexual inuendo to his delight and her shock.

The scene:
Jane attends a neighborhood ball. She enters and wanders the party looking for Tom. She, instead, finds Mr. Wesley, a man who has proposed marriage. They join the dance floor (see 2 lines, men in one, women in the other, opposite sexes facing each other). They begin to dance, various partners weaving in and out, turning, joining hands, moving through the rows, then back to their respective lines. Jane moves forward and turns to her right, looking over her shoulder to meet her dance partner and there finds Tom. Inches from her face. He, confident as ever, meets her gaze with a sly grin. She is visibly stirred. They finish the dance unable to look away from each other. Their intentions sealed and courtship complete.

Oh, the passion conveyed in that moment. I was reminded of a scene from before.

They had met each other briefly, from time to time. Both were intrigued, but left it at that. That night, they spent the evening among a group of friends. Dinner for a 21st birthday. They sat at one end of a long table and discussed her travels, his interest in Japanese culture. She began to look at him more often and for longer. He allowed himself to open, giving her a look into the interior of a fairly academic, fairly private man.

After dinner, the group headed to another nightspot for drinks. Being a bit younger than the rest, she left with her roommate as the others headed upstairs. Waiting for her roommate to say good-bye, she waited patiently at the doorway and scanned the crowded restaurant. As her eyes moved over everyone, she caught him watching her. Upon returning his gaze, he did not look away. He stood 30 feet from her and maintained her eye contact for what seemed at eternity. He didn’t smile. He didn’t scowl. His face intent, but soft. She turned her back to him and finally exhaled. She began laughing as she left, unable to completely understand what he intended. What an odd, but thrilling, encounter.

Years later, she asked him about that look. He smiled and said, "I wanted you to know that I knew". She would tell him throughout their tumultuous courtship, "It’s you. It’s always been you". During his vows at their wedding he said, "I told you when I proposed that I couldn’t imagine my life without you. Now I know we were saying the same things".