"Sense and Sensibility," Austen's first novel released in 1811, centers on the Dashwood sisters. Practical eldest sister Elinor, her romantic sister Marianne, their widowed mother, and their youngest sister are forced out of their family home when their father dies and their half-brother John (and his horrible wife, Fanny) move in. The family finds a new, smaller home thanks to the help of friends and tries to build a happy life for themselves on a meager income.
Both sisters find themselves caught up in complicated romances. Elinor develops a bond with Fanny's shy, awkward brother Edward, but his family has bigger plans for his future. Marianne, meanwhile, falls head over heels for Willoughby, a dashing soldier, while being unaware that Colonel Brandon, a reserved man several years older than her, has fallen for her as well.
Although it's been adapted multiple times for made-for-TV movies and miniseries, the only big-screen adaptation of this novel so far is the 1995 movie. Emma Thompson stars as Elinor (she wrote the script too, earning herself an Oscar for best-adapted screenplay), and Kate Winslet plays Marianne.
