Sense and sensibility

William had read the original <Sense and Sensibility>—in fact, he had read all of Jane Austen's novels. <Sense and Sensibility> was simply one of his favorites.

It wasn't common for boys his age to be drawn to Austen's works. His peers spent their time on relationships, parties, contraband, or immersing themselves in superhero comics and sci-fi series like <Star Trek> and <Stargate>.

But William was different. He loved to read, especially classical literature. He didn't care about his friends' teasing remarks that "Jane Austen's novels are only for girls.

It is precisely because he has read the original book and is familiar with the story and writing style of "Sense and Sensibility" that William was immediately amazed when he saw the script.

The novel, a quintessentially British story written by a 19th-century lady, was subtle in its tone and storytelling. Austen's portrayal of societal norms, emotional intricacies, and dramatic twists were handled with great restraint and delicacy. This made it incredibly challenging to adapt for the screen in a way that remained compelling.

Yet, the script William held in his hands was brilliant.

The screenplay preserved Austen's essence without introducing any unnecessary creative liberties. Every plot point was faithfully taken from the book, carefully chosen to highlight the characters' personalities without feeling redundant.

With such a strong script, a competent director, and skilled actors, the movie had the potential to be a masterpiece.

William was particularly excited about the project, especially when he learned it would be shot in the UK. The chance to visit the filming locations—and maybe stop by to see Lance—only heightened his enthusiasm.

"Thank you! Thank you so much, Yamon!" William exclaimed to his agent. "I love this script. I'll take any role in it—even playing the obnoxious Willoughby!"

Yamon Goffman smirked. "I wouldn't have handed you the script if I didn't think you had a shot. Honestly, we got lucky this time. There was some disagreement between the studio and the production team. Otherwise, with filming less than two months away, we'd never have gotten you in at this stage."

In Hollywood, casting for lead roles in major films typically wrapped up two or three months before shooting began. For high-profile productions, this process often started even earlier. The fact that <Sense and Sensibility> was so close to filming and still hadn't finalized its lead cast was unusual.

Apparently, early casting choices had leaned heavily toward British actors, which displeased Columbia Pictures, the film's American investor.

Since the film was slated for a U.S. release and positioned to contend for major awards, Columbia insisted on including an American actor. This led to a small, exclusive audition for select roles in Los Angeles—an opportunity Yamon secured through his connections at Columbia.

Given the timing, William had just three days to prepare. He dove into the script, determined to make the most of the chance.

According to Yamon Goffman, Colonel Brandon has already decided on the candidate, and it is the famous British actor Alan Rickman. Colonel Brandon is not suitable for William in terms of age, so the only role that William can try is another male protagonist Edward or supporting role Willoughby. And he decided to go all out for Willoughby - in terms of appearance, William is also more compatible with the handsome Willoughby.

On audition day, William was seventh in line. The six actors before him exited the room with unreadable expressions, offering no clues about how their auditions had gone.

When his turn came, William took a deep breath, steadied his heartbeats, and pushed open the door.

To his surprise, he recognized one of the people in the room.

"Ang Lee?"

William's blurted out words that brought him to the attention of everyone in the room, not for anything else, just because he spoke Mandarin in a fluent way. 

If there were anything that makes William most grateful in the memories of the previous life, it would be his various odd skills, one of which is the Chinese command.

…

His exclamation drew the attention of everyone in the room—three women and one man.

William quickly identified Ang Lee, the acclaimed Taiwanese-American director. Beside him sat Emma Thompson, the British actress who had won the Academy Award for Best Actress in <Howards End>. The other two women were unfamiliar to him, but their attire and demeanor suggested their roles: one, in a beige dress, was likely a representative of the production company, while the older woman with a kind smile was probably from the Screen Actors Guild.

The woman in the beige dress turned to Ang Lee. "Do you know him?"

Emma Thompson glanced between William and Ang Lee, curious.

Ang Lee looked puzzled. "No, I don't know him," he said, then turned to William. "I'm sorry, you are—?"

William realized his blunder and quickly clarified, switching to English. "Oh, I don't actually know you—I mean, I admire your work! I love your 'Father' trilogy," he said enthusiastically. "This is just our first time meeting in person. Mr. Ang Lee," he added, correcting his earlier slip. "I'm William Bradley, but you can call me Will."

The woman in the beige dress smiled at Ang Lee. "It seems you've got yourself a little fan here, and one who's proficient in Chinese! If I heard correctly, William, you just addressed Mr. Lee by his Chinese name, didn't you?"

William nodded modestly. "Yes, I'm proficient in Chinese."

Ang Lee glanced down at William's résumé, feeling a wave of surprise. It wasn't just the claim of proficiency in Chinese—William, barely an adult, had spoken the language fluently, with accurate pronunciation. For Westerners, mastering Chinese pronunciation, even at a conversational level, required systematic study and great effort. What surprised Ang Lee even more was that William had seen his "Father Trilogy."

Despite having spent years in the United States, Ang Lee had built his career directing Chinese-language films. His acclaimed works, such as <Pushing Hands>, <The Wedding Banquet>, and <Eat Drink Man Woman>, had earned him numerous international accolades and formed the "Father Trilogy."

While these successes brought Ang Lee recognition among filmmakers, he hadn't expected a young actor in Hollywood to be familiar with his Chinese films—especially not one as young as William.

Ang Lee couldn't help but feel a twinge of doubt. Could this young man be bluffing? Perhaps he'd researched Ang Lee before the audition, hoping to curry favor by dropping references to his films?

To test him, Ang Lee decided to probe.

"It's unusual for an American your age to be proficient in Chinese and interested in Chinese cinema," Ang Lee remarked. "There are so many cultural and linguistic barriers—it's quite rare."

William smiled, unfazed. "I don't find <Pushing Hands>, <The Wedding Banquet>, or <Eat Drink Man Woman> difficult to understand. While they tell the stories of Chinese families, their themes transcend cultural boundaries. Actually, I think your films share something in common with Jane Austen's novels, particularly <Sense and Sensibility>. Perhaps that's why Columbia Pictures entrusted you—a director who hadn't previously made an English-language film"

Ang Lee hadn't expected such a thoughtful response, but before he could react, Emma Thompson and the woman in the beige dress—Amy Pascal, Columbia's executive overseeing <Sense and Sensibility>—exchanged surprised glances. Both women had played pivotal roles in choosing Ang Lee to direct the film.

Emma Thompson leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. As the screenwriter and lead actress of the film, she was well-versed in Austen's works. Hearing such an insightful analysis from someone so young—and an American, no less—was unexpected.

"When I heard Columbia Pictures had approached you, Director Ang Lee, to adapt a classic British novel, do you know what came to mind?" William asked rhetorically. "Your <Father Trilogy>. The characters in those films remind me of Austen's protagonists. They are deeply repressed, torn between tradition and desire."

He elaborated, his voice steady but passionate. "In <Pushing Hands>, Mr. Chu clashes with his daughter-in-law Martha, while his son, Alex, struggles helplessly between the two. In <The Wedding Banquet>, Wei-Tung is a gay man living in the U.S. with his American boyfriend. Despite his Westernized lifestyle, he cannot reconcile his identity with his parents' traditional values. Wei-Tung is burdened by secrecy, torn between familial obligations and his personal life. Similarly, in <Eat Drink Man Woman>, the patriarch and his eldest daughter suppress their emotions for years, until their feelings finally erupt in a huge drama."

"Repression," William concluded, "is the product of reason, while an emotional outburst is sensibility breaking free. It's hard not to think of <Sense and Sensibility> in this context. Elinor, like Austen's other heroines, desires true love but is bound by the realities of her era.

"Austen's stories often end with a happy marriage, perhaps due to the expectations of her publishers or readers. However, I've always wondered—if Austen had dared to write tragedy, her works might have reached even greater artistic heights."

William's words paused abruptly as he noticed the silence in the room. Ang Lee, Emma Thompson, and the two other women were all staring intently at him.

"... Am I talking too much?" He blinked, a little shyly.

"No," Ang Lee replied with a hint of appreciation in his tone. "I think we're all blown away by your insights, especially me." He glanced again at the résumé in his hand. "For a young American, it's really, really rare to understand my films on such a deep level and even form your own interpretations."

Emma Thompson nodded, her expression thoughtful. "I must admit, I'm surprised too. It's remarkable to hear someone align so closely with Ang's ideas." She looked at Ang Lee, and a flicker of hope crossed his face, only to fade as she shook her head firmly. "No, it's impossible. I won't accept your idea of adapting <Sense and Sensibility> into a tragedy."

Ang Lee looked disappointed but turned back to William. "Will—may I call you that?—please, go on. I can see you still have more to say."

///