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Question

posted 8 years ago by LoBo_77018
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I watched this with my dad. He said it was Lady Susan's intention all along to get her daughter married in a suitable situation. By putting herself forward and knowing the family would not go along with the marriage it allowed her daughter to be an acceptable alternative - even pushing the man's family into promoting the match.

Is this true? I watched the movie thinking I'm glad it turned out the way it did but not thinking lady Susan has it planned this way all along.

[–] Julie-30 8 years ago

Lady Susan wanted Frederica to marry Sir James, most likely because then she (Lady Susan) would be able to control him and do pretty much anything she wanted with his money while she did pretty much anything she wanted with anyone else. She's not exactly devoted to her child.

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[–] gobears87 8 years ago

Lady Susan wanted Frederica to marry Sir James, most likely because then she (Lady Susan) would be able to control him and do pretty much anything she wanted with his money while she did pretty much anything she wanted with anyone else. She's not exactly devoted to her child.

Julie, I think you nailed it.

[–] hawkinssouth 8 years ago

That's an interesting take. Frederica's situation is pretty bad. She apparently has no money of her own, she's not "polished," she's not likely to attract a suitor on her own. Lady Susan wants her married and off her hands. It's pretty natural that Sir James would be viewed as a windfall -- a wealthy young man who is willing to take this penniless, uneducated, and frankly dull girl as a wife. But maybe your dad is right and Lady Susan was thinking of Reginald all along. In the book we have only the letters that go back and forth, and Susan does break it off with Reginald. *I* thought the same as Mrs. Vernon, that it was a tactic to keep Reginald on the hook, BUT -- why does Susan then send Frederica back to Churchill with Mr. and Mrs. Vernon later? She seems to do a 180-turn for no real reason. Perhaps she could see that she had succeeded in making all the Vernons determined to get Frederica and Reginald together? And then Susan could have the wealthy dummy for herself. Everyone is happy and well settled. After all, Susan is a diabolical genius.

[–] filmfancy 8 years ago

She seems to do a 180-turn for no real reason.

Lady Susan wanted her daughter to marry Sir James at first, but then her friend Alicia pointed out that Lady Susan should consider marrying him herself. I guess that's when she began to consider it, realizing that she could also have Manwaring on the side.

And all the pieces matter (The Wire)

[–] hawkinssouth 8 years ago

I meant she does a 180 with Frederica. First she takes her away from Churchill on a slender pretext, partially as punishment for Frederica and partially to keep the Churchill folks involved with her. She seems completely determined to keep Frederica away from Churchill. But then she suddenly agrees to let Frederica go back. Because of the reason put forward on the surface -- she is scared Frederica might catch the flu? Because she knows it is best for Frederica's marriage chances? Or because it is best for Susan to get Frederica out of the way, so that Susan can work on something new?

[–] Adler-99 8 years ago

Lady Susan wanted her daughter to marry Sir James at first, but then her friend Alicia pointed out that Lady Susan should consider marrying him herself. I guess that's when she began to consider it, realizing that she could also have Manwaring on the side.

I gathered that at first Lady Susan thought Reginald's father was older and in poorer health than he actually was. When Reginald assured her that he (de Courcey, senior) was quite healthy and liable to live a long time, I think that's when she thought of dumping Reginald and going for Sir James herself. James had more money and Reginald was not likely to inherit for a while.

So she wanted the money (Sir James) for herself and was happy to let Frederica have the leftovers (Reginald). And as another poster pointed out, James was so dense that Lady Susan and Manwaring could -- and did -- carry on right under his nose and he'd be clueless. Reginald wasn't that stupid.

[–] chet19 8 years ago

Not true at all. Lady Susan had ZERO intention of helping her daughter or helping anyone at all but herself.

[–] elisabettaduo 8 years ago

Not really. She wanted her daughter to marry him because :
- that would solve any financial problem for the both of them and she was very pragmatic (and the girl very naive ... anyone who read any other Jane Austen novel knows how naive she was about teaching and how female teachers actually lived)and because
- with a bit of luck she could manage the money of the husband through the daughter or, at least, be sure to not have to take care of her daugther anymore financially or otherwise which she thought a nuisance and at the same time be sure she will never be in a situation of need again(as the mother of a very rich woman).