Goodbye Colonel Brandon

Twenty years ago Doug and I were living in Naperville.  As Brett was less than one and we were new homeowners we lived on a fairly tight budget.  Thus, money for entertainment was not a necessity and we did not go out much.  There was, however, a dollar movie theater less than a mile from our house.  Since Brett loved to nap in his car seat we could take him along and enjoy a night out at the movies.

It was at this movie theater in 1995 that a whole new world was opened to me.  I was an avid reader as a child and adult.  Period pieces written by female authors were my favorite.  When Doug mentioned seeing a movie called "Sense and Sensibility" based on a book by Jane Austen I had never heard of it or the author.  (I still can't believe no one had suggested her books to me.). Never one to turn down a Hugh Grant movie, I was all in.  I sat at the theater that night mesmerized by the story line, characters, costumes and so much more.  As the movie completed with a lovely wedding scene I realized that for the first time ever it was not Hugh Grant or his character Edward Ferrars that stole my heart that day.  It was another actor quite a bit older than me, but absolutely brilliant in his role as the noble, sensitive, caring Colonel Brandon. It was that day so long ago that a love for Jane Austen and Alan Rickman began.

I had seen Alan Rickman before in the 1988 Die Hard as the ill fated Hans Gruber.  He was a fantastic villain in that movie as well as another favorite of mine Robin Hood Prince of Thieves in 1991.  He played the Sheriff of Nottingham opposite Morgan Freeman and Kevin Costner and made himself hated by all.  I loved him in these movies, but nothing comparedl to his role as Christopher Brandon.  It was the first time I saw him as something other than a villain.  In 2003 he also starred in Love Actually along with Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson.  For me it was his closest role to the Colonel in Austen's story.  Thus, I was absolutely shocked and devastated when he committed adultery in the story.  It was years before I would watch the movie again.

My children know him best as Snape.  I love that JK Rowling wanted him to play her tortured soul in the movie.  Severus Snape starts off as a villain and become so much more.  He is a favorite character to many and namesake to one of Harry's children.  His portrayal of the Half Blood Prince is spot on.  Just as Harry did, I hated him, loved him and cried when he died.

With all of these great movies and characters, however, it is Colonel Brandon that I mourn for.  Thank you Alan Rickman for opening the door to Jane Austen for me. You will be missed.