Left column, from top: Katharine Schlesinger (Catherine Morland) and Peter Firth (Henry Tilney) in the 1987 version; Bentley Mitchum (Ricky Chambers) and Ashley Judd (Ruby Lee Gissing) in Ruby in Paradise; Felicity Jones (Catherine Morland) and Hugh O’Conor (James Morland) in the 2007 adaptation; Catherine Walker (Eleanor Tilney) and JJ Feild (Henry Tilney) in the 2007 version; Amy Acker (Catherine Morland) and Wishbone (voiced by Larry Brantley) in Wishbone:Â “Pup Fiction”
Middle column, from top: Liam Cunningham as General Tilney in the 2007 version; Felicity Jones (Catherine) and JJ Feild (Henry Tilney) in the 2007 adaptation; Carey Mulligan (Isabella Thorpe) and Felicity Jones (Catherine) in the 2007 adaptation; Jonathan Coy (John Thorpe) and Cassie Stuart (Isabella Thorpe) in the 1987 version; Peter Firth as Henry Tilney in the 1987 adaptation; Katharine Schlesinger lets her imagination run wild as Catherine in the 1987 version
Right column, from top: Felicity Jones in the 2007 adaptation; JJ Feild as Henry Tilney, 2007; Cassie Stuart (Isabella Thorpe) and Katharine Schlesinger (Catherine) in the 1987 version; Carey Mulligan (Isabella Thorpe) and Felicity Jones (Catherine) in the 2007 adaptation; William Beck (John Thorpe), Felicity Jones (Catherine Morland), Carey Mulligan (Isabella Thorpe) and Hugh O’Conor (James Morland) in the 2007 version
Northanger Abbey
Adaptations
Northanger Abbey has rarely been produced, despite its wonderfully satiric appeal. It has not yet had a theatrical release nor a mini series treatment, but it has inspired some modern takes, including Ruby in Paradise and two web series, as well as an episode of the PBS children’s show Wishbone and two television movies produced 20 years apart.
Traditional Adaptations
Northanger Abbey (2007)
This 84-minute TV movie scripted by Andrew Davies amps up Catherine Morland’s gothic imaginings with dramatic dream sequences and also takes a few liberties with other additional scenes not in the novel.
Director: Jon Jones
Screenplay: Andrew Davies
Lead cast:
Felicity Jones (Catherine Morland)
JJ Feild (Henry Tilney)
Carey Mulligan (Isabella Thorpe)
Hugh O’Conor (James Morland)
William Beck (John Thorpe)
Liam Cunningham (General Tilney)
Catherine Walker (Eleanor Tilney)
Mark Dymond (Capt. Frederick Tilney)
Sylvestra Le Touzel (Mrs. Allen)
Desmond Barrit (Mr. Allen)
Bernadette McKenna (Mrs. Thorpe)
Julia Dearden (Mrs. Morland)
Gerry O’Brien (Mr. Morland)
Northanger Abbey (1987)
This 88-minute version misses much of Austen’s satire but includes location filming in Bath.
BBC and A&E
Director: Giles Foster
Screenplay: Maggie Wadey
Lead cast:
Katharine Schlesinger (Catherine Morland)
Peter Firth (Henry Tilney)
Cassie Stuart (Isabella Thorpe)
Philip Bird (James Morland)
Jonathan Coy (John Thorpe)
Robert Hardy (General Tilney)
Ingrid Lacey (Eleanor Tilney)
Greg Hicks (Frederick Tilney)
Googie Withers (Mrs. Allen)
Geoffrey Chater (Mr. Allen)
Elvi Hale (Mrs. Thorpe)
Helen Fraser (Mrs. Morland)
David Rolfe (Mr. Morland)
Film Locations
Northanger Abbey
Fullerton Church and Rectory
Beechan Cliff Walk
Bath Lodgings
Bath Assembly Rooms
Check out our Pinterest collection of film location boards!
Modern/Loose Adaptations
The Cate Morland Chronicles (2016)
This 40-episode multimedia recounting of Northanger Abbey tells the story of a fan-culture-obsessed recent journalism graduate who lands a job at an entertainment publication in Los Angeles.
Created by: Ellen Lloyd
Producers: Amanda Taylor and Chelsey Saatkamp
Directors: Amanda Taylor and Kailee Brown
Writer: Ellen Lloyd
Lead cast:
Madeline Thatcher (Cate Morland)
Dele Opeifa (Henry Tilney)
Erika Ovuoba (Eleanor Monk)
Amanda Taylor (Isabella Thorpe)
Frankie Madril (John Thorpe)
Rob Zimmerman (James Morland)
Charla Cochran (Leslie Allen)
Cate Morland Chronicles official site
Cate Morland Chronicles on YouTube
Northbound (2015)
Produced by Oh For Cute! Productions, this 38-part web series based on Northanger Abbey follows college student Catherine Morland on her adventures at North College.
Lead cast:
Alice Hale (Catherine Morland)
Jeremy Stewart (Henry Tilney)
Samantha Rothermel (Jamie Morland)
Sarah Sampino (Isabella Thorpe)
Lily Ali-Oshatz (Eleanor Tilney)
Ian Bouillion (John Thorpe)
Wishbone: “Pup Fiction” (1998)
A Jack Russell Terrier imagines himself as the lead character in a different story from classic literature in each episode of the PBS series. He portrayed Henry Tilney in this episode.
Lead cast:
Larry Brantley (voice of Wishbone)
Amy Acker (Catherine Morland)
Sarah Ann Murphy (Isabella Thorpe)
Jonathan Brent (John Thorpe)
Dee Hennigan (Eleanor Tilney)
Sharon Bunn (Mrs. Allen)
Robert Graham (General Tilney)
Ruby in Paradise (1993)
Loosely based on Northanger Abbey, Ruby in Paradise tracks the story of a young woman seeking a fresh start and a chance to establish her own identity in a Florida resort town.
Director: Victor Nuñez
Screenplay: Victor Nuñez
Lead cast:
Ashley Judd (Ruby Lee Gissing)
Todd Field (Mike McCaslin)
Bentley Mitchum (Ricky Chambers)
Allison Dean (Rochelle Bridges)
Dorothy Lyman (Mildred Chambers)
Betsy Douds (Debrah Ann)
Felicia Hernández (Persefina)
Divya Satia (Indian Singer)
Bobby Barnes (Wanda)