I posted 322 times in 2021
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For every post I created, I reblogged 5.4 posts.
#pride and prejudice - 59 posts
#pride and prejudice 1995 - 37 posts
#elizabeth bennet - 33 posts
#elizabeth x darcy - 21 posts
Longest Tag: 131 characters
#portraits are an interesting metaphor and work for the book because of the contrast between outward appearances and inner character
Every Rock Band Documentary Ever
(insert band name here) was one of the greatest bands of all time. Known for their wild guitar solos and extravagant lifestyle. They broke records and had unmatched success--until it all tragically came crashing down.
Quotes from other musicians/music critics/music industry people:
"I can't imagine rock music without them."
"They revolutionized the music scene."
"No other band has had such a significant cultural impact."
4-7 white guys (insert band names here) born in the 1950s were inspired by Elvis Presley.
Random rock music/song excerpts.
We don't know where their talent came from, it was a gift from the gods/Satan. Or they were born with it.
They formed a band in somebody's garage and miraculously got a record deal.
Random record executive: "When I first heard this scrappy little band, I thought to myself: they have potential! So I signed them to (insert record label)."
Then they released their first album and it was a major success!
Testimony from an admiring fellow musician: "I remember the day when I first heard (insert album). I thought wow! These guys are incredible! All the members are such virtuosos on their respective instruments and the musicality is unmatched!"
The critics either love them/hate them (there is no in between).
They go on a bunch of tours. Insert concert footage and Beatlemania-style montages of screaming fans.
Footage of band members smiling/laughing while traveling.
Drugs/sex/women get in the way. Marriages fall apart.
The band releases some "crappy" albums as their creativity runs out (could actually be good albums, but not quite up to the high bar created earlier).
The band faces other personal crises until a band member dies. They either call it quits or continue on.
A brief story of each member's solo career.
Then a reminder that that band is the best ever and continues to inspire every band after it.
Clarification: I’m not saying “every” rock band fits this template. The purpose of this was to make fun of sensationalist “documentaries” which focus on shock value and entertainment instead of accuracy and respect for the bands featured. This is sarcastic, I was pointing out how these so-called “documentaries” turn the bands into a cliche (which is this “template.”)
133 notes • Posted 2021-09-10 18:47:56 GMT
you guys I made a meme...
you can tell which version I prefer (ducks tomatoes from 2005 fans)
@appleinducedsleep @firawren @cobaltzosia @colonelfitzwilliams @talkaustentome @bitchynwitchy @pep-pep-pep @thatvermilionflycatcher @mentallydatingcolinfirth @fuckyeahharryhart
206 notes • Posted 2021-10-02 14:54:27 GMT
You Must Allow Me to Tell You How Ardently I Admire and Love Pride and Prejudice 1995
Wrapping up my Pride and Prejudice adaptation review series with my favorite of them all: the 1995 BBC miniseries that was my gateway to Austen. I decided to write about this show in part because a lot of younger Austen/Pride and Prejudice fans my age (17-18 years old) don't know that this show exists. Also, there is not as much content available for the miniseries in comparison to the popular 2005 movie.
A quick refresher and some basic information in case some one who hasn't watched this show stumbles upon this review: it consists of 6 approximately hour long episodes and stars Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet and Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.
REASONS TO WATCH (let's get the obvious out of the way):
Super faithful to the book (though there are a few notable exceptions). The majority of the dialogue is lifted directly from the book and all the major plot points are included. All the secondary characters are included and fully developed.
Visually beautiful. The producers strove to avoid the grainy video quality of earlier BBC shows. The show has many beautiful shots of the countryside and features lavish interiors from historic houses as well.
The characters act according to the rigid social norms of the Regency era, in keeping with the book's observations of Regency era society; lots of bowing/curtsying and "Miss (last name)" and "Mr. (last name)." Social reputation was determined by how closely one followed rules of etiquette; after all, Darcy was hated early on due to his impoliteness in not dancing with anyone at the first ball.
Costumes: The majority of the costumes were designed specifically for the miniseries because there were few Regency era costumes available at the time. The setting chosen for the show is the early 19th century (1811/1812), so there are lots of Empire style dresses, spencers, pelisses, and bonnets. Men get snappy suits (jackets, cloaks, waistcoats, white shirts) and cravats (Mr. Darcy wouldn't look so uptight and dignified without a cravat). The hairstyles are also accurate, featuring the curled bangs and classically-inspired styles that were popular in the Regency era. The only historical inaccuracy is that the women's dresses feature their chests (only evening dresses would have done so). Sometimes I wondered if Darcy was attracted to Elizabeth because of her cleavage. The costumes contribute to the character development and visually signal differences in social status; Caroline Bingley and Louisa Hurst wear garishly colored, over-embellished gowns and heavy jewelry in contrast with Elizabeth's plain white dresses. Darcy meanwhile wears dark colors (brooding and cold), in contrast to Bingley's lighter colors (warm and outgoing).
Many slice-of-life scenes depicting popular activities of the time and how "boring" the lives of the rich were (every day running like clockwork according to a schedule of the same old activities). In fact, the show begins with a shot of Darcy and Bingley horseback riding across the country, and there are other scenes where they go hunting for birds. The outdoor activities for men contrast with the shots of women from behind windows/doing indoor activities like sewing or flower arranging, indicating how repressive the social norms were for women.
The Elizabeth and Darcy romance is another compelling reason to watch and/or re-watch this show. The chemistry is amazing, to say the least, but most importantly, the show uses the advantage of its length to effectively develop the relationship; none of the romantic scenes are cut or rushed.
The characters are human. Many period dramas, with their focus on historical accuracy, focus too much on little details and turn fully developed characters into automatons because "they wouldn't have acted that way back then." This miniseries keeps in mind that the characters would have expressed themselves differently than a modern person would; after all, in Austen's time, it was considered "improper" to be open about emotions. To strike a balance between historical accuracy and humanizing characters, the series utilizes lots of veiled/repressed emotions (ex. Darcy's yearning stares) and nonverbal cues (Elizabeth or Lydia rolling their eyes) to hint at what the characters are thinking and feeling without having them act in ways that they wouldn't have; after all, they are still people of their time and would not have violated social norms so easily. The veiled emotions are great because they tap into the universal conflict of humans versus society, while increasing the sexual tension that powers the romance between Darcy and Elizabeth. When paired with the dialogue, it brings to light what the characters are attempting to hide or reveal about themselves.
All the actors are superb and the characters come alive before us. Here are some that stand out:
Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet. I mention her first because after all, this is Elizabeth's story and it's essential that our protagonist be the equal of our romantic hero. She's absolutely perfect in this role, conveying the wit, intelligence, and sarcasm of Elizabeth Bennet, as well as her self-confidence and pride in her opinions. Ehle masters the nonverbal cues (eye rolling, sighing with embarrassment, mischievous glances) necessary for showing Elizabeth's spunky side and delight in laughter. When necessary she has plenty of poise and stuns her opponents with her intellectual acuity. She's not a conventional beauty, but her smile is gorgeous and her eyes sparkle, much like the Elizabeth in the novel. Her voice is also very expressive, with a jocular tone that adds power to her insults. A common complaint I hear is that she is too old for the part (she was in her mid-20s during filming and Elizabeth is 20-21 years old), which is unfair since Firth was in his 30s and no one seems to complain about that, even though Darcy is 27-28 years old.
Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. The best Darcy (fight me). He gives the most complex portrayal of the character, balancing a stately, expressionless exterior with inner vulnerability and passion. He encompasses all the facets of Darcy's personality: his pride, social awkwardness, kindness and overpowering love for Elizabeth. Firth effectively conveys Darcy's pride by carrying himself in a stiff and rigid way, while his outward expression effectively marks him as arrogant and disapproving. He also masters the character's mannerisms; his cold and distant public self contrasting with the wit and warmth that only his closest friends (and eventually Elizabeth) know. Most importantly, Firth is a master of eye acting; he conveys so many emotions just through his eyes, like anger, pain, love, and amusement.
Crispin Bonham-Carter as Mr. Bingley. It's challenging to play good people because the enthusiasm can look forced, but I love the Bingley in this version because not only is he friendly (and has a very innocent, trusting look in his eyes), he has social skills (unlike Simon Woods, who is also a good Bingley but a bit too awkward at times: "I can read, of course.").
Anna Chancellor as Caroline Bingley. She nails the hauteur of the character and she's delightfully evil as well, often sneering at or mocking those she regards as below her. (The series diverges from the book by making Caroline and Louisa laugh; according to the Wikipedia article on this adaptation, laughter would have been considered impolite in Austen's time). Along with Louisa Hurst, they make the perfect duo of Mean Girls.
Benjamin Whitrow as Mr. Bennet. He BECOMES the character. His eye rolls, sarcastic smiles, and impatience with Mrs. Bennet are perfect; he clearly enjoys pushing her buttons and provoking her for his own entertainment. But most importantly, he clearly loves Elizabeth and shows fatherly concern for her, even though he cannot stand the rest of his family (with the exception of Elizabeth and Jane of course).
Alison Steadman as Mrs. Bennet. At times she gets annoying, with her grating voice and over-excitement, but it fits the character and brings to life Mrs. Bennet's foolishness and "poor nerves." It makes sense why Mr. Bennet cannot stand her and has to run away from her. She also has very vivid facial expressions, like her crazy winking just before Bingley proposes to Jane.
Adrian Lukis as Wickham: he's charming and deceptive. I notice that whenever he talks to Elizabeth, he always looks to the side or to his left as if thinking about which lies to tell (and I read that looking to the left is one of the signs that someone is lying).
David Bamber as Mr. Collins. He's so annoying and gross, with his cringey smile and signature hand wave. I love how can't seem to stand straight because he spends his entire life bowing to his superiors with cringing servility.
Barbara Leigh-Hunt as Lady Catherine de Bourgh: I love how she is super intimidating in this version. Without needing to shout, the changes in her tone of voice show how quickly she can jump from friendly condescension to utter displeasure in a matter of moments.
Side note: Some people claim that Elizabeth and Jane are "fat" in this version. I disagree because Regency Era beauty standards were different from today's; a lot of paintings from the time period show women who would be considered "plump" today (big chests and round arms). In general, skinny bodies didn't become popular until the 1920s, 1960s and 1970s, and 2000s. Please be careful when using modern beauty standards to judge period dramas.
PLOT AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
The script (written by Andrew Davies) emphasizes the connection between money and social status, as well as the importance of family connections. Thus we can see where Darcy's social prejudice comes from and how challenging it is for him to overcome, since he is the product of this culture and is surrounded by people who preach these values. One of the things I noticed when reading the novel was how rigidly the characters adhered to social norms and etiquette; the characters are trapped in prescribed spheres which they can't move beyond unless they have high social status or gain wealth/family connections.
A lot of events or character observations are unspoken/hidden in plain sight, which makes the book difficult to adapt to the screen. The majority of the book contains Austen's snarky commentary on the characters, interspersed with Elizabeth's personal thoughts on the people she meets. To develop the characters while maintaining the feel of the book, the script contains lots of added dialogue not in the book, which effectively incorporates Austen's humor to the story without the need for a narrator.
The secondary characters are further developed and get more dialogue and other added scenes; their traits are exaggerated (ex. the mother being even more hysterical than in the book and Caroline looking rather ugly) in order to increase the comedy. Below are my favorite added scenes featuring secondary characters:
Elizabeth and Mary at the assembly ball: Mary asserts that balls are boring since "the rewards of observation and reflection are much greater." Elizabeth sarcastically responds that "We shall all have to be philosophers" in order to gain anything from "observation and reflection."
Every scene with Mr. Hurst in it. He's fat and he's always drinking, eating, or snoring loudly; it really brings home how lazy these otherwise "refined" people are.
Interviewing Jane: This scene shows just how fabulously evil Caroline Bingley is; right after Jane arrives at Netherfield from the rain, she questions Jane about her inferior family connections, sneering as her negative opinion about Jane is confirmed. Not until Jane succumbs to a fever does she stop her interrogation.
Lydia and Wickham after the elopement: Lydia often begs Wickham to go out for fun in the town, and he has to keep giving her false promises while he attempts to settle his debts. While we realize that she is a fool for running off with a deceptive liar, we feel pity for her because she is an innocent girl who succumbed to sexual infatuation and now has to pay the price for it by being married to someone who might not care for her.
Mrs Phillips has news of Wickham: While Mrs. Bennet is mourning over Lydia's elopement with Wickham and succumbing to hysterics, Mrs. Phillips rushes over to Longbourn to report that Wickham has lots of debts and was evil. Through the power of hindsight bias, they agree they knew of Wickham's evil nature from the start and they bemoan their misfortunes. It's a perfect translation of this passage from the book, with Mrs. Phillips standing in for the village:
"All Meryton seemed striving to blacken [Wickham], who but three months before, had been almost an angel of light. He was declared to be in debt to every tradesman in the place, and his intrigues, all honoured with the title of seduction, had been extended into every tradesman's family. Every body declared that he was the wickedest young man in the world; and every body began to find out, that they had always distrusted the appearance of his goodness."
My favorite non-romance scenes from the miniseries:
The opening: this scene, which isn't in the book, begins with two men (later revealed to be Bingley and Darcy) riding across the countryside to inspect Netherfield Park. The dialogue is quite interesting, as it is a glimpse of the friendship between the two men. Bingley is eager to move in to the house immediately, but still needs Darcy's advice; Darcy tells him that country people don't have polished manners and characterizes the country as "savage" (fits with his social snobbery and his later remark, in the book, that "even savages can dance"). The camera then cuts to Elizabeth alone watching the men (because she is the main character, after all), and her exuberant skipping back home reveals her unconventionality (though she is careful to do so when no one is looking, in keeping with the rules of propriety).
Introducing the Bennets: This scene reveals so much about the Bennet family dynamics. I love the contrast between the elegant house and the shouting and fracas inside. Our first glimpse of the family is of an argument between Kitty and Lydia over a mere bonnet. Mrs. Bennet is in hysterics and Kitty complains about Lydia being the favorite child; Mr. Bennet rolls his eyes with annoyance while reading his book. Elizabeth stops by the window, safe from the chaos within, and smiles knowingly at him. Mary looks on disapprovingly and gives a lecture about misfortunes as a learning lesson. On the way to the church, while Mrs. Bennet eagerly reports Bingley's wealth of 5,000 pounds, Elizabeth replies with the famous opening lines of the book: "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man with a large fortune must be in want of a wife."
Mr. Bennet did call on Mr. Bingley: Mr. Bennet, while casually reading a newspaper, manipulates Mrs. Bennet into complaining and crying over Mr. Bingley. Once he reveals that he did visit Bingley, Mrs. Bennet does a full 180 (her mood swings in this version are on point) and starts leaping for joy, even giving Mr. Bennet kisses while he rolls his eyes. She even dances a jig with Kitty and Lydia (who both take after their mother in their attraction to redcoats). Lydia, being self-centered, starts complaining: "Lord I'm so hungry!"
The assembly ball: There isn't much dialogue in the book for this scene apart from Bingley attempting to convince Darcy to dance, prompting him to deliver the famous "she is tolerable" insult; most of the dialogue before it is added by the scriptwriters and perfectly complements Austen's satirical style, while linking social status to wealth. Elizabeth sarcastically observes that "the rich can afford to give offence wherever they go" and that Darcy might not be "quite so handsome if he was not quite so rich." Mrs. Bennet also misreads Darcy by encouraging him to dance, while he coldly replies that he rarely dances. Meanwhile, Darcy looks disgusted with the party yet quietly amused at Bingley having fun until he hears Mrs. Bennet trash talking him.
Dinner with Mr. Collins: Mr. Bennet is clearly enjoying himself by getting Mr. Collins to spew out more nonsense and Elizabeth can barely contain her laughter and has to hide her face behind her cloth napkin.
The mortifying dance with Mr. Collins: This version makes Collins even worse at dancing and he's so bad at it to the point that Elizabeth has to tell Mr. Collins which way to move. The best part is that Darcy is smirking while quietly observing it all, reinforcing his similarity to Elizabeth in that they both are amused by idiots (I love this little smirk as it's a brief moment where Darcy isn't wearing his mask of pride and conceit). Great acting as we see Darcy, while pacing the room, slip back into his proud facade when looking at the rest of the attendees at the Netherfield ball.
The Bennet family is improper: Mrs. Bennet makes the most absurd faces as she loudly talks about her plans for her daughters to snag rich husbands. Lydia and Kitty chase the officers and Lydia gets a brilliant one-liner: "Lord I'm so fagged!" which sums up her impetuous personality. Mary sings terribly about a dead sleeping beauty and (this part isn't in the book) Louisa aggressively shows off her superior playing skills by playing Mozart's Rondo Alla Turca extremely rapidly. It's so entertaining to read Austen's stories because of her female bullies; they are mean because they use their talents and "good breeding" to shame others. Elizabeth meanwhile sighs with embarrassment; only Jane and Bingley are happy together, oblivious to the horror surrounding them.
Mr. Collins introduces himself to Darcy: As Collins bows obsequiously, Darcy gives him an epic stare of death. Collins fails to get the signal to go away, and Darcy becomes very impolite (in the book he still bows to Mr. Collins in spite of his displeasure) and walks past the insignificant Mr. Collins, who looks after him still in awe.
Charlotte's married life: I love how the scriptwriter caught the implication of Charlotte keeping Mr. Collins outside through some added dialogue not in the book; Charlotte comments that "a whole day passes in which we have not spent more than a few minutes in each other's company" and that she "can bear the solitude very cheerfully." Here's the passage from the book:
..."Charlotte talked of the healthfulness of the exercise, and owned that she encouraged it as much as possible...When Mr. Collins could be forgotten, there really was a great air of comfort throughout, and by Charlotte's evident enjoyment of it, Elizabeth supposed he must be often forgotten."
First introduction to Lady Catherine de Bourgh: Lady Catherine sits on a golden throne while surveying her subjects with a hawkish look in her eyes. The overly grand and formal music perfectly complements her intimidating air. After happily recalling someone's gratefulness to her, she looks at Elizabeth with a scowl on her face, and her voice changes from joyful to harsh and condescending ("yes...yes.").
Confronting Wickham: Elizabeth counters Wickham while stealthily sipping tea (there is a lot of passive-aggressive tea drinking in this show) by telling him that she likes Darcy in spite of Wickham's attempts to slander him. Wickham is surprised but hides behind his charming fake smile.
Elizabeth meets Georgiana: Both of them are wearing light blue (foreshadowing of their close relationship). Georgiana is actually shy and bashful here like in the book; she looks downward and often turns to Darcy before she talks.
Caroline attempting to insult Elizabeth behind her back: After Elizabeth leaves Pemberley, Caroline points out how ugly Elizabeth is. I love how uncomfortable Bingley is this whole time, while doing nothing to stop Caroline, and Darcy is hiding his anger by sipping on some wine before he finally gets mad and burns Caroline ("it has been many months now that I have considered her one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance"). It gets even better; he literally goes back to the piano where Elizabeth played, followed by his dogs (a dog person is a good person). We then get treated to brooding Darcy by the fireplace (yes they definitely exaggerated the angst but I love it anyways).
Caroline insults Elizabeth behind her back yet again and Darcy can't take it: In this added scene after Lydia's elopement, Darcy, with an unhappy look on his face, is all alone at Pemberley with the Bingleys and the Hursts and missing Elizabeth. Caroline taunts him by asking if he misses Elizabeth; after losing his composure ("what?!") he cannot contain himself and storms out of the room.
Mrs. Bennet's epic meltdown: I know some people complain that this Mrs. Bennet is too exaggerated, but her hysterics in this version are the best. Her screaming and crying combined with her blaming everyone but herself make the scene even more comical.
Mr. Collins pays a visit: After hearing of the elopement, Mr. Collins visits the Bennets to tell them he's sorry about their situation but cruelly reminds them that they brought the misfortune upon themselves and that it would be better if Lydia had died. In the book, Mr. Collins confines his reaction to a letter, but having him personally come over adds further insult to the injury, because he shows visible happiness at having avoided the unfortunate connection.
Confronting Wickham yet again: Elizabeth subtly implies to Wickham that she knows he lied to her when alluding to his false claim that he wanted to be a clergyman. He is at a loss for words and Elizabeth decides to end it by giving him a warm but sarcastic smile (queen of awkward social situations) and reminding him that they are "brother and sister" after all.
Bingley asks Darcy for his blessing. Another glimpse of the Darcy/Bingley friendship which isn't in the book. Darcy apologizes for separating Bingley from Jane and Bingley, still dependent on Darcy, asks for Darcy's blessing before Darcy, with a smile on his face, encourages Bingley to go after Jane. Could this have inspired the similar scene in the 2005 movie where Bingley and Darcy practice proposing?
Some first-time readers of Pride and Prejudice/Jane Austen novels tend to get frustrated because her stories have been characterized as passionate romances, so they come expecting palpitations of the heart and stolen kisses, only to be disappointed when the characters act in a restrained manner (and then they unjustly dub it as “wooden acting”), in keeping with the etiquette of the time. In Pride and Prejudice, Austen in general doesn't get very detailed about the emotions Elizabeth and Darcy feel; she often leaves the reader with descriptions of their outward appearance (ex. "blushing" or "pale") to let them imagine their emotions. In fact, some argue that she is wary of excessive passion; after all, Lydia's eloping with Wickham is seen in a very negative light. While Austen's characters do have emotions, in most situations they never let their feelings overpower them completely.
Much of the romance is instead developed through dialogue (witty conversations), in which Darcy and Elizabeth trade barbs but veil their affection. Unfortunately, because the dialogue is written in 19th century language, it is harder to interpret compared to emotions, and it's easy to miss the subtle nuances that are within these conversations. As a result, one needs to read "between the lines" and without historical or literary context, or familiarity with the book, it's difficult to do so. In order to develop the romantic relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth, the show relies on repressed emotions and nonverbal cues so that it can incorporate the original dialogue from the book while still giving the audience hints that they are falling in love with each other. Most communication is nonverbal after all, so this reduces the challenge posed by the language barrier.
In general, Austen's view of love is more altruistic than passionate; her romantic heroes are attractive in large part because they are selfless. After all, Darcy does prove his love for Elizabeth by helping Wickham marry Lydia to save her social reputation. Love is proven not through an outburst of emotions or consummation of desire but through acts of kindness towards the loved one.
The show also includes lots of additional Darcy scenes that are not in the book. Through these scenes (combined with the Darcy/Elizabeth scenes from the book) the audience gets to see Darcy slowly fall for Elizabeth from the very first moment he notices her and observe how he faces the conflict between his social prejudice and growing affection for Elizabeth. What this adaptation gets right is the tension between unconscious emotions/passion and the outward facade, as conveyed through Firth's eye acting. This conflict is an essential part of Darcy's character development; up until he makes his first proposal to Elizabeth, his growing attraction to her is only hinted at through occasional lapses in his self-control. The show makes it even more obvious that Darcy is in love with Elizabeth with the added scenes, where he is alone with his feelings. By making Darcy more vulnerable, the audience gets to question the validity of Elizabeth's prejudice while seeing Darcy as a human being rather than a statue.
Now onto Elizabeth, since the whole romance discussion tends to focus a lot on Darcy. Elizabeth's love for Darcy is less obvious, especially since she is absorbed with her hatred of him for the first half of the novel. The process of her falling in love with him is less dramatic than Darcy's intense stares. For much of the book, she remains unaware that she loves him, until she visits Pemberley, which has created the misconception that she's a gold digger. In fact, she goes through several phases before realizing that she loves Darcy: Respect, esteem, and trust. After reading Darcy's letter, she forms a grudging respect for Darcy by taking his word over Wickham's; in short, she gives him credibility but she doesn't quite like him as a person yet. Her friendship with Darcy is formed at Pemberley; only when they are "far from the madding crowd" can Darcy reveal his true self. Now that she respects and esteems Darcy, she unconsciously decides that she can trust him with the shameful news of Lydia's elopement, connecting them together with the secret knowledge of Wickham's true character. Only when she's about to lose Darcy and worries that his good opinion of her is lost, combined with her realization that he's her equal, does she conclude that she loves him (and this is the same in the miniseries as in the book). This seemingly logical process may be "unromantic" to a modern reader, especially compared to Darcy's emotional turmoil, but it represents Elizabeth's beliefs about marriage in action; after all she states that "only the deepest love would induce her into matrimony" and she also wants to avoid "a marriage in which either partner cannot respect the other." Given her hasty judgment earlier, she goes through a long process of evaluating her future partner's character (as well as considering her feelings) before she commits to this significant decision to marry. Thus, when she does decide to marry, it is a victory for mind as well as heart; the marriage will be a source of personal growth for both her and Darcy:
"...by her ease and liveliness, his mind might have been softened, his manners improved, and from his judgment, information, and knowledge of the world, she must have received benefit of greater importance."
Now onto the romance scenes and how they do justice to the book:
"She is tolerable." I love how Elizabeth is eagerly listening to Bingley unsuccessfully attempting to convince Darcy to dance with a smile on her face. After Darcy insults her as "tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me," she is bold and walks past him with a knowing smile on her face. He looks back at her eagerly sharing the story to the amusement of her friends and his interest in her starts.
The Lucas' ball: Darcy's staring is at peak intensity here (in real life this would probably be creepy but it's entertaining to watch). While Elizabeth is talking to Charlotte, with Charlotte taking notice of Darcy's staring at Elizabeth, he magically appears out of nowhere to do exactly that. The angry yet intense yearning in his eyes perfectly encapsulates this bit from the book, which comes right after Austen reveals that Darcy has started paying attention to Elizabeth: "Mr Darcy stood... in silent indignation at such a mode of passing the evening."
Darcy's offer to dance rebuffed by Elizabeth: Poor Darcy, his flirting skills suck. I love how he still appears very stiff and formal here ("all politeness" as Elizabeth saucily proclaims him), even as he states that "he would be happy" if Elizabeth would dance with him. Elizabeth is at the peak of her sarcastic powers here when rejecting him with a smile on her face and sparkling eyes.
"I have been admiring Elizabeth's fine eyes:" Caroline attempts to bother Darcy and as usual complains about how unsophisticated the country people are. Meanwhile, Darcy is still staring at Elizabeth, except that his face has become gentler and he betrays the hint of a smile. He even teases Caroline so that she will leave him alone.
Darcy playing billiards: In this added scene, Elizabeth runs into Darcy in the billiards room by himself (what a loner). He bows to her but she doesn't curtsy back as expected and runs out of the room because she hates him so much. He meanwhile tries to focus on the game after she leaves to get her out of his thoughts.
“Accomplished woman" scene: It's hilarious how Caroline is only pretending to read to flatter Darcy, and when Elizabeth makes her snarky comment pointing out how ridiculous the definition of an "accomplished woman" is, Darcy gives her the most intense staring ever like he's trying to seduce her (and somehow she's still oblivious to it all, like how?).
"Let us take a turn about the room." Darcy has a playful look in his eyes but still hides behind his mask of reserve. He and Elizabeth have an intense exchange where both shrewdly point out the flaws of the other person and I love how they both can't keep their eyes from each other. Caroline notices the situation and attempts to distract them by playing some really fast piano music so that Darcy will focus on her (what an ego Caroline has).
The bath scene: what a blatant attempt to make Darcy a sex idol (but it's really subtle so I wasn't too offended). We get a nice glimpse of his shoulders and while he's in the bathroom he stares at Elizabeth playing with a dog (in this adaptation they're both dog people so they'll totally get along).
The dance at Netherfield: Once again Darcy attempts to ask Elizabeth to dance with him and he actually succeeds. Meanwhile, Elizabeth is absolutely pissed off that she couldn't find an excuse to say no; love how she huffs, puffs, rolls her eyes, and vents to Charlotte. When the dance comes, the two are filmed as adversaries going to war. I love that there is a very long moment of awkward silence between them as Elizabeth is frustrated with Darcy and trying to figure him out. Luckily, the majority of the dialogue is included, even the part about Elizabeth trying to sketch Darcy's character. However, this is one of my least favorite Darcy and Elizabeth scenes because the dance is overly formal. The music itself is from the 17th century and likely would not have been used in the Regency Era. If you don't pay attention to the dialogue or haven't read the book before it's easy to see how one might perceive this scene to be boring and the acting to be stiff.
"Why does Darcy stare at me?" This is the first time we meet Colonel Fitzwilliam. I've seen lots of comments that he's quite good-looking in this version, and I wonder if this was done purposefully so that he'd be a romantic rival to Darcy. Back to the scene. After Elizabeth meets Darcy again at Rosings, Darcy does another round of intense staring and Elizabeth finally notices his gaze upon her; he looks away with embarrassment at being found out. She misreads his interest and remains insistent that he's her "severest critic." He meanwhile tries and fails to make small talk with her before giving up and staring out the window (his default response to getting out of social situations).
Playing the piano at Rosings: Lady Catherine can't stop talking (what a busybody) and Darcy heads over to the adjoining room, where Elizabeth is playing. Elizabeth, with an "arch" expression in her eyes, asks if Darcy has come to intimidate her, he is amused and tells her that she takes delight in "professing opinions which are not your own." It's interesting how he fidgets with his ring while telling Elizabeth he's "not afraid" of her, betraying his nervousness. I love this scene because it's one of the few times where Darcy's mask slips off; his eyes look gentle here and he has the hint of a smile. When Elizabeth asks him why he's "ill qualified to recommend himself to strangers" he stumbles a little before telling her he can't "converse easily" with them. Finally, Lady Catherine insists on having a part in the conversation, and Darcy rolls his eyes before returning to her.
I like comparing the Rosings piano scene to its equivalent in the 2005 movie because the Darcy actors show their social awkwardness in different ways. Macfadyen's Darcy is more gentle and has zero ability to talk to people, while Firth's Darcy is too intelligent for people to appreciate his wit and just stays away from them because he can't hide his utter disgust at their idiocy. I personally feel like disgust is closer to book Darcy. After all, Elizabeth does observe to him that "[his] defect is a propensity to hate every body."
Darcy pays a visit: I love how there is a moment of awkward silence while the two are socially distanced. Even better is when they share a knowing glance over Mr. Collins taking pleasure in Lady Catherine's designs for his comfortable house. It's another moment where Darcy almost lets his guard down, even asking if Elizabeth would like to escape Longbourn (ulterior motives), but hurriedly exits when he gets nervous.
The first proposal: Darcy comes into the room hurriedly with none of his usual composure and then paces the room like a caged animal before he cannot contain himself any longer and spontaneously declares his love for Elizabeth. It's significant that the proposal takes place indoors, because it signifies that Darcy hasn't abandoned his social prejudices yet (plus the house was designed by Lady Catherine). Some people have commented on the significance of the mirror (cold, unwelcoming) and fireplace (passion) as a representation of Darcy's conflict between his outer facade and inner self.
Interestingly, Austen gives Darcy little dialogue except for the opening "in vain I have struggled," instead telling us that he dwells on the inferiority of Elizabeth's connections. Below is the added dialogue from the show. I love how it remains overly stiff and formal (because Darcy can't express himself well without using formality) while making it clear that Darcy still cannot let go of his social prejudice and is proposing for the selfish reason of relieving his own pain (not romantic).
"In declaring myself thus, I am fully aware that I will be going expressly against the wishes of my family, my friends, and I hardly need add, my own better judgment. The relative situation of our families is such that any alliance between us must be regarded as a highly reprehensible connection. Indeed, as a rational man, I cannot help but regard it as such myself, but it cannot be helped. Almost from the earliest moments of our acquaintance, I have come to feel for you a most passionate admiration and regard, which, despite all my struggles, has overcome every rational objection, and I beg you, most fervently, to relieve my suffering and consent to be my wife."
Some people complain that Firth is too stiff during the first proposal, because at times he lapses back into his expressionless mask, especially when he starts pacing the room again while Elizabeth rejects him. But here's a passage from the book proving that Darcy does not give into his passion, undercutting the truth of his words: "He spoke of apprehension and anxiety, but his countenance expressed real security."
The best part of the first proposal is how the emotions gradually escalate and the characters struggle to veil their emotions behind formality. Elizabeth gets angrier until she is almost shouting at Darcy and he gets very defensive and starts claiming he's the victim, that he's suffering for love and because he's so ethical decided to tell her instead of hiding it from her. It calls to mind this particular passage from the book: "[Mr. Darcy's] complexion became pale with anger, and the disturbance of his mind was visible in every feature." I love how shocked he is when she rejects him forcefully, but luckily he redeems himself by exiting gracefully.
The letter: I really like the creative use of the voice overs as Darcy storms back to Rosings after his disastrous proposal and Elizabeth, overwhelmed with what has just happened to her, cries alone. They both have to acknowledge the criticisms that each has made of the other and they aren't ready to do so yet because they're still trapped in resentment of the other person. It's great that Darcy is shown to be angry when writing the letter, which he admits to Elizabeth much later after they are engaged. Lady Catherine, meddlesome as usual is calling after Darcy when he gets back and he slams the door of his bedroom in order to get some alone time. I also like how the miniseries gives us this additional scene of Darcy writing his letter and shows us that defending himself in writing is an exhausting process for him; the scene ends with a view of his desk, with lots of crumpled paper and broken feather tips smeared in ink.
Elizabeth's reaction to the letter. I like how this adaptation shows that the process of confronting her prejudice of Darcy is emotionally draining. When she first reads the letter, she still hates Darcy and spews out her anger. Then she re-reads the letter and starts to see things from his perspective. The flashbacks are great since Elizabeth does confront her "picture" of Wickham while reading the letter: "She could see him instantly before her, in every charm of air and address; but she could remember no more substantial good than the general approbation of the neighborhood." They also show that she does re-read the letter multiple times, unlike in other versions where she only reads it once and immediately overcomes her prejudice. To replace the inner monologue, Elizabeth confides all in Jane, revealing that "till that moment, I never knew myself."
"I will conquer this!" Another scene where Darcy struggles with his angst and can't forget about Elizabeth even while fencing.
Visiting Pemberley: I like the slow reveal of the house, there are lots of gorgeous shots of trees and nature before we see Pemberley. Lyme Park totally matches my mental image of Pemberley; the grounds are less formal and the house is perfectly nestled in a grove of old trees. The inside, while lavish, feels more cozy than Rosings or Netherfield. Also, there's some added dramatic irony when the aunt and uncle comment that the mistress of Pemberley will "not likely be anyone we know." Unfortunately the adaptation omits Elizabeth's realization that Darcy's social prejudice would have cut her off from her aunt and uncle had she accepted his first proposal; instead she seems to be sad that the house isn't hers.
The lake scene: Darcy gives into his angst; he takes off the suffocating cravat and stiff waistcoat to dive into his personal lake (and of course we know this didn't happen in the book). Darcy's swim is interspersed with views of Elizabeth admiring Darcy's portrait, indicating that both of them are starting to truly respect or love each other. Since Elizabeth rejected him, Darcy has been trying to purge his feelings for Elizabeth, intensifying his conflict between propriety and his heart. Diving into the lake is a figurative baptism in which his social prejudices are washed away, and he finally accepts that his love for Elizabeth is not sinful. Meanwhile, Elizabeth is starting to find the good in Darcy by contemplating his portrait (which is a literal metaphor for his character). Not only does she respect him (as I alluded to earlier) she now esteems him as a friend. She finally uncovers the man behind the cravat and regrets her misreading of him. And now we come to the wet shirt part; Darcy has been stripped of his outer armor, increasing the embarrassment once he unexpectedly runs into Elizabeth. The embarrassment is palpable because they both lose control and are at a loss for words, now that the rules of social propriety have been broken (the wet shirt); he asks after her family twice before abruptly ending the conversation. The scene is even funnier when Elizabeth throws up her hands attempts to run as far away from Pemberley as possible, her aunt and uncle trailing after her.
Darcy's garden tour: I love this scene because it highlights Darcy's transformation; he is less reserved and starts to break the ice with Elizabeth after getting over the embarrassment of seeing her in his wet shirt. Darcy's green outfit, in contrast with his usual black, emphasizes that he's comfortable in his own surroundings while still retaining his signature stateliness. One of my favorite moments of this miniseries is when Darcy is in a rush to find Elizabeth and show her around his house. When he nervously asks if she likes Pemberley and she affirms that she does, he smiles (one of the rare times he does so) and compliments her: "But your good opinion is rarely bestowed and therefore more worth the earning." Most importantly, he gets to show off his newfound social skills (surprising Elizabeth) and be a good host. The best part is when he helps Elizabeth into the carriage and then waits at the side of the road for her to look back at him and she looks back at him with a smile on her face.
The look of love: This is the best romantic scene in this miniseries and it makes me smile every time I watch Darcy admire Elizabeth's playing. The song choice is great--I read that it's from The Marriage of Figaro (18th-century opera) and it's about the "sorrow and pain" caused by "Love's sweet spell" that "naught can dispel." Darcy is looking at Elizabeth with extreme admiration, with a slight smile (as opposed to his usual "taciturn disposition") as she is playing the piano with Georgiana. Without saying a word, the joy in Darcy's eyes speaks to the depth of his love for Elizabeth, even after she rejected him (the acting is that good). Meanwhile, Caroline, completely oblivious to it all, attempts to insult Elizabeth by asking her if she misses Wickham. Georgiana is perturbed, Darcy is about to impulsively jump off his sofa, and Elizabeth, queen of polite escapes from embarrassment, helps Georgiana play. Elizabeth then senses Darcy's admiring gaze upon her and smiles back at him, reciprocating his feelings. In fact, this does happen in the book, though some liberties are taken to heighten the romantic tension (the piano music, Caroline being so impolite as to mention Wickham by name, Darcy's earlier admiration of Elizabeth). Here's the passage, which makes me appreciate how wonderfully this moment has been translated on film:
"'Pray, Miss Eliza, are not the --shire militia removed from Meryton? They must be a great loss to your family.' ...[Caroline] dared not mention Wickham's name; but Elizabeth instantly comprehended that he was uppermost in her thoughts... to repel the ill-natured attack, she presently answered the question in a tolerably disengaged tone. While she spoke, an involuntary glance shewed her Darcy with an heightened complexion, earnestly looking at her, and his sister overcome with confusion, and unable to lift up her eyes."
Darcy dresses with care: in this brief moment (not in the book) just before he rushes to the inn where Elizabeth is staying, Darcy purposely picks his green jacket instead of his customary black. It makes me think that he was going to propose to Elizabeth that day if bad things hadn't happened (dun dun dun!).
Lydia has eloped: This is the only adaptation to get this scene right. It's unfortunate how this moment is shortened in other adaptations, because it furthers the bond Elizabeth and Darcy have (connected by knowledge of Wickham's true character) while presenting Darcy with a test to prove his love for Elizabeth; it's even more significant that they are alone together. Elizabeth confiding in Darcy is an important sign that Elizabeth trusts Darcy. When combined with the earlier "look of love," it's further proof that Darcy still loves Elizabeth; his concern for her takes over his usual composure as he attempts to console her. Darcy even holds Elizabeth's hands in a departure from social propriety (in the book it says he could only look at her sympathetically). It's also the first time where Elizabeth loses control; she cannot compose herself enough to convincingly evade Darcy's questions and is forced to tell him the truth. When Darcy is about to leave (and he even looks back at her!), the romantic tension is heightened when Elizabeth realizes that she regrets telling him the truth, as she will never see him again.
The second proposal: at first I was disappointed because it wasn’t what I was expecting. I kept thinking to myself, “why don’t they kiss or hold hands?” Why isn’t there an explosion of passion, especially after we’ve been treated to some intense staring and longing? But this moment is beautiful in its own way. Darcy and Elizabeth don’t need grand declarations of love; they implicitly know they can trust and respect each other as equals. They both agree to forget about their past disagreements and now that they are free of “pride and prejudice” they can now love each other fully. In fact, the last few chapters up until the wedding are of them learning about each other through many spirited conversations, and Austen emphasizes that their process of personal growth is ongoing and will continue even after they are married; after all, Darcy "had yet to learn to be laught at, and it was rather too early to begin." Finally, "dearest, loveliest Elizabeth" will always be superior to "Mrs. Darcy;" it's more affectionate because he calls her by her first name after being forced by formality to address her as "Miss Bennet," and it affirms Elizabeth's individuality, in contrast with "Mrs. Darcy."
Below are some things I didn't like. The first half of this section contains minor nitpicks while the rest of it is my opinion on why Episode 6 is the weakest part of the show.
The floating Darcy head. At the beginning of episode 4 when Elizabeth is reminiscing about the failed proposal his face magically sprouts from a tree as she is observing the countryside. Then in episode 5 the floating head appears in her mirror. I think the Darcy voice over would have been enough; these weird “special effects” aren’t needed and are distracting.
The ridiculous worship of the wet shirt. I feel zero sexual attraction to the wet shirt and I don’t know why some people reduce Colin Firth's amazing performance down to "he was so hot in the wet shirt." The wet shirt religion has started an unfortunate trend in which many Austen adaptations have included the male heroes in wet shirts in a cheap attempt to appeal to the women. I bet Jane Austen is rolling in her grave at all the Austen adaptations in which the male hero is in a wet shirt. Whoever thinks wet shirts make her male heroes attractive is idiotic; we like Austen's heroes because they are good people and not because they wear wet shirts.
The engagement period isn't included: after Darcy and Elizabeth get engaged, they have to survive several months in Meryton before they can escape to Pemberley. This would have been a great opportunity for more comedic laughs that weren't included in the show:
Mrs. Bennet overcome with joy after finding out that Elizabeth has agreed to marry Darcy. In the book, Mrs. Bennet's negative opinion of Darcy immediately becomes positive and she crows about Elizabeth's material wealth.
Mr. Collins congratulating Elizabeth and Darcy: in the book, it says Darcy bore this as best as he could before shrugging when Collins was out of the room. It would have been fun to see Darcy and Elizabeth laughing over this secretly or exchanging knowing glances.
Elizabeth trying to keep Darcy to herself. After their engagement, they would likely have been invited to lots of balls, which would have tested Darcy's good manners. She knows he can't stand the villagers, so she has to keep him away from tiresome people. Imagine a montage of Elizabeth and Darcy trying to run away from people they dislike; it would be super funny.
The double wedding: I hate wedding scenes (with the exception of the one from The Princess Bride) because they are anti-climactic; now that our couple or couples is/are together the story's over, which disappoints me. Also the kiss is not very good (I suppose the top hat and bonnet got in the way).
Here's why I don't think the show should have ended with a wedding. In the last chapter of the novel Austen only dedicates ONE sentence to the wedding; she basically tells us there was a double wedding but moves on to life after the wedding. It would have been more interesting (and more faithful to the novel) to have a glimpse of what happens to the Darcys and Bingleys after their weddings. After all, Austen focuses on marriages (two people living together) rather than weddings (formal ceremony). She focuses on the marriage as a source of personal growth, since Elizabeth helps Georgiana become a more confident person, but is realistic in that the marriage isn't all smooth sailing; after all, the Darcys and Bingleys still need to deal with their troublesome relations. It doesn't make sense that this adaptation, which successfully translates a complex novel to film while adding something new to it ends an unconventional (for the time) romance with a conventional wedding.
This adaptation is amazing because it balances faithfulness to the story with creativity. It effectively focuses on the central themes of the novel without over-simplifying the material and focuses on historical accuracy to paint a detailed picture of Regency era society through Austen's eyes. Most importantly the acting and the comedy are excellent; this is more than a filmed version of the book.
The miniseries means a lot to me because I have learned a lot about the novel through watching it and reading other fans' comments about the show. There was so much about the novel that I didn't understand or know about and it was an absolute delight to re-visit various parts of the book that appeared on the show.
Thanks for your patience in making it this far; this post was an absolute monster to write. I clearly love this show and the story too much (as shown by the corny title) and I wanted to share some of the love with you.
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