It's been an Austen weekend. Jane, that is. The Keira Knightly Pride and Prejudice was on TV the other night, and I found I liked it better this time than last, although I still think what's-his-name is (was) too young to play Darcy. Or maybe it's just that Darcy is so stuffy (really) in the novel, that even though he was only, what, 28 or so, he just seemed older. With all due apologies to non-stuffy men of any age. And what does it say that overwhelmingly Colin Firth is named the best Darcy ever? (I don't know, there was a poll or something.) Regardless of stuffiness or non-stuffiness, he is. Although I could have done with never seeing him play Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones ... really, what was I thinking? I hated the book, I don't like Brit Chick Lit anyway, and yet I not only tried to read the book, I watched the movie. Twice. Blame it on the cosmos (umm, the drinks--plural--not the universe).
So Pride and Prejudice, not at its best, but better than I remembered. No drugs or alcohol to blame that on, so I guess I was overly picky the first time.
Last night, PBS showed part I of II of Sense and Sensibility. The good version, not the Emma Thompson version. Okay, so I AM picky. Sorry, but Eleanor Dashwood is what, 20? Maybe? Years younger than Emma Thompson in the role (note: I love Emma Thompson. She just was a little old to be playing Eleanor Dashwood).
I'm going to stop there, because there's no need to be snarky about any of it, and there's a distinctly 'snarkish' tone to my voice today, for whatever reason. Too much weirdness in the world these days, making Austen the perfect antidote. When I was younger, I wasn't as able to appreciate the ridiculous dance of manners she sent her characters through, but now, some twenty-five (gulp) years after first finding P&P, I find the social commentary--whether she intended it or not--every bit as amusing as the rest of it. Really. Think about it. If you met FitzWilliam Darcy or Edward Ferrers, what would you really think of him? Love at first sight? And why?
Monday, March 31, 2008
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4 comments:
I would have to tease the hell out of Darcy.
I do love Colin Firth as Darcy. and really can't imagine any other.Though I don't mind the Kiera Knightley version, just don't love I.
I've only ever seen the Emma Thompson version of Sense and Sensibility, but I haven't watched it since.(I've read the story many times but Edward isn't Darcy)
No, he's not, is he. And really, what else is there to say? Definitely not the alpha hero type (and Darcy, for all his stuffiness, does come closer to that ...).
I'm with you on Colin Firth - he'll be forever Mr. Darcy in my mind. I watched the newer version twice this week - couldn't help myself. It's such a great work, even if the movie's not as good as the first one, the story is what gets me.
Guess we're on opposite sides of this one. I didn't have any problem with Emma T. as Elinor, at least how she wrote the screenplay.
And as for Matthew MacFadyen--I liked him a lot. You can't really compare the A&E P&P and the new Joe Wright film. Paring Austen down to 2 hours requires a chunk of cutting. That said, I loved the movie, and I think Matthew M. expressed Darcy's physical reality beautifully. The closeup shot of him flexing his hand after he helps Elizabeth into the carriage... *melt*
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