Pride and Prejudice

[Deleted]

I just saw a few clips from this film. I already know that it won't touch the bbc version. I could see just from my clips that there was that silly girlish giggling that everyone talked about. Kiera just doesn't give her character a mature enough of an air. Elizabeth Bennet was a very mature woman and insightful for her age, that's what made her stand out so much. She had a playful disposition, but not gigglish like they showed her here.

[realitybug]

I like the previews. I'm going to see it.

[Deleted]

I just saw a long preview for P&P on a DVD that I just watched.

Overall impressions - it seemed to me that they were playing the "gotta get a husband" thing very broadly, including showing someone throwing their hankie in front of someone.

The house that I took to be Pemberly looked beautiful, from a distance, lit up at night - rather dreamy.

Unfortunately, I still thought that KK looked somewhat grimy in one scene - her hair looked dirty, etc.

I'll be seeing it simply because I've seen the other versions and won't pass up to watch a Jane Austen on film.

[heavenwithagun]

queensix said:

The locations were gorgeous and I liked KK in this. The clothes didn't do anything for her though. I know they were going for a less glam look but it was like putting her in shapeless sacks because the girl has no chest and is very skinny. She looked very dowdy in some scenes with her ill fitting clothes. Sometimes Mary looked better dressed. Mary! For crying out loud!

HaHa. Austen must have had a Mary (possibly a real sister) in her life, a Mary (supposed to be irritating but almost my favorite character) figures prominently in her Persuasion.

Anyway, another rave for Keira.

[magazinewhore]

I quite enjoyed it. The BBC version will always be the holy grail for me, but KK was charming. I was especially impressed by McFayden as Darcy. He was very good. And yummy. He is a hot man. What else has he been in?

[queensix]

I was bemoaning the lack of smoochies at the end of P&P between Lizzy and Darcy to my cousin in Boston when she informed me that there was a kiss between them when she saw it.
What's the deal with that? I'm wondering at what the reasoning was for having a different endings for the UK and the US version. Makes no sense to me really. In fact, I feel quite giped. A romantic costume drama is no good to me without smoochies at the end. Sadly, that's just the way I am. This is the BBC adaptation of 'Wives & Daughters' all over again, they had no smoochies at the end of that either. Bah.

[magazinewhore]

Wait a minute, he kissed her forehead, but that's all I got (here in the US). Damnit. I want the full version too!

[Deleted]

Wow I saw it on Friday and I am really not getting why people are raving "Oscar!" for Keira. Maybe because expectations are lower for her, so anything that is decent is a pleasant surprise? I had no opinion of her (except I hate her teeth and the way she talks) and I liked her more after seeing P&P. However, I thought the performance was good. Not terrific, but acceptable. Like someone beforehand said, her constant random giggling was annoying after the 5th time. The teeth still bugged. And she really needed a good push-up bra.

I didn't like most of the casting, especially Mr. Darcy. They messed aroung with some of the dialogue and cut some important bits. It really can't live up to the BBC version. However, I thought Jane was better in this adaptation than the BBC version.

Who was the actor playing Darcy? He was NO Colin Firth. The scene when he professes his love for Lizzie was bad. It sounded like he was trying to get the entire monologue out in one breath.

And GOD. The last minute of the American version was horrible. Me and my friends were cringing, it as so bad.

Overall, it was enjoyable and I would defintely watch it again. It had some good comedic moments, especially with Mr. Collins. Just don't expect it to come close to the BBC version.

[Deleted]

I am a huge fan of the 95 version and that didn't stop me from absolutely loving this film. It has such a different look (sorry for doubting you, Joe Wright) and feel that it didn't really invite comparisons. I thought that Keira and Matthew MadFadyen were both wonderful. He, especially, blew me away. His Darcy was quite different from Firth's. He seemed at times, genuinely socially awkward and I found that to be completely endearing.

When I saw it (in Boston) there was a kissing scene at the end. It was slightly cringe-worthy but oh-so-welcome (I, too, need kissing in my costume dramas!!!).

As for Matthew MacFadyen, he is/was the lead in the series MI:5 (called Spooks in the UK). It was broadcast on A&E a while ago and the seasons with MacFadyen are now out on DVD. He does quite good work in it as the lead of a team of agents. It isn't the best show ever, but definitely worth the time - especially if you like MacFadyen (I do). However, if you want to see my favorite performance of his, rent The Way We Live Now. It is a Masterpiece Theatre production and he is excellent and hilarious as the dissolute gentleman wastrel who tries to win the hand of the richest girl in town by sexxxing her up. Oh man. The whole mini-series is excellent but MacFadyen's performance is a revelation (I had only seen him play uptight, taciturn characters before seeing this - he is pretty much perfect playing against "type"). His comic timing is flawless and he manages to bring humanity to a pretty despicable character.

[heavenwithagun]

skim said:

They messed aroung with some of the dialogue and cut some important bits. on was horrible. Me and my friends were cringing, it as so bad.

The first version I saw was the Laurence Olivier/Greer Garson one. After seeing the mini-series a few times I got the older version from the library. It moved along a breakneck speed and left out everything but the bare bones. Talk about whiplash. You can't really compare a 5 hour version to a 2 hour version on fidelity to story line. In the 1940 version, in the last scene with Lady Catherine, she was just pressing Lizzie at the request of Darcy to see if she loved him not threatening her as in the BBC (and prob book, which I admit with great embarrassment that I've never read).

The main thing I'm trying to say is that, as someone suggested in one of the NYTimes viewer reviews, fans of the mini-series should leave that version at the door and don't compare, etc. (they used much better words).