I loved Kiera in Beckham - could not understand why they made her hair so mousy brown in P & J.
It really bothered me in this version that she fell in love with Darcy - only after she sees his mansion, and he bails out her sister. Would she have loved him if he was poor?
I wonder.

Yael:

Mousy brown? Is that how you saw her? Funny, I was enchanted by her glorious smile, her sharp wit. I thought Keira was lovely without being too beautiful. In the movies it's a fine line.

So, you you feel that Lizzie falls in love with Darcy only after she gets a look at Pemberley? You feel that Elizabeth is too much concerned with money, that she's not sufficiently romantic.

Interesting.

Tune in tomorrow, this is exactly what I'll be addressing.

Ah....I'm SO glad you appreciated that swing -- if nothing else in the movie had grabbed me, that would have made it worth watching! What a GREAT imagination the screenwriter (or whoever) had when they set that up....seeing the seasons changing as she languidly spun...just genius. The "dirt" that was so much part of that time was also more faithfully portrayed than in other productions.

In addition, I loved the dancing scenes -- we have recently begun to Contra dance (http://www.sbcds.org/contradance/whatis/) and shortly after seeing the movie, we talked with a "dance historian" at a local event; he said that the new film's dances are much closer to what a country dance would have been like in Jane Austen's time -- the A&E production's dances are much too staid for anything but London or other big stodgy cities.

Anyhow - who can tell when (in the film) she fell in love with Darcy? The enormous advantage (other than Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth) of the A&E production (have you watched it? more than once?) is the time that is available to actually portray the book. In a conventional movie, things have to move along, so that people can get out of there in a couple of hours, or maybe a little more. That was one problem I had with the new movie.

The other was that the speeches were changed here and there, and each time the sensibility changed to be a bit more 21st century, rather than the 18th (or even early 19th). When Elizabeth and Darcy chide each other - she him for his lack of conversation, and he her for her poor piano playing, the very clear sense of "duty" and "obligation" has been removed in the movie. In fairness, I've only seen it once - perhaps it is completely as I recall it. I have a bias for the A&E production.

I had never heard of Keira Knightly before this movie came out -- I was VERY favorably impressed with the acting job she did. Less so with Mr. Darcy....poor guy, though. What an act to have to follow - he seemed quite one-dimensional to me, except in the scene where Elizabeth surprises him with his sister. THAT was terrific.

Donald Sutherland made it VERY clear that Mr. Bennet was not a good father - although he loved his two older daughters. Of course, A&E was pretty clear on that, as well. Mr. Bennet had much to regret.

I want to see the new movie again.

I loved Keira Knightley in this movie, although I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical initially. I think that she falls in love with Darcy *before* the mansion scene, but truthfully, I'm not sure which exact moment you have in mind. I think her pride made her hide her true feelings for quite a while.

Earl:

I'm with you. I need to see the film again to judge it properly.

Again, I'm with you, the dance sequences are great because of their informality. If I recall properly, other adaptations featured dances that are way too formal.

INTERPOLATION:

I have to tell you that I'm a sucker for formal period dancing in movies. There's a moment in "My Darling Clementine" 1946, when Henry Fonda as Wyatt Earp, stiffly and nervously dances with Cathy Downs on the foundations of a church that is absolutely heart stopping.

John Ford usually had one dance sequence in each of his westerns, but this one is magnificent. In the background is the glorious Monument Valley. It's a love song to America and to a kind of courtship that's long gone and forgotten.

END INTERPOLATION:

I have not seen the A&E version for over two years. I should revisit it. I should screen every P & P adaptations and review and compare them all--but I actually have a life.

Irina:

Let me focus the question more narrowly: at what point in the book does Lizzie realize that she has fallen in love with Darcy?

And is this moment in the movie?

Oy, now I'm caught. I've read a book such a long time ago that, well... I don't think I remember. But I don't think that the movie had any specific moment.

In the gallery there were many family portraits, but they could have little to fix the attention of a stranger. Elizabeth walked on in quest of the only face whose features would be known to her. At last it arrested her -- and she beheld a striking resemblance of Mr. Darcy, with such a smile over the face as she remembered to have sometimes seen, when he looked at her. She stood several minutes before the picture in earnest contemplation, and returned to it again before they quitted the gallery. Mrs. Reynolds informed them that it had been taken in his father's life time.

There was certainly at this moment, in Elizabeth's mind, a more gentle sensation towards the original than she had ever felt in the height of their acquaintance. The commendation bestowed on him by Mrs. Reynolds was of no trifling nature. What praise is more valuable than the praise of an intelligent servant? As a brother, a landlord, a master, she considered how many people's happiness were in his guardianship! -- How much of pleasure or pain it was in his power to bestow! -- How much of good or evil must be done by him! Every idea that had been brought forward by the housekeeper was favourable to his character, and as she stood before the canvas, on which he was represented, and fixed his eyes upon herself, she thought of his regard with a deeper sentiment of gratitude than it had ever raised before; she remembered its warmth, and softened its impropriety of expression.

At least, this is the moment I vote for. In any event, I think that once Elizabeth has got to this point, when she meets Mr Darcy again things will take their course fairly quickly - and indeed they do, although they are delayed a bit by Austen putting obstacles in the way to give Mr Darcy the opportunity to really prove that he is worthy of Elizabeth.

That said, I can't remember how well this moment was reflected in the film. One scene that I was struck by in the film as different to how I imagined it in the book was the earlier proposal scene, which was almost the classic Hollywood cliche of the hero and heroine who think they hate one another having a ferocious argument which turns into a passionate kiss once they discover just how much they are enjoying the argument. Of course, in this film we didn't get the kiss, but the argument was of that nature. The scene was much more emotionally naked than I imagine it being in the book.

So I think I imagine Elizabeth in the film figuring these things out slightly earlier than Elizabet in the book.

Re: Ford
I like the ball in "Fort Apache" with its Grand March, to, I think, "Garryowen". And how about the walk to church in "Clementine", with "Shall We Gather at the River?" on the track. Superb.

on P&P - I like the early '80's Masterpiece Theater adaptation best. Heresy, I know, but there it is...

I always think of the Greer Garson, Lawrence Olivier version as feeling far more like Dickens than like Austen. There is a certain internal send up of the characters that is far broader than Austen's subtle wit.

I think she fell in love with him when he took her to "Totally Awesome Guns and Range." It was kind of like the batting range scene in "Bull Durham."

I thought Keira Knightley was born to play Lizzie. She was completely lovely and brought much creedence to the role.

I definitely don't think the mansion had anything to do with her falling in love with Darcy. I think it had more to do with swallowing her pride when learning the truth of his character and integrity.

I'm at work now, so cannot thumb through my very worn book to look for precise passages.

Robert, your review was wonderful. I truly loved this movie. And yes, the understated dancing sequences were simply fabulous.

Top 10 Things Overheard on the Set of "Pride and Prejudice" (Jake Novak)

10) "Keep away from Donald Sutherland's trailer after sundown... really."

9) "I need more frilly lace!"

8) "No Matthew, I don't think Mr. Darcy would steal the show in the dance scene by doing the 'funky robot.'"

7) "Is this the prequel to 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'?"

6) "I thought I told the makeup people to cover up all the actors' tattoos!"

5) "This reminds me of the last season of 'Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire?"

4) "What's my motivation for liking Mr. Wickham? I mean he doesn't even have a pimped-out horse and carriage."

3) "Why didn't they just go on J-Date?"

2) "Why does Lydia fall for military guys? Didn't they have the New York Times back then?"

1) "This movie has convinced me; even though I'm already a studio chief, I think I should read my first book."

JIASF
You never fail us!

Even funnier was the gag the guys who did "Airplane!" pulled when they did the spoof movie "Mafia!" in 1998. They made the official title: "Jane Austen's Mafia!" That still cracks me up 8 years later.

Sal:

It's been so long since I've seen the Masterpiece Theater version of P&P, well, I just don't remember it. I'll rent it and screen it. My experience is that each version has its own particular strengths and weaknesses.

Alcibiades:

During production of the old Hollywood version, Olivier was very angry and in a sulk during the entire production. His girlfriend, Janet Leigh was originally supposed to be cast as Elizabeth, but she got bumped at the last minute. The studio was worried that the Olivier/Leigh love affair would have negative box office impact. Greer Garson was thrust into the role instead. Olivier spent all his time on location planning a version of "Romeo & Juliet" in which he would star with Leigh. He predicted that "Pride & Prejudice" would be a disaster and his "Romeo & Juliet" a magnificent achievement. He was wong on both accounts. "Pride & Prejudice" was hugely popular. And his Romeo & Juliet never got off the ground.

PS. It was Harpo Marx's idea to do the film. He saw a stage adaptation of the novel in Philadeplphia, telegramed Irving Thalberg in Hollywood urging him to film the property.

Hi Robert, was Olivier's girlfriend possibly Vivian Leigh, not Janet?...I know that Janet's heart belonged to Bernard Schwartz (better known as Tony Curtis)

and he was married to Vivian Leigh

Randi:

Yes, Vivian Leigh. He was not yet married to her and their affair was a public scandal. Thanks for the correction.

Your story about Vivian Leigh is very interesting, because when I looked (before reading your comment) at the poster of the Olivier/Garson version of P&P to which you linked, I was struck by its similarity to the famous poster for "Gone With the Wind." Garson's expression on the poster could easily be one of Scarlett O'Hara's in the movie, and one feels a similar kind of energy between the male and female leads in the two movies.

"Gone With the Wind," of course, also came out in 1939. That might explain the choice to costume the P&P actors in clothing from a few decades later - perhaps there was conscious competition with the other blockbuster?

in this film the director and screenwriter hint that Mrs. Bennet is an alcoholic. At each ball she is sloppily drinking to excess. Kitty and Lydia too are well on their way to a life of dipsomania in this film version.

I don't like this. Alcoholism is too easy an "out" for these characters. They were not permitted the alcohol excuse for their conduct in the book, correct? The movie only weakens their characterizations by providing it, yes? And weakens the lesson of their misconduct to the current generation: people can choose badly even if they stay "sober".

Solomon:

I agree, I did not think that showing Mama Bennet or Lydia imbibing was a good choice. It smacked of modern times. Before you know it, we'll have a Lydia with tats and a crack problem. Remember, in the book, she is just 15, so she's ripe to be viewed as a messed up Beverly Hills teen.