Pride and Prejudice: I'm in love.
I think I’m in love. No really, head over heels, singing in the streets, running up the walls in love.
The problem? The guy isn’t even real. He’s a character for God’s sake. A cipher of sorts, for all honorable and moneyed men who finally admit to certain young ladies containing the Bennet surname that she has (and I quote) bewitched me, body and soul. C’mon, how can your heart not flutter a bit upon hearing that? Especially when coming the mouth of the rather strapping Matthew Macfadyen, who I’ve never really paid attention to before. An utterly horrid mistake on my part.
So I finally broke down and rented the 2005 Pride and Prejudice this past weekend, having never seen it in the theater for fear of it ruining the A&E mini-series from 1995. Overall, I admit that I was charmed enough to add it to the permanent collection, though it took me about three viewings to really get this interpretation of it.
There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of either merit or sense.
Ah, Miss Elizabeth, a woman after my own heart. As for the new Elizabeth Bennet, while I’ve always liked Keira Knightley, she’s never been the greatest of actresses. She’s cute and she’s certainly got personality. But no matter what she’s in, I usually see Keira first, the character second. Frankly, it's same this time. But since she's playing Elizabeth Bennet it totally works, though she's not the strongest Elizabeth. As for a certain Mr. Darcy, let's just say wow. He hot.
Don’t worry, Macfadyen’s Darcy most certainly does not take the place of Colin Firth’s. He really can’t, considering the two are so different, right down to the completely divergent interpretations of the movies they star in. Firth’s Darcy is more adult, more grown up. He knows that he’s acting in the sort of way that’s expected of a man of his means and that there’s nothing wrong with that initially. And frankly there isn’t, at least not in the times he’s written for. I don’t doubt he loves Jennifer Ehle’s Elizabeth. I can easily seem them growing old together, laughing at their rather unusual courtship as they watch their and Jane and Bingley's grandkids all playing together on the front lawn. But I think they'd have a quieter relationship; sure their love would be deep and personal and passionate, but just more subtle, via actions rather than endless rambling and ultimately, empty words. I could never see Firth’s Darcy getting together with Knightley’s Elizabeth. Just I could never see Ehle’s Elizabeth getting together with Macfadyen’s Darcy. And that's totally cool.
"I am ill qualified to recommend myself to strangers…I certainly have not the talent which some people possess, of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their concerns, as I often see done...We neither of us perform to strangers.''
Oh, Darcy, you don't say? Seriously though, Macfadyen’s Darcy is far more shy and reticent than previous incarnations. You get the feeling he hides behind the necessary social conventions because he’s an introvert, not necessarily because he excels or delights at being haughty and self-important. He knows he contains a tendency towards experiencing deep emotions. That doesn't mean he’s unstable or psychotic, just deeply passionate. And as a result, he does a preemptive strike whenever he’s in public, essentially dialing everything down around strangers. Totally understandable; I mean, should we really ever reveal the entirety of our characters to random strangers? I should hope not. Too much TMI, which frankly in these rather free times, people need to learn the concept of. Funny how Austen’s take on this proves just as important some two hundred years later. But I digress.
In essence, this Darcy wears heart on his rather finely stitched sleeve, at least when we’re allowed a glimpse at such thing. And boy is it lovely when we do, via various blink-and-you’ll-miss-it looks, mannerisms or hand gestures. God knows Macfadyen excels at the subtle gazes, the fleeting touches, and those nervous little ticks that he thinks lets everyone but his beloved know that he’s totally diggin’ her; he looks like he’s about to either have a coronary or bust a blood vessel in his brain whenever he lays eyes on Elizabeth. His inner turmoil over the fact that he’s in love with the “wrong” girl eats him alive. And we’re totally privy to it this time around. This Darcy is a young man (young like the rest of the cast, who are all wonderfully age-appropriate for their roles. No 30+ Bennet girls running around in this one) who obviously has a lot on his shoulders, from family responsibility to protection of his sister and everything in between. Add to that what proves a rather strong affection for a rather fetching and witty sort of girl, who unfortunately comes from a family that excels in making the wrong impressions (especially out in public. And don't even get me started on that whole Lydia scandal), it’s no wonder he spends three-quarters of the movie looking like he’s about cry in pent-up sexual frustration. This is why it’s so satisfying in the in end when there's absolutely no doubt he really, seriously, and completely loves Elizabeth. Hell, he’s liable to shout it out from the rooftops. Well, at least in the privacy of their home.
That’s another thing I adore about this movie; you get a hint that Darcy loves Lizzy not in spite of her family, but rather because of it. At least eventually. A few years down the road. When the first kid comes. Or something like that. Anyway, I love how the Bennet family exudes an overall warmth and deep regard to for each other. You get the feeling that Darcy would eventually consider himself really lucky to witness that. No matter the fact that the Bennets' flaws are there for all to see. It’s still all so intriguing to him. I can totally picture him inviting them over for the holidays, almost immediately finding himself annoyed with their general chaos and then suddenly finding he’s secretly pleased to be center of such a crazy storm of abject affection. Because you can’t tell me that this version of the Bennets would not eventually welcome him into the family with open arms. At least after getting a chance to know him as Elizabeth does. And not necessarily because he has a beautiful estate and 10,000 a year. Rather, because it’s the right thing to do. Any man who’s lucky enough to get a Bennet girl (unless your name starts with a “W” and ends with “ickam”), is blessed with the eternal regards of the Bennet family. Because no matter what, despite the screeching mother, the sarcastic father and the gaggle of alternately giggling/self-serious girls running about and talking of ribbons and balls and soldiers and scriptures and music, they are good people.
Would Austen have approved such an open interpretation? Yes and no. I think she would have raised a serious eyebrow at the general lack of subtlety of this film (I mean, as much eye-candy as Darcy is, wandering about the countryside in the morning mist, rocking a flowing shirt sans waistcoat and cravat and then meeting up with Lizzy as she swans about in what’s essentially her underwear? Well, Austen’s contemporaries would be horrified). But I think she would have also welcomed the overall message that romance is not dead, that you’ll always have your family no matter what, and 10,000, heck, even 5,000 a year means doesn’t mean a damn thing if you don’t love your partner and see each other as intellectual and emotional equals. You can either accept that or sod off.
Anyway, Matthew Macfadyen’s Darcy is smokin’ hot. I’m just saying. It all about the eyes. And that beautiful voice.
The problem? The guy isn’t even real. He’s a character for God’s sake. A cipher of sorts, for all honorable and moneyed men who finally admit to certain young ladies containing the Bennet surname that she has (and I quote) bewitched me, body and soul. C’mon, how can your heart not flutter a bit upon hearing that? Especially when coming the mouth of the rather strapping Matthew Macfadyen, who I’ve never really paid attention to before. An utterly horrid mistake on my part.
So I finally broke down and rented the 2005 Pride and Prejudice this past weekend, having never seen it in the theater for fear of it ruining the A&E mini-series from 1995. Overall, I admit that I was charmed enough to add it to the permanent collection, though it took me about three viewings to really get this interpretation of it.
There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of either merit or sense.
Ah, Miss Elizabeth, a woman after my own heart. As for the new Elizabeth Bennet, while I’ve always liked Keira Knightley, she’s never been the greatest of actresses. She’s cute and she’s certainly got personality. But no matter what she’s in, I usually see Keira first, the character second. Frankly, it's same this time. But since she's playing Elizabeth Bennet it totally works, though she's not the strongest Elizabeth. As for a certain Mr. Darcy, let's just say wow. He hot.
Don’t worry, Macfadyen’s Darcy most certainly does not take the place of Colin Firth’s. He really can’t, considering the two are so different, right down to the completely divergent interpretations of the movies they star in. Firth’s Darcy is more adult, more grown up. He knows that he’s acting in the sort of way that’s expected of a man of his means and that there’s nothing wrong with that initially. And frankly there isn’t, at least not in the times he’s written for. I don’t doubt he loves Jennifer Ehle’s Elizabeth. I can easily seem them growing old together, laughing at their rather unusual courtship as they watch their and Jane and Bingley's grandkids all playing together on the front lawn. But I think they'd have a quieter relationship; sure their love would be deep and personal and passionate, but just more subtle, via actions rather than endless rambling and ultimately, empty words. I could never see Firth’s Darcy getting together with Knightley’s Elizabeth. Just I could never see Ehle’s Elizabeth getting together with Macfadyen’s Darcy. And that's totally cool.
"I am ill qualified to recommend myself to strangers…I certainly have not the talent which some people possess, of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their concerns, as I often see done...We neither of us perform to strangers.''
Oh, Darcy, you don't say? Seriously though, Macfadyen’s Darcy is far more shy and reticent than previous incarnations. You get the feeling he hides behind the necessary social conventions because he’s an introvert, not necessarily because he excels or delights at being haughty and self-important. He knows he contains a tendency towards experiencing deep emotions. That doesn't mean he’s unstable or psychotic, just deeply passionate. And as a result, he does a preemptive strike whenever he’s in public, essentially dialing everything down around strangers. Totally understandable; I mean, should we really ever reveal the entirety of our characters to random strangers? I should hope not. Too much TMI, which frankly in these rather free times, people need to learn the concept of. Funny how Austen’s take on this proves just as important some two hundred years later. But I digress.
In essence, this Darcy wears heart on his rather finely stitched sleeve, at least when we’re allowed a glimpse at such thing. And boy is it lovely when we do, via various blink-and-you’ll-miss-it looks, mannerisms or hand gestures. God knows Macfadyen excels at the subtle gazes, the fleeting touches, and those nervous little ticks that he thinks lets everyone but his beloved know that he’s totally diggin’ her; he looks like he’s about to either have a coronary or bust a blood vessel in his brain whenever he lays eyes on Elizabeth. His inner turmoil over the fact that he’s in love with the “wrong” girl eats him alive. And we’re totally privy to it this time around. This Darcy is a young man (young like the rest of the cast, who are all wonderfully age-appropriate for their roles. No 30+ Bennet girls running around in this one) who obviously has a lot on his shoulders, from family responsibility to protection of his sister and everything in between. Add to that what proves a rather strong affection for a rather fetching and witty sort of girl, who unfortunately comes from a family that excels in making the wrong impressions (especially out in public. And don't even get me started on that whole Lydia scandal), it’s no wonder he spends three-quarters of the movie looking like he’s about cry in pent-up sexual frustration. This is why it’s so satisfying in the in end when there's absolutely no doubt he really, seriously, and completely loves Elizabeth. Hell, he’s liable to shout it out from the rooftops. Well, at least in the privacy of their home.
That’s another thing I adore about this movie; you get a hint that Darcy loves Lizzy not in spite of her family, but rather because of it. At least eventually. A few years down the road. When the first kid comes. Or something like that. Anyway, I love how the Bennet family exudes an overall warmth and deep regard to for each other. You get the feeling that Darcy would eventually consider himself really lucky to witness that. No matter the fact that the Bennets' flaws are there for all to see. It’s still all so intriguing to him. I can totally picture him inviting them over for the holidays, almost immediately finding himself annoyed with their general chaos and then suddenly finding he’s secretly pleased to be center of such a crazy storm of abject affection. Because you can’t tell me that this version of the Bennets would not eventually welcome him into the family with open arms. At least after getting a chance to know him as Elizabeth does. And not necessarily because he has a beautiful estate and 10,000 a year. Rather, because it’s the right thing to do. Any man who’s lucky enough to get a Bennet girl (unless your name starts with a “W” and ends with “ickam”), is blessed with the eternal regards of the Bennet family. Because no matter what, despite the screeching mother, the sarcastic father and the gaggle of alternately giggling/self-serious girls running about and talking of ribbons and balls and soldiers and scriptures and music, they are good people.
Would Austen have approved such an open interpretation? Yes and no. I think she would have raised a serious eyebrow at the general lack of subtlety of this film (I mean, as much eye-candy as Darcy is, wandering about the countryside in the morning mist, rocking a flowing shirt sans waistcoat and cravat and then meeting up with Lizzy as she swans about in what’s essentially her underwear? Well, Austen’s contemporaries would be horrified). But I think she would have also welcomed the overall message that romance is not dead, that you’ll always have your family no matter what, and 10,000, heck, even 5,000 a year means doesn’t mean a damn thing if you don’t love your partner and see each other as intellectual and emotional equals. You can either accept that or sod off.
Anyway, Matthew Macfadyen’s Darcy is smokin’ hot. I’m just saying. It all about the eyes. And that beautiful voice.