Watching Pride & Prejudice for the 4865 time

[IsTheRainEverComingBack]

The proper Andrew Davies version, of course,

And yet again wishing I lived in a world that spoke like this, where manners where like this, where balls were given by respectable people. Where people read of an evening, turned about the room, called in on one another. Even the visiting for months at a time. I like cake and gossip and I have boobs that would work well in a tight empire line. I can’t be alone in this?

(Yes I know medical care was minimal, everyone died in childbirth and women had little to no power in life, but let me have my fantasy)

I think I would have struggled with the boredom if I had lived during regency times. People rarely left their own little area so every day must have been the same conversations repeated unless someone had a visitor. And probably would have been forever making little faux pas since society was so formal and guarded whereas I tend to say whatever comes into my head.

My ancestors at the time were wealthy, on one side of the family anyway, so assuming I was in the same family I would have lived quite well, but would probably have fallen for the first charming bounder who wanted to marry me for my money because of boredom and wanting to go out and see the world. He would have then spent all of my money and I would have lived in miserable poverty until he died when I would have probably lived as a poor relation with one of my siblings, helping to look after my nieces and nephews and doing secretarial duties to earn my keep. Perhaps by that stage I might have learned not to say the first thing that came into my head and so might be allowed to attend dinner when they had guests.

You've gone and done it now; I'll now have to watch it for the nth time

If only for the scene where Darcy and Lizzie gaze at each other with such love while Georgina's playing the piano ... AWWWW!!

I've watched it twice this year but will have to watch it again now I've read this thread. It will not do.

I'm a P&P fan too. I've watched the BBC version twice this year already and saw the Keira Knightly film a couple of nights ago!

I so much prefer the BBC version. The characterisation is so close to the book and Jane Austen's wit shines through every scene.

For me, the standout performances were Alison Steadman as Mrs Bennett and David Bamber as Mr Collins. But basically the whole cast was spot on!

Oh gawd, I'm going to be watching it again this week now!

I too love the decorum and manners of the period - and I love the way Jane Austen exploits them. What a gifted writer she was! Such a tragedy that she died so young.

Yes! BBC pride and prejudice is the perfect viewing for a drizzly autumn evening. It's my happy place.

But... I have to admit that when I went to the Jane Austen experience in Bath (TOTAL waste of money. Was most disappointed) I bought two badges. An "I HEART DARCY" badge and then, because my head was turned by JJ Fields in Norhanger Abbey, an "I HEART TILNEY" one too.

I loved Lost in Austen too. And the film Austenland (the book wasn't anywhere near as good).

I've read P&P so many times too. Ah. Happy sighs.

In general, I love the BBC version, but I can't stand Alison Steadman' Mrs Bennett. I much prefer Brenda Blethyn and Donald Sutherland in the Keira version.

The Keira Knightley film is crap. The audiobook version read by Rosamund Pike is fab though, also good for having on in the background. When you read/listen to the book you realise what a faithful retelling the Andrew Davies version is.

On being bored in those days - I think these days we’re so overstimulated, TVs and computers and phones, we can’t focus on anything. Yes there were much more limited pursuits then, but you could read, paint, sew, embroider, visit with friends, and appreciate them because you’re not constantly distracted by alternative options. You wouldn’t make constant faux pas’ because you’d have grown up in that environment and would understand it.

(unless you were poor and you’d literally just spend all day working or keeping house and caring for children, no time for boredom when there’s no washing machine, fridge etc)

You’ve made me put it on!

I’m watching them at the ball... is this what clubbing will look like to my kids?

I think I probably would make quite a few faux pas, I'm not great at subtext and there is a lot of saying one thing but being understood to mean something else in Jane Austen. I understand it in the story because she's really good at making it explicit from the context, but in a real life parallel when I lived in Germany I got to know a woman from Alabama and I there were often bits of what she said that I didn't understand until I thought about it later because apparently they don't say anything directly there. I think she found me quite hard going and blunt (although I couldn't be sure as, you know, she would never say such a thing and I'm not good with hints ).

There are always characters in Jane Austen novels who a bit like me in lacking social nuance, and they don't generally fare well. Like Mary or Mrs Bennett in P&P.

Hang on, WHERE do you get these Austen gingerbread cutters? Perfect present for someone/several people I know!

BlackAmericanoNoSugar yes fair point. So much is unsaid but said, there’s so much relying on ‘understanding’ and not everyone is good at that.

PURVIS LODGE???!?

Oh no dear not Purvis Lodge!!! Why, the windows are full West

And surely one of the best ones of all:

You're mistaken, Mr. Darcy. The mode of your declaration merely spared me any concern I might have felt in refusing you, had you behaved in a more gentleman-like manner

Oh, the disdain Jennifer Ehle managed to get into those words ...

Following - I think there should be a special day each year where everyone has to dress/talk in this way!

Jane Austen cookie cutters...

Dd went to a party with boys there the other week. I was a bit trepidatious about this, and when she returned asked some pointed questions. Dd sniffed and said it was disappointing and she'd rather go to a ball, preferably one which Mr Willoughby was attending. Hurrah that she'd prefer an 18th Century ball. Boo that she would have had her eye on the bounder.

Got sidetracked looking for cookie cutters and found I could also buy amongst others Chaucer cookie cutters and Luke's Diner ones...

Oh dear, am I the only one who likes the 2005 version? I don't like Donald Sutherland's teeth though.

I like the 1995 series too, but the 2005 film is good for a quicker watch, and it's very pretty and (IMO) hilarious. Maybe because that's the one that came out when I was a teenager, I think of Matthew Macfadyen as the 'definitive' Darcy. I could get lost in his eyes!

(UK ending only though, not the stupid US version!)

Hang on... what ending do they have in the US version?!

Not just me then! (I have all the films)

Just to make you jealous, DH and I go to a annual regency house party where we pretend to be in a JA novel for a whole (long) weekend.

'are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted!'

What? Someone messed with the ending of P&P?

I didn't like the keira Knightley one mainly because Matthew Macfadyen seemed to be on the verge of tears in every scene. Which is not very Darcyish

For all you Henry Tilney fans, did you know he has his own website?

www.tilneysandtrapdoors.com/cult/main.html

The thing that I remember most about the film is wanting to reach into the screen and strangle Keira Knightly. Lizzy was suppose to be full of wit and liveliness, always finding humour in humdrum situations around her whereas KK played her as quite pouty and a bit touchy/easily upset. The only scene that I remember clearly is the one where Darcy says that he doesn't find it easy to make light conversation with everyone around him and Lizzy is supposed to make a light comment about how she doesn't play the piano as well as she should but she puts that down to lack of practice, but KK just says "You should practise" in a grumpy way. Made me want to reach into the screen and strangle her.

Oops, should have proof read. In my defence, I really did feel quite murderous.

Me & DC binge watched this recently - it is TV perfection, it really hasn’t aged.

What is Death Comes to Pemberley? Is it any good?

My dear daughter and i also watched the Emma Thompson version of Sense and Sensibility whilst i was stuck on the childrens ward with dear son. That is one of my favourite films as well. I love every single second , it is so beautifully filmed and the acting is amazing . But i agree the Kierra Knightly P and P is poor in comparison.
My daughter and i love the way people had to bow gratiously and smile politely whilst being insulted and looked down upon by people who considered themselves as a cut above . Classic and v funny at times.