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)

They changed the ending??? Blasphemy!

The Keira Knightley version was unwatchable. The 1995 version was very nearly perfect, although I find Alison Steadman rather OTT: she's just a bit too vulgar- it's too hard to see how she and Mr. Bennett got married. The only other thing that grates is that Mary's piano playing suddenly becomes so much more competent whenever anyone wants to dance.

Do you think that there will ever be a decent version of "Mansfield Park"?

@Aethelthryth No to Mansfield Park as the novel itself is so dreadful.

I hate to be that person @PawneeParksDept but you got that wrong... it’s

“Not Purvis Lodge!! The attics there are dreadful.”

The windows west comment is LCdB talking about the sitting room in Longbourne.

flapjack I particularly love Harriet Walter as the bitch of a SiL in S&S. I think casting Hugh Grant as Edward Ferrars was a mistake; and Emma Thompson (to whom huge credit for the screenplay) was too old for Elinor. The BBC version was good as well

accidental No it isn't! Although I do agree that it has no likeable characters and Fanny Price is an ungrateful brat

Behold my JA cookie cutter.
You can get them by post from the shop at the JA museum, and they come in a lovely little box. Not cheap though, if I remember it was around a tenner (but work paid for ours) also available from other places on line, but be careful as some come from USA and incurred high postage costs.

I used gingerbread dough, but it was real trial and error, if it rose too much Jane looked as if she was retaining water and her features disappeared into puffiness. But then I am not much of a baker.
A colleague and I held a tea with Mr D workshop last July 17 to commemorate 200 years of Jane's death.
We gave everyone two cookies, chocolate hearts and a quote from Jane as a keepsake.
Not sure what we were thinking as the Jane heads took forever😂😂. My colleague had better luck with a thin shortbread mix.

I agree re hugh grant. Never seen the appeal personally and yes Emma was tad too old but i will forgive all that for the sheer beauty of the whole thing. Kate Winslet is just so breathtaking in it. I cry every single time Elinor begs Marianne not to die and leave her. I think Emma Thompson is such a fine actress and always captivating. Very sad though now Alan Rickman no longer with us .
Oh i am in the mood to watch it again now .

Personally I love the exchange between Lizzy and LCdB when she comes for a showdown at Longbourne. Lizzy is just dripping with sarcasm the entire time and LC is so spectacularly offensive.

“Mr Darcy is engaged to my daughter, now what have you to say?”

“Only this; that if he is so, you can have no reason to suppose he’ll make an offer to me.”

Stick that in your pipe and smoke it Lady C!

Oh God yes Alan Rickman. Unmanageably attractive, especially when he dashes through the night to fetch their mother

My most heartthrob Austen hero is Mr Knightly, as played by Jonny Lee Miller (or Paul Rudd from Clueless, which is the best overall version of Emma IMO). Knightly is much less stuffy than Darcy and much kinder. It's not that Darcy is unkind in any way, he would be a very indulgent husband I'm sure, but he just doesn't seem as perceptive as Knightly so probably wouldn't notice if you were a little under the weather or could do with a bit of cheering up.

The Jonny Lee Miller version has a dreadful Emma, they didn't catch the mix of naivety about the wider world and complete understanding of her own narrow world in the way that Alecia Silverstone did in Clueless.

I rewatched this the other week , the BBC version is absolutely definitive for me.

Hadn’t realised that Lucy Davis was in it- I double checked that it was actually her, and it turns out that Jasper Carrott is her dad!

Yes the Emma Thompson S&S is also fabulous.

Now - are we all prepared for Sanditon? Apparently there’s more than enough in what they have to build the whole story, and it should be very safe in Andrew Davies hands.

Oh I love this, you are my people I watched this every weekend when I was 15/16 over and over. Still do several times a year. Persuasion is my second favourite adaptation the one with Ciaran Hinds.
I also have the Jane cookie cutter, it is a bit tricky to use but fun.

I'm soooo excited for Sanditon

You've made me watch this again now. If only for the scene towards the end where Mr Darcy smoulders across the room at Lizzie. You can practically see the sparks, and it makes me go weak at the knees every time.

When dds were still at home we watched it over and over - favourite comfort-watch. Used to say that if we ever went on Mastermind our Special Subject would be Who Said What to Whom and When in P&P - and we weren't joking!

Still often use e.g. Lady Catherine-isms, e.g. 'This is all extremely vexing! I am quite put out!'

Not to mention Mrs Bennett's 'Have some compassion on my poor nerves!'

@IsTheRainEverComingBack - in the US ending Darcy and Elizabeth are recently married at Pemberley on a balcony, and they're discussing what Darcy should call Elizabeth (Lizzy for every day, My Pearl for Sundays, Goddess Divine on special occasions, & Mrs. Darcy when completely, perfectly, and incandescently happy.) Mr Darcy kisses her all over the place calling her Mrs Darcy after each one.

Apparently the US test audience weren't happy with them not kissing in the main film ending, so they added it on for their version (or something like that).

I agree the 1995 Mrs Bennett is very OOT and annoying

starkid oh FFS. Though in the book there’s quite a lot of ‘after the wedding’ stuff that says how people are doing that isn’t in the Andrew Davies version.

I have to disagree with you BlackAmericano... Jeremy Northam smoulders as Knightley and my favourite!

@AngeloMysterioso Damnit I knew it was the attics and told myself I was wrong!

I can't finish the IN THE BAROUCHE BOX sentence no matter how hard I think it is definitely EXTREMELY vexing

Only 4865 times! amateur

Let me be rightly understood. It is a truth universally acknowledged that you must watch it at least 5000 times and be able to recite the script verbatim before you can get your P & P Blue Peter badge.

I take no leave of you, I send no greetings to your mother. Are the shades of Mumsnet to be thus polluted?

Inertia, the girl who plays Mary (Lucy Briars) is the daughter of the late Richard Briars and Georgiana (Darcy's sister) is the real life daughter of Mrs Gardiner. ( Amelia fox and Joanna David).

He was handsome TeaStory but I always felt that it wasn’t really Knightly, he was too stern and proper. I felt that he played the character more like Darcy.

Oh i never knew that about mary Muffin !