to opine that the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is not very good?

[ScribblyGum]

Watching it with dd1 (15) as evidence of what constitutes a great romantic story after sitting through the utter shite that is the Harry Styles fan fiction movie After.

I know P&P is lots of other stuff but I wanted to show her something that I believed was excellent telly.

Four episodes in and I’ve come to the terrible realisation that actually it’s really dated, boring, badly acted and all in all a bit crap.

Far, far too much dull mimsy dancing.

Colin Firth is hot but doesn’t bring much to the part apart from posh snooty emotionally constipated hotness.

Alison Steadman's acting is just silly.

The music is too loud. Are the costumes a bit crap too? Not sure, there’s some bloody weird turbans going on on Caroline Bingley's head.

God it’s so BORING. Neither of us can be arsed to finish it.

I bet the Keira Knightly version is better

This is the biggest YABU I have ever given in my 13 years of MNetting!!

In fact I feel I might just fancy sneaking off and watching it yet again...

"Plus I think that's Austen's subtlety, that, while being personally enormously likeable ironic, clever, funny Mr Bennet is actually being incredibly irresponsible towards even the two daughters he really loves"

Yes this is so clever - she knows that the funny witty people can behave reprehensibly and actually be more dangerous. Towards the end her view is made clearer I think - the fact that Mr B loafs about at home while Darcy sorts everything out. In fact I think it's so clever that you miss it reading it the first time, second time etc but gradually the realisation descends! The fact that Lizzie adores Mr B confuses the issue even more.

Irresponsible to Lizzie and Jane yes, but how much more so to the others. Letting Lydia go to Brighton is criminal negligence! (and Lizzie, aged 20, can see this, and tries to convince him, while Mr B doesn't care.)

OP - the dances are key because in Regency times it was the only time men and women had any physical contact. They didn't even shake hands!

Whilst Rosamund Pike is more beautiful to our eyes than Susannah Harker, SH was perfect for a faithful adaptation in that she summed up exactly what would have been considered desirable in a woman back then.

I do like the film too (Matthew McFadyen, swoon) but for a spot-on faithful adaptation the Beeb version of P&P is about as perfect as it gets.

Just came on to say blasphemy ! Even my period drama hating DH got into BBC's P&P. Obviously it's quite dated now but I think it set a great standard for this genre. I like the KK version but one of my other favourites is BBC's War and Peace. Just so perfect!

The 2005 P&P is truly awful. Everyone seems to be in a rush to get their lines out and they speak the lines of other characters (from the books). I get that they're constrained by time, but there's no real sense that Lizzy found Wickham a serious prospect. When I watched the 1995 one, I hadn't read the book and I was seriously concerned that she was going to go for him (which seems daft in hindsight), but the 2005 version seems to work on the premise that everyone knows the plot.

It's only redeeming feature is that it's very sympathetic towards the plight of Charlotte Lucas. And I still cringe at MM 'I love, I love, I love you'. Toe curlingly awful.

pallisers I wasn't referring to Lydia. When Jane was admired by a random man at 16 Mrs Bennet was hoping that a proposal would follow and was very disappointed when it didn't. It's mentioned in the book. Also if her husband had joined her in her condemnation of Lizzy she certainly might have disowned her. He didn't support her, so it didn't happen. She was also very happy that Jane was ill, as long as she was ill at Bingley's house.I like Mrs Bennet, and I sympathize with her, but I really believe she has a spiteful streak.

I don't agree - Mrs B was very aware that a woman's worth was entirely bound up in her being married, ideally well, but married. She was a product of her society.

and with 5 daughters, no son and knowing that once her husband died she'd be booted out of her home, her future security was bound up in finding a home with one of her daughters.

YABVU!

Re Susannah Harker not looking very 'regency', she was pregnant at the time so during filming I presume she was filling out and costumes were getting tighter! Poor woman

I can't remember in the book where Darcy finds Elizabeth during her visit to Pemberley with her aunt and uncle. I know it wasn't the travesty of KK peeping at Darcy and Georgiana from behind the door but I also know the lake scene and wet Darcy didn't happen like the BBC version. Might have to go and find the book

And noooooooo, ffs, Elizabeth Garvie! Never ever! 😱

NoLeopard he had just left his horse at the stable and was walking towards the house to change out of his sweaty clothes when he bumped into Lizzy, iirc.

I very highly recommend a series from a few years ago called Lost in Austen.

Oh yes I loved Lost in Austen, I have it on DVD

I think the BBC version is great, and I love the cast Alison Steadman is great as Mrs Bennett I also love a David Bamber as Mr Elton. Love the costumes too. It's not an action film there is a slow build up so it will feel slow. The keira knightley film. Is OK but I think the story is rushed. Tbh though I prefer the l book to both versions,

Thanks deadringer

How very dare you?!?

And Colin Firth is not hot. He never was.

I know Colin Firth isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I love him as Darcy. Actually I would love him with or without his breeches!

I know it wasn't the travesty of KK peeping at Darcy and Georgiana from behind the door but I also know the lake scene and wet Darcy didn't happen like the BBC version.

I love the way both versions are inaccurate but only the version from the adaptation you don't like is a "travesty"

its dated yes, but its aged well!! You CANNOT compare it to the trash that is the movie adaptation. BBC stays true to the story!
I'd like to see it remade me thinks.

I love the way both versions are inaccurate but only the version from the adaptation you don't like is a "travesty"

Haha, you are right of course but in my defence I knew the BBC version was close but not completely accurate whereas the film was waaaaaay off

Ybu. It’s brilliant. I watched it the other weekend when I was feeling sick and still totally loved it. Yes both Mrs Bennett and Lydia ham it up a bit, but it works.

Tbf the BBC is more accurate, yes they presented him in a wet shirt, but the whole point was he was disheveled after a long journey, and to a buttoned up, judgey man like Darcy, not fit to be seen, especially by the woman who rejected him. The movie showing him at his best, looking elegant and being affectionate with his sister is much much further from the 'truth'.

YABVU

The Colin Firth version is brilliant. Out with you heathen!

YABU! It's great in its own way, although I think Jennifer Ehle seems a bit old to play Lizzie. Alison Steadman is a bit OTT in it too, basically being ... Alison Steadman really!

I personally like the Keira Knightley film even better. It's much more like how I picture the story in my head when I read the book.