to be laughing out load at the overblown production of pride and prejudice on itv atm

[BariatricObama]

shame on you judy dench

suet face in a wet blouse

Awful isn't it? Love the 90's one, and as for Alison Steadman, Mrs Bennett was ridiculous in the book, she was completely spot on!

I didn´t think there was any chemistry in the KK MM one.

Colin Firth left a lot to be desired imo.
MM LOADS better.
I have read the book many times too.

Alison Steadman totally overplays Mrs Bennet. The thing about her is she may be somewhat ridiculous but she is not at all conscious of that and is totally serious in everything she says. You could FEEL Steadman laughing at herself and at Mrs B as she acted it - like some kind of pantomime dame or something - just totally, totally awful.

YABU

It's my favourite version - and no it's not a generational thing. I watch it when I need a lift - it's my favourite comfort film.

Jo Wright's cinematography is reminiscent of Ridley Scott at his best. I can't believe you can't see the chemistry between MM and KK - the scene in the rain is bloody riddled with it.

Donald Sutherland is fabulous, Brenda Blethyn's portrayal of Mrs Bennett is really touching at times, the part lends itself to being overplayed as it can be a broadly comic performance, but she does it with applomb.

The film is a really good example of an adaptation. It's harder to distil the essence of a book into two hours compared with a whole TV series.

Oh and I fancy the pants off MM. Colin who?

Firmly Team Firth here.

Love the BBC series and think that Colin Firth does the uptight arrogant English gent perfectly whereas MM just gives the impression of a wet dishcloth. Also, don't like the 'living with farm animals' aspect of Joe Wright's film - this was 19th century gentry who would never have lived like that!

Thank you for the thread though - might just have to read the book again

Team MM here.

I actually adore the whole film and watch it time and time again especially on a Sunday afternoon.

It is beautifully filmed, and the opening scene was shot not too far from where i live in the Kent countryside.

Team Firth! Love the 1990s BBC version and will always think of it as the definitive screen version of the book. I loved Allisons Steadman's Mrs B. I watched it again recently so still salivating!

Neither of them are as sexy as the actor who played Darcy in Lost in Austen.

I like KKs Elizabeth - the other one was too matronly and smug.

BB's Mrs Bennett seems more worried about her daughters not being in the poor house than AS version.

And i like all the mud in it - it would have been muddy......not enough mud in Larkrise IMO...

jennifer ehle was pregnant so yes she was matronly.

really? very pregnant? I didn't know that!

don't think it was that though...

I loved Greer Garson

no, it wasn't her, the other one was pregnant!

I think the dialogue in the Keira Knightley one was awful. It just made me cringe. I suppose that should be expected of Deborah Moggach.

Yes - it was Jane who was pregnant!

Totally agree with Janeite re Mrs Bennett. Steadman overplayed her dreadfully. Mrs Bennett WAS ridiculous in the book, but she wasn't intended to be a pantomime dame. Alison Steadman completely missed the heart of her character by portraying her as a caricature rather than a person, albeit an irritating and stupid one.

You're all wrong. this is the only decent version of P&P - Elizabeth Garvie and David Rentoul.

I like them both but prefer the BBC elizabeth Bennett to KK - though I think KK is okay i it. MM is mmmmm...

I liked the scene where KK and MM are arguimg in the rain.

Cornsilk - where she tells him she hates him while looking as if she'd like to jump on him?

Also - Mr Wickham looks like a poor girls Orlando Bloom...

I was just going to say the Elizabeth Garvie one was the worst one ever!

I adore the 1940 one but my fave is the 1995 one - mainly for the music I think (and the lake scene obviously). Hate the KK one.

Yes that bit!! He so wants to kiss her.

I think Colin Firth was great as Mr Darcey though.

And it was so funny when he turned up in Bridget Jones as arsey Darcey.