Pride and Prejudice turns twenty this year. Not that Pride and Prejudice, the other one. Colin Firth Darcy Pride and Prejudice. Colin Firth Darcy gazing at Jennifer Ehle Lizzy playing the piano Pride and Prejudice. Colin Firth Darcy wet shirt Pride and Prejudice. That one.
(Apparently Colin Firth has resigned himself to his forever-Darcy status, telling a reporter, “I’m fully aware that if I were to change professions tomorrow, become an astronaut, and be the first man to land on Mars, the headlines in all the newspapers would read, ‘Mr. Darcy Lands On Mars.” Is this another reason to love him, or what?)
Caz, our resident Brit, was at the center of Darcymania when it took off. She says, “I can’t remember how I heard about the 1995 version – it was prime-time Sunday night BBC1 telly, and as I will always watch a costume drama, there was no question that I’d be watching. I think there was a fair bit of lead-in publicity, some of it talking about the art of the adaptation – Andrew Davies was already a pretty big name when it came to adapting classic literature for television – and I believe there was already a bit of controversy about the wet shirt scene! Even just a few minutes in, I remember thinking I was watching something special – one of those rare times (rather like has happened with Poldark more recently) when everything just “worked”. The casting and portrayals are spot on – Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, of course, are brilliant, but Alison Steadman as Mrs Bennet and Julia Sawalha as Lydia can’t be bettered IMO.”
In collecting memories, I noticed how technology has changed. Many of us started with VHS, which had its perils. Mary, Maggie, and LinnieGayl all watched their tapes so many times that the tape wore out (remember that???). LinnieGayl recounted, “I saw it for the first time almost by accident on A&E. I almost immediately started recording it (old VHS). I can’t begin to say how many times I watched re-watched those old videos, and was crushed when the tape eventually died… Then when it replayed once I had a DVR, I recorded it again, and was again crushed when I moved and had to turn in the old DVR machine. Last time I looked it was still on my Netflix “List” so can still watch it (I hope).” Maggie went a different digital route, getting DVD and then Blu-Ray copies. Jenna binge-watched library DVDs “until like 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning” and then bought her own set when she saw them for sale at Costco. You never want to be without!
Pride and Prejudice was a social phenomenon. Blythe watched it with her then-husband, Mary with her mother, and Melanie for a class. Lynn and I (Caroline) both had Pride and Prejudice parties. Lynn and some law school classmates got together for a “good friends and cheap wine” marathon. As for me, I got the DVDs and hosted a party in college. Only three guys came – two were gay, and one was my future husband. Since it is a truth universally acknowledged that a straight single man who attends a Pride and Prejudice party must be in want of a wife, we got together not long after. I will always be grateful to Mrs. Bennet for playing a role in matchmaking for me.
But now I have to out a couple of AAR slackers: Dabney and Heather have NEVER SEEN the 1995 Pride and Prejudice. I don’t know whether to be horrified that they missed it or jealous that they still get to see it for the first time!
Where were you when you first saw Darcy dive in the lake? Who was with you? Did you get it on VHS, or, heaven help you, fall down the black hole of laserdisc? Is this your all-time favorite P&P, the way it is mine, or do you prefer another version?
Caroline AAR
Slacker?!?! Moi? When the show aired in the US (January 1996), I had a four year old, a three year old, and was pregnant with twins! It didn’t make it on my radar until I watched What a Girl Wants in 2004 with my daughter–Colin Firth is adorable in that. It’s been on my list ever since along with that Downton Abbey show youall seem so wild about. I have seen North and South and Sense and Sensibility.
For people of my age, the similar water cooler epic was The Thorn Birds which came on American TV in 1983. That was the year I graduated from college and, at that time, I did as little as possible with my parents and three younger siblings. That said, all six of us watched it over my Spring Break.
You haven’t seen Downton Abbey either?!??!?!
What a Girl Wants is adorable.
Nope. I’m waiting until it ends well.
Ah the Thorn Birds! That was very scandalous at the time. My devoutly Catholic mother told all of us very sternly before it was broadcast that no one was to watch it! Then by the time it premiered the whole family (including her and Dad!) were sitting down every night to watch it together. I was in junior high and I was quite appalled seeing what kind of shenanigans “”Victoria Barkely”” was pulling with Richard Chamberlain! And we all wanted Meggie’s “”ashes of roses”” dress from the party. What an amazing and tragic story that was.
I graduated from undergrad in 1981, so we are contemporaries in that. I remember the Thorn Birds with Richard Chamberlin. Another great one from that time was Jame Clavell’s Shogun.
I re-watched this weekend. It’s so awesome! Sigh.
It’s been on your radar for 11 years? Slacker!!
:P
I’ll admit to being of that certain age for The Thorn Birds. Of course, my first big love was Rudy Jordache (Peter Strauss) in Rich Man, Poor Man when I was in high school- yes, 1976!
But I fell and love and discovered Colin Firth with most folks in 1996. Yep, had the VHS copy, now have DVD. Definitely a fan girl (ahem) of both Colin and Jennifer Ehle- squee!
“” Since it is a truth universally acknowledged that a straight single man who attends a Pride and Prejudice party must be in want of a wife, we got together not long after. I will always be grateful to Mrs. Bennet for playing a role in matchmaking for me.”” – LOVE THIS ;-)
Oh yes! Rich Man, Poor Man. I had completely forgotten about that. I liked the blonde one which is unusual for me.
Thanks! :)
I can’t remember when I first saw this, many years ago, but I immediately bought the VHS and now own the DVD. When I lived in Colorado I’d invite my girlfriends over on snow days to eat popcorn, drink beer and marathon watch the whole mini-series. Now in California, land of beautiful days, and a husband who is indifferent to this masterpiece, I get to watch it less often. It’s still an absolute favorite, though. And I love the title of this article, it’s perfect!
I remember setting this on my VCR to record every night. The buzz had come over to the U.S. from the U.K. where it had been a “”must see”” event. Here in the U.S. it was on A&E network which was definitely not considered a top station and I wondered why PBS wasn’t showing it. I was a little afraid it wouldn’t be first rate and (blasphemy!) wasn’t sold on Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy as I remembered him mostly from the 1984 TV adaptation of Camille and wasn’t blown away by him. Wow, did that opinion change. I had a job in retail at the time so I worked some nights and I remember racing up to my room to make sure it recorded properly when I got home. To this day, it is my gold standard for Jane Austen adaptations. It also has the advantage (like the Jane Eyre series with Timothy Dalton and Zelah Clarke) of being several hours long and adapting the entire book. No condensing and very little change. (Why do other versions think they can improve on Austen’s language and writing??) I remember watching Lizzie confront Lady Catherine de Bourgh and toss out “”importune me”” like she was born to say it. I really can’t imagine any version being able to improve on it and I am always a little amazed when others try.
I loved that version of Jane Eyre and still have the VHS set! I don’t actually think it’s been bettered, on the big or small screen. Toby Stephens was a great Rochester in the most recent BBC version but I remember watching the first episode and wondering where Charlotte Bronte’s words had gone!
Jane Eyre with Timothy Dalton is my favorite! I love Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth, Emma Thompson’s Sense & Sensibility, Persuasion with Cairan Hinds, and North & South with Richard Armitage but nothing equals that version of Jane Eyre for me. It’s my favorite on screen romance.
Never seen that either. So. Much. Great. TV. So. Little. Time.
I think the Toby Stephens version really brought the “”sexy”” and played up (or overplayed depending on your point of view) the sexual attraction between Jane and Rochester, but the Timothy Dalton one was the first one where you really felt it. Before then, it was always played as quite longing between Jane and Rochester but without a level of heat. This was the first version where I understood just how tempted Jane was to give in to what Rochester was suggesting because in addition to loving him she is very sexually attracted to him. I enjoy the Toby Stephens/Ruth Wilson one as well but Timothy Dalton/Zelah Clarke feels like the definitive one for me. In truth, both men are probably too good looking to be Rochester!
I didn’t catch the original airing. I watched it on VHS after it went to video and then caught re-runs on A&E. I’m pretty sure I watched it by myself the first time, which is actually my preference. I love watching romance in a dark room all by myself with no one to disturb me.
Alas, count me as a troglodyte slacker as I’ve never seen this version either. I’ve seen the later one with Kira Knightly and an earlier one with Sir Laurence Olivier – but not this one. After watching and obsessing over North and South with Richard Armitage, I just figured Colin Firth could match him for romance historical hero-ness
I love Keira and Matthew which, I know, is heresy.
Oh I love that version too. I like that it was set more in Georgian times than in Regency (since Austen originally wrote it when she was 21 in 1796). I have the Oliver/Garson, Rintoul/Garvey, Firth/Ehle and MacFadyen/Knighley versions and love watching them all.
Ack – COULDN’T match – Colin Firth COULDN’T match Richard Armitage.
I remember feeling happy that Colin Firth was getting much-needed recognition. I had seen him in small, edgy films and he had long been considered an up-and-coming young British actor. I loved the A&E version but was a little sad that Jennifer Ehle did not go on to be a bigger star because I really liked her version of Elizabeth Bennett. I remember reading some harsh criticism though of her in the role.
I do though also really like the 2005 version with Kiera Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. We are blessed with multiple good versions of P&P.
I am a big Jennifer Ehle fan as well. I don’t know if you watch or watched Game Of Thrones but I think it’s very interesting that Jennifer was the original Catelyn Stark. When she didn’t want to commit to so much time away from her family they recast the role with Michele Fairley and she reshot all of Catelyn’s scenes in the pilot episode. I thought Michele Fairley was fierce and amazing in the role but I had always wondered what Jennifer Ehle could have done with it. I also think she fit the looks of Catelyn better- particularly because it’s always mentioned how much Sansa looks like a young Catelyn and Jennifer’s looks are closer to the girl they cast as Sansa.
I remember that there was enough hype about P&P that I recorded (VHS) the whole program. When A&E re-ran P&P, I recorded it again (getting it all on one tape this time) and I subsequently recorded it yet again, so I would always have it. At some point my husband and son threw out my entire collection of VHS tapes – I was not a happy camper! Bought the DVD version and later the Blu-Ray edition. P&P is one of the few programs like that that my husband will actually watch. I usually watch it at least once a year, if not more.
When we went to England in 2004 we went to Lyme Park, which was where they filmed the exteriors for P&P. Just wonderful to walk along the paths and see that iconic shot of “”Pemberley””. We went with some of my husband’s English cousins, who had no idea that Lyme Park even existed!
Last year, when we travelled across Canada my husband put a great many discs in the trailer – unfortunately he forgot that he put in Blu-ray discs and the trailer did not have a Blu-ray player. I lasted to Newfoundland and then I made him buy a Blu-ray player for the trailer so I could get my P&P fix. We just returned from a month in the trailer and this time he completely forgot to pack any discs!
I really didn’t like the Knightley/ Macfadyen version, though I like them both as actors. He didn’t seem to have enough consequence as Darcy, and he only smiled about once in the whole film. What I hated about it, though, was the ending. The climactic scene of any romance shouldn’t be two men agreeing on the heroine’s future – it’s wrong: and the climax of this particular story should not be Mr Bennett and Mr Darcy agreeing Elizabeth’s future because it goes against the grain of the story Austen told. Also, however much Donald Sutherland tried to cover his teeth in that scene, I was transfixed by them. So I waited for the DVD which included the US HEA – Darcy & Elizabeth together – yay! – and it was worse even than the teeth scene.
As for the 1995 version, I can’t remember where I watched it. I do remember my dh having to institute some change at his workplace, and I made him silly posters featuring current celebrities to remind people to do whatever it was, and he said that he got complaints all day from women who didn’t work on the 3rd floor, because only the 3rd floor had the Firth posters.
The nice thing about it is how well it’s held up – my mum rewatches it very often, and if I happen to be sitting with her, I still always enjoy it.
Marianne McA…””The climactic scene of any romance shouldn’t be two men agreeing on the heroine’s future – it’s wrong: and the climax of this particular story should not be Mr Bennett and Mr Darcy agreeing Elizabeth’s future because it goes against the grain of the story Austen told.””
It’s been a while since I’ve seen the Kiera Knightly (2005) version but my recollection is that the climatic scene and story’s resolution was very romantic and featured Elizabeth coaching Darcy on the many names he’s allowed to call her. I saw it in a movie theater and it received a standing ovation, strangely.
I do think though that men negotiating women’s financial future is both uncomfortable but still expected in 19th century stories, including Austen’s and including stories that feature independently-inclined heroines. Jane Eyre’s story is one that stands out for me because she does it herself, though that is of necessity since she is an orphan.
It’s possible I’m misremembering the scene (though not the teeth) and without watching it again, I can’t be sure why it felt so wrong.
It’s probably partly genre expectations, that a romance should end with a scene between the couple (like the US ending: Susan/DC is right that I had watched the UK version).
I do re-watch the Keira Knightly/McFadyen version (or parts of it) when it shows up on cable but it never feels like P&P to me. The language isn’t there and I always feel like I am watching a romance novel revision of the book. Kind of like Demi Moore’s version of the Scarlet Letter. It’s a pretty movie and the parts I like best are the ones with the interesting scenery or backdrops rather than the interpretation of the characters. Keira does a lot of giggling IMHO. The reason why the ’95 version works so well for me is that you understand that Elizabeth and Darcy have a lot of similar qualities including an excess of pride and easily offended dignity. For all she is critical of Darcy, Elizabeth is pretty proper herself which is why the match works. Keira and McFadyen don’t seem to have anything in common at all.
Excellent post, Christine! I love the Firth version of P&P because it is an adult love story between two equals. I’m not a fan of the Keira Knightly version. If this makes sense, she just seems too young to be Elizabeth and I don’t mean age wise. The Garson/Olivier version works for me as well because of how well matched the two leads are.
My memory is a bit fuzzy but I’m pretty certain I saw Colin Firth for the first time, the same year as P&P came out, in Circle of Friends. He played a squeemy, yucky older man to what’s her head in the lead in that movie. Then P&P came out and I fell IN LOVE with him and with the whole series. I taped it, and watched it so many times the tape went kerfluey, and then bought the tapes and those didn’t break but skipped certain scenes when they stretched, including the scene at the dinner table at Longbourn when Mr. Collins is talking about practicing little sayings that are pleasing to the ladies. It drove me crazy! And then finally, the husband got me the DVD special addition for Christmas years ago, probably in the hopes that I’d never make him watch it a second time. I still watch it at least once a year. The newer movie is good, however I’m not a Keira Knightly devotee, but I will say the end scene in the movie as the sun comes up is a dramatic triumph.
The Thornbirds was a favorite, too, and Chamberlain was a hottie. I loved the John Jakes series that came out way back when. I was really glad to see Jennifer Ehle in The King’s Speech. She was the perfect Lizzy.
Dabney – We’ve got to talk.
Saffron Burrows is the woman from Circle of Friends. She’s been great in so much: Enigma and The Bank Job.
Jennifer Ehle starred in the film Possession where she and Jeremy Northam put the modern couple, Gwyneth and Aaron, to shame. Did you know she’s actually not British?
This is an update on her:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/starsandstories/11534614/Jennifer-Ehle-on-nude-scenes-Pride-and-Prejudice-and-why-she-doesnt-want-fame.html
KristieJ: I don’t think anyone could match Richard Armitage for you, but I’m prepared to make a small bet with you that if you watched it, you would warm to Mr Firth. Could be your second favourite white shirt moment…
I think Marianne McA and Blackjack have different memories of the ending because Marianne McA saw it when it was first shown in the UK and Blackjack saw a later version in the US, which added the more romantic ending.
I didn’t know that!
That’s interesting that there were two versions! It’s definitely not the first time that the UK and the U.S. changed material in a book or movie for national audiences.
When I moved to London five years after this came out there was still a VHS set of it sitting next to the TV in our staff room! The wet shirt scene, when you think about it, is pretty gross. That pond is so scummy and green!
I actually only like – not love – this version (it’s the stagey but lovely 1980 version for me).
Jennifer Ehle’s Elizabeth is so rude and acts too old for her age. I was rewatching recently, and started counting how many times she glared directly at Darcy. Was this guy a total dunce to think she’d want to marry him? She openly hated him!
It’s gorgeous to look at, but the casting is really off.
I do watch Game of Thrones but I did not know Jennifer Ehle had been cast originally! She would have been terrific in the role. But like you, I really liked Michelle Fairley too.
Oh what memories. I remember when I first got the VHS how I pretty much spent the entire summer watching it over and over again, especially the scene where Mr. Darcy first encounters Elizabeth at Pemberley. The adorable discomfort!
Hey, you guys didn’t say it was six hours! I just started to watch in on Amazon and was unprepared for the commitment. I will not be dissuaded however.
You can do it, Dabney!
I don’t really like the BBC version, but it’s probably the closest to the book. I’ve never been a fan of Darcy anyway, but it’s hard for me to see the characters falling in love in that version. Also my ears cannot take the mother’s
voice, though I suppose that is more authentic too.
I remember watching the 1995 version, sure that it couldn’t improve on the 1980 mini-series. Somehow, it did.
I loved Elizabeth Garvie as Lizzy in the 1980 version. Jennifer Ehle was also good; however, I agree with someone above who said Ehle played Lizzy as older than she was. But Colin Firth will always be the definitive Darcy!