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
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!
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.
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!
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!
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.
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 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.
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…
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