Pride & Prejudice--Which movie version do you like best?

Do you believe in
Movie Magic?

My scribe belongs to a unique group called the GoofyGirls. They don't officially do anything, but sometimes they watch movies, sometimes they brainstorm, sometimes they critique, and sometimes they poke fun at one another. But always they learn--or at least that's how they justify laughing hysterically at their own lame jokes.

Last Monday they had a movie day and watched all 6(?) episodes of the A&E version of P&P starring Colin Firth, and then viewed the 2005 version starring Kiera Knightly. That's a long time to sit. I sure wouldn't have been able to do it, but my scribe said the day was worth the T(ired)B(utt).

Both versions are excellent but each has its strong points. Comparing the cast, Scribe says:

Kiera Knightly was excellent as Elizabeth. The eyes have it.

Macfayden (Mr. Darcy in the new version) needed a haircut and that annoyed me the entire movie. If he has 10,000 pounds a year, then he can afford a good haircut. Other than that, she thought Macfayden did a great job acting even though she was all set to give the role to Firth, hands down. (Personally, I still love Colin Firth in that role, but hey, MM gave an outstanding performance.) Firth gets the edge here but it's pretty much a dead heat.

Unless, of course, you count the dance scene between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in the new version. Whew! Nearly blew my hormonal scribe's socks off!

She loves Donald Sutherland's acting. Even so, she told me she wouldn't have thought he could be such a convincing Mr. Bennett because let's face it, he's a bit short on English accent. But wow, he was totally wonderful. Mrs. Bennett goes to the new movie, hands down, because the shrillness of the A&E Mrs. Bennett started to irritate the heck out of my scribe along about the 4th episode. She liked Lydia in both movies, but Wickham in the new movie. Mary seemed more true to the book in the A&E version.

My scribe definitely liked the Charlotte in the A&E movie better and so did I, not because she gave a better performance per se, but because her looks and mannerisms are far more how pictured Charlotte before we ever saw a P&P movie. Same with Jane in the new version. She fit the role better in the looks department, but with her, we thought she played Jane in a slightly more animated way, which we both liked.

Bingly's second sister didn't lend anything, really, and could have been cut from the A&E version with no notice.

But one thing the A&E version did that my scribe said was cut short shrift in the new version, was Elizabeth's visit to Charlotte and Mr. Collins. That's where the biggest share of the romance is developed, and without that foundation, a lot of the other events don't make that much sense. So the new version didn't seem as romantic to us.

Overall, both versions are wonderful and worth seeing. A&E version has more depth, but the new version is much faster paced and held my interest every second.

Next, we might have an Emma day. Then a LOTR day, a Sharpes day, an Antonio Banderas day . . . the possibilities are endless!

P.S.: My scribe and I also saw The Brothers Grimm. She loved it, but I thought they wouldn't know a real faery if she bit them on the arse, which no self-respecting faery would do . . .

TTFN!
Keely

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