This post“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”
Thus begins Pride and Prejudice. Today I completed the marathon that few men dare to attempt: the almost-six-hour-long A&E version of Pride and Prejudice (on two DVDs).
My first brush with Jane Austen was my senior year of high school, when I read P&P (on my own; I’d already taken AP English Lit my sophomore year). In fact, according to my book log I finished it June 23, 2001, a couple of months after school got out. Loved it.
Then a year or two ago I watched the Mormon version. It has its charms, but I suspect I wouldn’t like it nearly as much nowadays. (My taste for movies is gradually becoming quite exclusive, and that’s even within the realm of clean movies. Silliness grates on my nerves. But that’s for another post.)
A few months ago the Keira Knightley version came out, and I watched it with my roommate and his girlfriend. I found it tremendously delightful, as did the girlfriend. My roommate fell asleep.
Since then, I’ve been meaning to watch the A&E version, but I never had the time. Today I decided that if I didn’t watch it before the summer ends, I’d never have the time. And so I did. Alone. (Yes, daring. :P)
As far as comparisons between the Keira and Colin versions, the production quality of the new one is certainly much better. And I find Keira (and whoever plays Jane) much more attractive physically, but Lizzie’s personality seemed almost identical in both versions. An hour or two into this one today, I realized that I have a big-time crush on Lizzie Bennet. My list of literary crushes now totals two: Anne Shirley and now Lizzie.
But I’ve already said too much. ;) Anyway, Mr. Collins is far more loathable in the A&E version, as are Mrs. Bennet and Lydia. It was nice watching the longer movie, because there was so much extra material that I’d forgotten was in the novel. And yet it was long. I’ll have to watch the Keira Knightley version again now that Colin Firth is fresh in my mind.
Other than that, I found both versions quite funny. I love Mr. Bennet! :)
Watching P&P while reading A Return to Modesty really affected the way I saw the movie, in a good way. More on that later, once I finish the book.
Have I mentioned that Darcy is one of my role models? (Along with Mr. Knightley, from Emma.) In the very near future I’m going to write a post about gentlemanly conduct and chivalry and all that.
One last thing, and then I’m off to learn about the library databases in preparation for applying for this library job. So today I went home for lunch and told my roommates how I was watching Pride and Prejudice. Mostly for the shock value, I suppose :), but then again they know me pretty well and so it wasn’t shocking at all. Anyway, imagine my surprise when my former-wrestler roommate turns to me and asks, “So, do you think bonnets are hot?” And he meant it! We then had a cool little discussion about how modesty is far more attractive. (He thinks they are and said three-fourths of the guys he’s talked with agree.) I keep wanting to write about A Return to Modesty but I really must hold off until I finish the book! :)
