Darcy, Lizzy And The Moral Vision Of Jane Austen
(ANALYSIS) Once again, I need to apologize to the unknown — and search-engine invisible — person who created a quote that I want to share. I admit that there is some chance that I created the quote, but it sounds way too literate to have been created by yours truly.
OK, here goes: While the 2005 Hollywood hit “Pride & Prejudice” includes some fine performances and stunning cinematography, it has one major flaw. It feels like Jane Austen when the scenes are indoors and Emily Bronte (“Wuthering Heights”) when the drama is outdoors.
Here’s a funny example — the 2005 scene in which the protagonist Elizabeth “Lizzy” Bennet travels with family into the rocky hills near the country estate of Fitzwilliam Darcy, known to millions and millions of readers as “Mr. Darcy.” Is Lizzy impressed with the scenery and, later, the wonders of the Pemberley mansion and its vast grounds?
That is obvious in the book. But watch the clip at the top of this post! I have to admit that, when I saw this in a large theater, I laughed out loud. It’s beautiful, but ridiculous.
One gust of wind from the wrong direction and Lizzy’s flowing, flapping travel dress would have pulled her right over the edge of that cliff, giving Austen’s 1813 novel a rather different ending.
But to “get” the heart (and mind) of the matter, watch this scene from the classic 1995 BBC miniseries version of “Pride and Prejudice.” Note how Elizabeth struggles to restrain herself as she rejects Mr. Darcy’s proposal in a manner that is both articulate, clipped and quietly furious. The dignified, but trapped, Darcy is ashamed, stunned and hurt — but he remains a gentleman.
Contrast that version, which makes every attempt to reflect Austen’s text and the manners of the age, with this version of the same scene from the, yes, much shorter and wildly dramatic 2005 movie.
I find myself in total agreement with the Think Thing video essay (embedded below) contrasting the two versions.
For starters, listen to the music (it’s a great score on its own) as this scene begins. It’s a different mood, isn’t it? Rather dramatic and emotional, right?
To read the rest of Terry Mattingly’s post, you can visit his Substack page at Rational Sheep.
Terry Mattingly is Senior Fellow on Communications and Culture at Saint Constantine College in Houston. He lives in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and writes Rational Sheep, a Substack newsletter on faith and mass media.