Revolutionary Rants

I went to see the all new film of the classic Jane Austen book last weekend. After - like everyone else in the country - loving the 1995 version (although this had nothing to do with Colin Firth, I preferred Wickham, to be honest!!!) I was quite sceptical.

But, I absolutely loved it! It was even better than the telly version, in my view. It seemed more economic, more real; the Bennets seemed ‘poor’, Darcy seemed filthy rich, there was mud and animals. Most of all, unlike the TV versions Firth and Jennifer Ehle, you could see the love in Darcy and the change in Elizabeth. Keira Knightley was altogether brilliant, a perfect, feisty and somewhat scruffy Lizzie; much more how I had imagined her than the perfect curls, bonnets and bodice of Ehle’s portrayal.

The Bennets also felt like a real family; Lizzie and Jane were not quite separate and always confiding in one another, both joined in the giggles and silliness of their younger sisters, Mr and Mrs Bennet seemed to have real affection for one another. I wasn’t sure about Donald Sutherland’s perfect toothed Mr Bennet, nor Jena Malone as Lydia (who seemed somehow lifeless compared to Julia Sawalha in 1995), but other than that the Bennets were good with a restrained Mrs B and Jane not quite as wide-eyed and perfect as in some adaptions. Darcy was full of emotion and not in every scene, which gave him a even more powerful presence. He was also a little bit bumbling, which was a nice twist, almost suggesting his hautiness might be shyness. Bingley was nice and jolly without grating too much!

Mr Collins was wonderful; loathsome and cringe-making without having to be pantomime. Charlotte’s choice to marry him, made much clearer and more emotional.

Add to this rather scrumptious scenery and camara work and you have an excellent film: go and see it!

Oh, and, finally, I know Firth’s soaked appearance out of a pond at Pemberley did it for almost every British woman for the last 10 years, but for me MacFadyen’s arrival almost floating out of the misty morning was way sexier!