To answer @phoenix… 

We can all agree that Colin Firth’s portrayal of Mr. Darcy comes closest to Ms. Austen’s ideal. However, I think that Matthew Macfayden’s interpretation of Mr. Darcy says a lot about a 21st century woman’s idea of a romantic guy.

Ms. Austen created the hero to appear aristocratic and haughty (lol, just his name alone reeks of aristocracy. Darcy from the French, D’Arcy. They’re old nobility). Colin Firth nailed the character. It’s easy to see how Elizabeth Bennet could have formed her prejudicial opinion of Mr. Darcy simply based on their first encounter when he stood proudly before the twittering class of Meryton. Firth is believable as Mr. Darcy. He perfected that “resting bitch face” and he gave “zero fucks” to other people’s good opinions.

But I couldn’t say that thing for Matthew Macfayden’s interpretation of Mr. Darcy. Frankly, I initially thought his acting was underwhelming, wishy-washy, lacking in oomph factor when compared to Colin Firth. He appeared more tired than disdainful; old rather than patrician.

That proposal scene in the rain? He looked constipated to me; he had difficulty getting his words out. And the ending scene? I thought he stuttered. But not being a true Austenite, I let reservations go.

But one day I happened to read a write-up on the actor Tom Hanks. It struck me that his characters appealed to many women because they showed a vulnerable side. There’s a flash of that little-boy charm in his male braggadocio. Tom Hank projected the image of a sensitive guy.

And that’s what Macfayden had in common with Tom Hanks. That’s the key to understanding his interpretation of Mr. Darcy: look for the vulnerability. He portrayed Mr. Darcy as a shy, sensitive guy.

In a way, he and Colin Firth were on the opposite end of the spectrum. Firth showed the strong, decisive, manly side of the character. For instance, when his Mr. Darcy said “I’m not good with strangers” as an excuse for his reticence to socialize, we know that it didn’t cut it. If I were Lizzie, I’d go “Pfffttt. Sure. Whatever you say.” Firth projected the sangfroid so well that it was hard to imagine his Mr. Darcy as being shy and rattled.

In contrast, we can see without Macfayden’s Mr. Darcy telling us that he was awkward with strangers.

Look again at the proposal in the rain. Around 1:47.

When he says, ”…end my agony”  she answers, “I don’t understand,” listen carefully to the way he delivers the words, “I love you.”

Do you hear it?

He wasn’t declaring himself firmly and decisively. He was tentative. He said those three words quickly and lightly. Usually, when you say “I love you,” you drop your voice on the last word “you.” If you were to denote musical notes for those three words, you’d typically play re-mi-do on the piano.

But with Macfayden’s intonation, he said do-re-mi (sostenuto) with the word “you” floating and hanging in the air.

That’s why I said his sentence sounded hesitant.

And his visuals matched his voice, too. He was drenched. He looked like a drowning man in need of rescuing. His eyebrows were raised, too, as if he was beseeching. And he swallowed as if he was nervous, then blinked his eyes like a little kid expecting a scolding after a confession.

Do you see it?

“I don’t understand,” she said. “I love you…most ardently,” he said.

When Lizzie just stared at him speechless, he added, “Most ardently.” lol. He tried to sound more convincing but it came out more pathetic because he was pleading.

Again, listen to him. “Most arrhh (oh lord, please!) dently.”

Then, he swallowed and blink (signs of nervousness) before saying, “Please do me the honor of accepting my hand.”

“Pleeeaaaase, take my hand.”

Macfayden’s proposal was very much different from Colin Firth’s delivery. Firth didn’t grovel. He didn’t blink when he said, “I beg you most fervently to relieve my suffering and consent to be my wife.” In fact, listen to how Mr. Darcy emphasized the word “beg.” lol.

At 2:12.

He said he was “begging” but the stress he put on the word “beg” indicated that he was ORDERING her to end his suffering. Also, note, Lizzie didn’t interrupt him when he started proposing. How could she? Mr. Darcy was making a case for himself — like a barrister — and he expected a positive outcome.

He was different from Macfayden’s Mr. Darcy who rushed through his proposal because he was expecting to lose his courage any second. Whereas Colin Firth’s Mr. Darcy was restraining himself because he was aware that he was going against very PRUDENT nature, Macfayden’s Mr. Darcy didn’t care at all that he looked totally absurd, declaring himself in the middle of a rainstorm while soaking wet. Macfayden’s Mr. Darcy upended his own pompous image.

Also, take a lot at Macfayden’s fingers here. I thought that was excellent character building. Mr. Darcy was fidgety; he was anxious to be in her presence. But when we consider that it was HE who dropped by to visit her, why was he nervous?

Last, look at their goodbye moment here.

He said stiffly, “Ms. Elizabeth.” Likewise, she said, “Mr. Darcy.”

Neither one of them was smiling but when she turned to Mr. Binkley, she beamed at him. She wasn’t expecting Mr. Darcy to help her up. You could tell when she looked down that she was surprised to see his hand suddenly there holding hers.

Plus, they weren’t wearing gloves.

Skinship, 19th century version!

Visually, I like the way he was gripping his finger. (When the camera highlighted that contact, viewers thought it was more erotic than porn.)

I could easily imagine him thinking, “I’m glad you’re going” when he looked at her before quickly walking away. She unsettled him so. Her departure couldn’t have come a moment sooner.

But his fingers unclenching was most telling. This was a detail that wouldn’t have been included in the Colin Firth’s version of Pride and Prejudice. But it worked very well here in this movie version. It showed us that Mr. Darcy too was affected by that brief hand-touching. He was aware of her presence but he tried to control his feelings while she was visiting. That last touch of theirs almost had him undone.

So yes, Colin Firth remains the quintessential Mr. Darcy for me (hands down better than Sir Laurence Olivier, too). But I must commend Macfayden for bringing a novel approach and making me appreciate his character from a different perspective. We can’t keep on watching P&P and have the same interpretation of the character each time, with just the degree of handsomeness of the actors varying and differentiating one Mr. Darcy from the other. That would be tiresome.

Thus, I’ve come to realize that Macfayden’s portrayal is nuanced and more physical. When I re-watched the last scene with Mr. Darcy and Lizzie in their bed clothes, I wasn’t shocked anymore that there was this much canoodling filmed in the US version of the finale. All throughout the show, Mr. Darcy showed  physical response to Lizzie and emotional sensitivity, so the ending dialogue made sense.

Darcy: How are you this evening, my dear?
Lizzie: Very well. Only I wish you wouldn’t call me “my dear.”
Darcy: Why?
Lizzie: Because it’s what my father always calls my mother when he’s crossed about something.
Darcy: What endearments am I allowed?
Lizzie: Well, let me think. Lizzie, for every day. My Pearl, for Sundays. And goddess divine but only on very special occasions.
Darcy: And what shall I call you when I’m crossed? Mrs. Darcy?
Lizzie: No. No. You may only call me Mrs. Darcy when you are completely and perfectly and incandescently happy.
Darcy: And how are you this evening? Mrs. Darcy.

And he held her cheek and kissed her forehead.
Then he said again, “Mrs Darcy” and kissed her cheek;
“Mrs Darcy” and kissed her by the nose;
“Mrs. Darcy” and he kissed her other cheek;
“Mrs. Darcy” and kissed her lips.