I remember their first meeting.
Mr Darcy said, “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me. And I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men.”
She’s tolerable. = She’s so-so.
But not handsome enough to tempt me. = But she isn’t my type.
And I am in no humor at present = I’m not in the mood or, to be blunter, I refuse.
To give consequence = to put up with
To young ladies who are slighted by other men. = rejects
In short, she’s chopped liver.
Better yet, she’s chicken feet.
Hahaha.
Colin Firth’s delivery of that famous insult was exactly how I imagined Mr. Darcy would say it: condescending, supercilious, insulting and totally oblivious.
*************
Go ahead and post your favorite lines and scenes from the BBC drama.
So many good scenes! How to choose…
For #1 I have to go with the ‘accomplished women” scene..still hillarious 200+ years later:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDFZ0k53A5s
Elizabeth: I’m no longer surprised at you knowing only 6 accomplished women, Mr. Darcy, I rather wonder at you’re knowing any.
(Hahahaha!)
Mr. & Mrs. Bennett and their bickering is a favorite. Especially this early scene where we are first acquainted with Mrs. Bennet’s “nerves”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8xAF8P9vfw
Mrs. Bennet: You have no compassion for my poor nerves!
Mr. Bennet: You mistake me, my dear, I have a high respect for your nerves. They’ve been my old friends these 20 years at least.
And of course , the ‘swim in the lake scene”, after which Mr. Darcy goes running to stop Elizabeth from leaving:
Whoops! Here is the “Swim in the Lake Scene:
Love all those scenes, you guys! And every scene with Collins was comedic gold.
One of my favorites is when Lady Catherine de Burgh confronts Lizzie. And not only because Lizzie holds her own and then some but because of what that says about her as the future Mrs. Darcy. In fact, in every scene Lizzie has with Lady Catherine, we see that, whether he knows it or not, Darcy has picked exactly the great lady he needs as a wife in society and as co-landowner to his estates and the people on them.
hahaha.
I knew one of us will post this lake scene. I knew that some Austenites upset with this lake scene because it wasn’t in the book.
“That’s not canon!!”
Whatever. I find critics who grouse about other people enjoying non-canonical things supercilious and unsophisticated. Any writer would be proud that his work has become relevant to his readers/viewers in unique and novel ways. If an addition works, then it works. If it doesn’t, then oh well.
It was funny that way Lizzie said, “I didn’t expect to see you….” Her voice tapered off as she realized her faux pas in calling attention to his state of undress/nakedness.
Also, the moment he realized that he was repeating himself, “And your parents are in good health?” and sounding like an awkward fool in front of her was endearing.
This was definitely the best adaptation of that scene in the book.
Also, the moment he realized that he was repeating himself, “And your parents are in good health?” and sounding like an awkward fool in front of her was endearing.
This was one of the ones that I love, that he asked her twice about her parents health. Totally LOL but loved it! 🙂
I haven’t finished episode 6, I should be able to tonight. 🙂
Below is one of my fave scene. Maybe I can give my top three after I finish watching it. 🙂
That look, the feels from 2:20. 🥰
Aahhh you’ve chosen the scenes I choose too.
To be different, let me add on the most embarrassing scene of the Bennet family, making an exhibition of themselves at the Netherfield Ball. Mary’s piano and singing were so atrocious I cringe or giggle in mortification with Lizzie. And juxaposing this with Mr Darcy’s attitude at his first proposal, … how superior he felt … what a great favour he was doing the Bennets by stooping to offer his hand to Elizabeth, … only to be disdained and soundly rejected … I love that conversation, which I used to practise by myself for fun, and which I take from the book:
LOL. I just loved that he got double ‘slapped’ in the face and maybe a kick in the behind as well!
Of course I also love it that in the end she had to eat her words. In the end he was the ONLY man in the world that she could ever be prevailed on to marry!!! 😂
Thanks for putting that dialogue @Growing Beautifully 🙂
I love the dialogues in this series especially between Mr Darcy and Lizzy’s. 🙂
@agdr03 Yes the dialogues are gold in P&P. I loved the Darcy-Elizabeth repartee… before the proposal, there was often an undercurrent of a challenge being issued and accepted. Elizabeth would be the ‘belligerent’ party and Darcy would gamely enter into play, but they each neither won nor lost… they were often evenly matched.
I’m re-reading (rather than re-watching) Chapter 8 where Darcy and his cousin, Fitzwilliam are extremely glad to have Elizabeth at Rosings. She plays the piano and both cousins come to listen and chat with her. She reveals the scene in the YouTube video above where Darcy had refused to dance although there were not enough gentlemen and Darcy gives his excuses which she parries.
I liked this scene because he couldn’t stay away from her. He came to look at her and was drawn into conversation, although I think he just wanted to stare at her. He also actually smiled more than once, so unlike his taciturn self at Hertfordshire.
The low key humour was that his aunt was revealed to be little better than Mrs Bennet in being rather ill bred and his girl cousin was a nonentity whom everyone, except her mother, ignored. He looked down on the Bennets but his own relatives were not so high brow or refined either.
When Elizabeth argued with Lady Catherine that Mr Darcy was a gentleman and she, a gentleman’s daughter, and so far they were equal, she was so right. The minute Lady Catherine brought up Elizabeth’s relatives, she was a pot calling the kettle black in terms of good breeding.
Similar to @Barbrey, that is another scene I really liked.
I like the scene where Lizzy met Mr.Darcy unexpectedly at Pembroke (the continuation of the lake scene), where he is so visibly shaken, unlike his usual taciturn self. After he askes her about her parent’s health twice, he changes hia clothes and comes back at record speed just to catch another glimpse of Elizabeth. This meeting where both of them have changed a lot since their last meeting has always stood out in my mind both in the book and the series – because this is the first time they interact with pride( on Mr.Darcy’s part) and prejudice (on Elizabeth’s part).
I also like the scene already posted by @agdr03 where Elizabeth comes to Georgiana’s rescue and they came so longingly at each other across tje room…there’s so much emotion in Mr.Darcy’s eyes😍
Another favorite part of tje story for me, of course, is the final proposal scene – when he says that whatever he did for Lydia, he did it for Elizabeth and that his affections and feelings were unchanged, and then Elizabeth reassureshim that her feelings for him have completely changed. This is their first true heart-to-heart chat (again without pride or prejudice) and I love how unguarded they both are (I also notice how they walk closer to each other, with their shoulders touching, which must be the Victorian equivalent of a hug 😛)
Sorry for the typo: I meant that when they meet in Pembroke, it is the first time they interact *without pride (on Mr.Darcy’s part) and prejudice (on Elizabeth’s part).
@Table122000 , I’ve finished this mini series and totally enjoyed it! 😍 😍 😍 Thank you for the recommendation. 🙂
I didn’t realized that Jane and Lizzy had a double wedding in the end and oh how sweet was that kiss of Mr and Mrs Darcy while they were in the horse carriage? 💓
I have to say that those looks of exchange between Elizabeth and Mr Darcy when he visited with Mr Bingley after the whole issue with Lydia was something else. No words but I felt it alright. 🥰
I loved their conversation on the final proposal scene just as you put it @Phoenix , it was really a summary of how they started and how the end for them is to be together forever.
I have to say that I think I prefer Mrs Bennet and Lady Catherine from the movie rather than the series, they both shocked me most of the time hahaha But the conversations of Mr and Mrs Bennet are funny indeed. 🙂
My favorite three scenes are – 1) when Elizabeth rescued Georgiana from hearing about Mr Wickham and looking at Mr Darcy with 😍 2) the conversation after the lake swim of Mr Darcy and 3) the final proposal scene.
@agdr03: So glad you enjoyed this P&P (1995) drama 😊. This was my original go-to drama in high school and college days when I had no idea that something like kdramas existed 😛
I totally was not into any dramas at all while in high school or college @Phoenix 😂 so I’ve been deprived of knowing Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet for 24 years! 😩
I guess that’s why I’m making it up now for all the dramas that I’ve seen and still watching 😄
@agdr03- I’m so glad that you enjoyed P&P 1995! It’s one of my favorite dramas of all time. It’s hard to believe that the drama is now over 20 years old as I remember watching it when it first came out. (Now I feel old!) Everything is top notch in this production-acting, directing, cinematography, sets, costumes, music. And especially the script by Andrew Davies. I love how he used actual dialogs from the source novel for many scenes. I have enjoyed all the adaptations of P&P I have seen and each one has special things that I liked, but for me P&P 1995 best captures the novel and is my overall favorite. I can watch it again and again and find new nuances. Even though it was broadcast so long ago, it doesn’t feel dated to me. It’s one of the few dramas that I own on DVD because it stands up for repeat viewings.
Yes, the double wedding was such a nice ending for this drama. They followed Shakespeare’s rule “comedy ends with a wedding”. And I loved that we got a nice kiss between Lizzy and Darcy at the end. It was so satisfying as a viewer to see Lizzy and Darcy physically express their love. I remember when I watched it the first time, I was worried there would be no kiss. I thought”…oh, no! No kiss? They can’t end the drama without a kiss!” And then, bam, we had that nice kiss scene in the final few seconds. Yes, it is short and chaste, but I prefer it to the over the top kiss scene ripoff of Sixteen Candles that we get in P&P 2005. (Don’t get me wrong-I love that we have a kiss in P&P 2005, I just wish the tone and execution had been different). The kiss in P&P 1995 is in keeping with the tone of the drama.
the drama has so many good scenes! The conversation between Lizzie & Darcy after the lake scene is one of my favorites as well.
Now that you have seen P&P 1995, I have to ask if you have watched my other favorite period drama BBC North & South (2004) starring Richard Armitage? If you haven’t I definitely encourage you to check it out!
I second the motion to watch BBC’s North and South.
Make sure it’s the BBC one because there’s also an American version of the North and South which was about the civil war.
@Table122000 , I’ve only seen the movie and this series but I love the series more definitely. It was perfect especially the dialogues, it really made a big difference to me. Yes, the kiss was icing on the cake for me. 😍
I’ll try to look for North and South BBC series. I’m sure it’s another great one. Thank you 😊
@pm3: LOL! Yes, you definitely need to make sure it’s the 2004 BBC version and not the 1985 miniseries with Patrick Swayze. (I’d also give a pass to the 1975 version which you can now rent on Amazon Prime Video.)
@agdr03- BBC North & South (2004) is available on Netflix, but I’m not sure if the liscense is worldwide. It’s available in USA.
EDIT: Thank goodness, I finally found another “other sites” source. If you can’t watch on Netflix. All 4 episodes are available on Dailymotion. Here is links:
Ep. 1: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5wmqbf
Ep. 2: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5wmqbh
Ep. 3: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5wmqbi
Ep. 4: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5wmqbj
Oh, yes, this series is just soo good. And the ending, well, I think it is probably the most romantic 10 minutes ever put on film. (at least what I have seen). It’s another great ensemble cast, but for sure Richrd Armitage as John Thornton is star making performance. I still believe that if only this series had been broadcast on PBS Masterpiece Theater when it first came out, RA would be an A List superstar now rather than just a somewhat known actor. Unstead it was shown with little fanfare on BBC America. It’s a real shame. I envy you discovering this drama for the first time. I’ll be interested to read your take on the drama.
Thanks, @table122000.
@agdr03, the ending has a 😘 💋 kiss to remember.
Thank you so much for the links @Table122000 🙂 It’ll be a bonus if it is on Netflix but the links are very helpful already. I look forward to watching this one especially as @packmule3 said, there’s a kiss to remember. Kisses are my weakness. 😁
No worries, @agdr03. Yes, the final kiss scene in North & South is one of the best, for sure. I’ll look forward to reading your thoughts on the drama.
No worries @Table122000 , I will definitely come back to you regarding North and South 🙂
I was browsing YouTube and clicked on this … Colin Firth speaks about Mr Darcy and he gets both his character and Elizabeth’s correct. It was the similarity in both the characters having pride and prejudice that gets them moving first one way and then another, and their romance with them.
I really like how Jane Austen balanced out the prejudicial dislike of Elizabeth for Darcy against all the nice things people said about him, and against all the nice people who liked him. And yet she never conceded at those times that she could be wrong.
Conversely, the one she was disposed to like, displayed from early on (from at least the Netherfield Ball) that he was not to be trusted, but she was blind to this because of her prejudice, which was stronger against Darcy because her pride had been bruised. How Austen added weight and balanced out the thoughts and feelings and slowly let the balance tilt in favour of Darcy is always lovely to watch and to read.
Sorry, forgot to add the link!! I found a better looking video and this one with Jennifer Ehle’s comments as well.
This video clip has a bad quality video but the fuller interview with Colin Firth which is fun, and the music is the full opening theme for the series.