And I just have to say: the 1940 'Pride and Prejudice' starring Laurence Olivier (alum!) and Greer Garson is a TREAT. It is the soapiest, sit-com-iest, fluffiest, most Gone-With-the-Wind-iest version of JA's story that I've ever seen, and it is hilarious. I have heard it rumored that the costumes actually were left over from GWtW, which makes me laugh - I suppose that those particular fashions did happen in Britain at some point, but it messes with my head to find all the clothes out-of-period when none of the rest of the story is. And how can you claim to be 'poor' when every female member of your family has got enough fabric in each of her puffed sleeves for a parachute? (Anne Shirley would be SO jealous.) Greer Garson is delightful, of course, though she veers into the melodramatic on occasion (a hazard of the movie era), and Laurence Olivier is a hoot - he's actually pretty cute as Darcy, though it's truly remarkable that the actual English lead actor sounds so very stiffly wannabe-English. Greer's got a better accent than he does! It's also interesting to watch his training and skill with 'naturalistic' acting compete with the wooden directing - the conflict is not so much about Darcy longing for Elizabeth, it's about Olivier wishing someone would just allow him to really ACT.
The adaptation is fascinating - I won't spoil all the 'twists' and character shifts for you here, but they are truly mind-boggling (as in: 'Who in the world thought THAT was a good idea?!? Didn't ANY of the writers READ THE BOOK?!?').
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| There's a full-on kiss in this scene as well, and it is SO. AWKWARD. Austen knew what she was doing, people. |
I want to share the 'blurb' from the back of the DVD cover with you:
"Like the arrows she launches at an archery target during an elegant lawn party, Elizabeth Bennet's wit is pointed and unerring. 'If you want to be really refined, you have to be dead,' she says, skewering the imperious airs of her hosts. Jane Austen's timeless 1813 novel of unlikely romance is richly adapted in the lavish Academy Award* winner. Greer Garson portrays spirited Elizabeth, one of five Bennet sisters hoping for matrimony. Laurence Olivier plays Darcy, whose arrival at a nearby estate sets maiden hearts aflutter. But first impressions mean so very much. Elizabeth and Darcy find reasons to view each other with disdain, setting in motion a velvet struggle of Pride and Prejudice, perception and reality, forgiveness and love. You'll be irresistibly caught up in it."
A.MA.ZING. And so, so ridiculous.
- Yes, archery. And Elizabeth, 'poor' Elizabeth is an expert shot. Who needs to be an 'excellent walker,' anyway, when you can manhandle a bow and arrow instead?
- Worst fake quote ever. She says it in the movie, but JA's Elizabeth never would. Ever.
- "richly adapted'. That's one way to put it.
- "lavish" - see: recycled costumes. Oh, again, you're talking about the script. Right.
- Darcy's arrival sets maiden hearts aflutter.... HAHAHAHAHA.
- What is a 'velvet struggle', anyway? Is that a euphemism?
- WHO WRITES LIKE THIS?!? DIDN'T ANYONE READ THE BOOK?!?
Oh, and WAIT until you see what happens with Lady Catherine. It's like Pride and Prejudice did a crossover with Stargate, or something.
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| "Why am I wearing a necklace, again? Oh well, since they won't let me act I'll just LEAN... I hope I don't fall onto Greer's fake flower, though. That thing's a slapstick ink-in-the-eye joke just waiting to happen - DO NOT ENGAGE." |
The DVD is going to be shipped home, but man, is it ever a keeper!
*The Academy Awards were for Best B&W Interior Decoration (WHY is that not still a category?!?) and Best Short Subject/Two Reel, or in other words, best short film that accompanied the feature. It had nothing to do with the actual movie! Awesome.
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