What’s Up?!? Pride and Prejudice Again

Despite my supposed OJT, I’ve been hanging around my house a lot (I’m not required to report everyday at the office), basically not going out to do research if not necessary since I would have to ask for allowance (haven’t received my paycheck yet). Anyway, I’m dreading the day that I will really do the dirty side of research and go to various agencies to get my data. Until then…

From all my chatting about my Korean entertainment escapades, I finally took a breather from all Asian and unexpectedly turned back to *drum roll* Pride and Prejudice! Haha, here we go again. I’ve more or less forgot about that phase when I suddenly turned on the TV in the living room last Saturday (to think that the TV in the bedroom is broken, this is really fate), browsed the channels and stopped at TCM (Turner Classic Movies, where I also got to watch Gone with the Wind)…and voila! I saw the first adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, in black and white, starring Laurence Olivier as Mr. Darcy! Bwahaha, this was sooooo not intended. I expressed my desire to watch this movie during the height of my PnP obsession but I decided I was going way overboard. But well, I think it’s my destiny to cross paths with another Mr. Darcy ;)

Since this movie was made in the 1940s, one would expect again the usual old movie elements—too much romanticism, too many close ups with the leading girls looking faraway, spouting their melancholic lines. This movie was no exception. As usual, we get the passionate, biglaan kiss at the end with matching exaggerated arch of the back of the girl. But this is one old movie that I liked, might have been because I don’t have any expectations from it. The whole tone of the movie does not have the same brand of PnP unlike PnP2 (BBC; Colin Firth) and PnP3 (Knightley & McFadyen). The movie was soooo funny, it’s the only PnP that I laughed so much. I love Greer Garson as Elizabeth and even Laurence Olivier as Mr. Darcy. Unlike the latter two adaptations, the two protagonists are more…let’s just say active (as in magalaw)…Olivier’s Darcy is way different from the latter two Darcy’s. For one thing, he moves a lot (not the usual stoic, standoff-ish type Darcy is truly characterized as) and talks and expresses his thoughts a lot…that’s why I can’t believe why they call him a snob in the movie. Anyway, maybe it’s because of the superior tone he uses whenever he talks, but that’s it. Nevertheless, it’s an enjoyable Darcy to watch (I love the way he stands too).

Of course the movie has its inconsistencies as well, possibly also due to the trend of what is “romantic” during that time. For one thing, Catherine De Bourgh’s character had a different twist at the end and became the “ambassador of my feelings” (verbatim to ha, right out of Darcy’s mouth) of Darcy. And there was no Pemberley scene – the right-after-the-proposal-I-realize-I-love-you-and-you’re-not-a-bad-guy-will-you-take-me-back? scene! Aarrgh! That’s like one of the tension-filled moments in the book! (I think movie audiences are not big fans of tension-filled moments before) The only shot of Pemberley was inside while Darcy and Bingley are playing billiards (did billiards exist during Austen’s time?). Anyway, in fairness, the movie’s Bingley is the one I like the most out of the three adaptations.

So now I have watched all three adaptations of Pride and Prejudice (there are probably small productions of PnP but so far I’ve only heard of these three as the major ones). So here’s my verdict:

1. Best Darcy – still Matthew McFadyen (yes Colin Firth I like you too but I like his gaze more); Olivier was endearing at his best but not the accurate Darcy I know.

2. Best Elizabeth – hmm…I’m torn…tie between Knightely and Garson.

3. Best Bingley – PnP1! More handsome and not aimlessly in love!

4. Best Jane – hmmm…kahit sino, don’t care, hehe

5. Best Mr. Collins – PnP1…I think he delivered an accurate Mr. Collins, and a funny one at that.

6. Best Mrs. Bennet – kahit sino din, different yung appeal of all three adaptations.

7. Best Mr. Wickham – oh ayan, bibigay ko sa PnP2…just because he’s ugly and so annoying, hehe

8. Best Adaptation – in terms of being true to the book, it’s PnP2, in terms of entertainment value, PnP3.

Yun na muna, Ten bought the original DVD of PnP3 so I’m waiting for her reaction. It’s good that we both have weird cables (I got Pque cable while she has Las Pinas cable) so we have the same line-up of channels and got to discuss everything that’s happening at TCM.