Jane Austen Movie Throwdown

Mr. Bingley. Perpetual sidekick. Always in a good mood, kind, rich, and good looking. So why are we not as enamored of Mr. Bingley as of Mr. Darcy? Do we really prefer the dark and brooding Mr. Darcy over gentle and attentive Mr. Bingley? This week we ask you to decide which actor played Mr. Bingley best. Who, in your mind, was Mr. Darcy's best foil in a movie adaptation of Pride and Prejudice? We direct you to only the three latest cinematic Mr. Bingleys, as he is hard enough to remember as it is.

Your Favorite Mr. Bingley

Crispin Bonham-Carter, Pride and Prejudice 1995

A director and distant cousin of Helena Bonham-Carter, Crispin played a polite Mr. Bingley who was always patient with Mrs. Bennet while not taking his eyes off Jane. The BBC said of Crispin's Bingley: "Mr Bingley is that wonderful combination of both nice, handsome and rich." Nice, yes. But also a bit boring. Would you agree? Crispin's acting career has been steady and consistent since his turn as Mr. Darcy's side kick.

Simon Woods, Pride and Prejudice, 2005

Simon's Mr. Bingley was an eager adoring puppy to Matthew Macfadyen's Mr. Darcy. Simon's next big role was as young Dr. Harrison in Cranford, showing that he does have leading man material. About his role as Bingley, Simon said: "Basically, his aim is to get married and, once married, to buy an estate and become a proper landed gentleman." Ho hum. One also assumes that Bingley must beget children. Let's hope his politeness ends at the bedroom door.

Tom Mison, Lost in Austen

Tom Mison's Mr. Bingley presents a twist in the Mr. Bingley oeuvre. His Bingley becomes a blubbering, crying fool for losing Jane to Mr. Collins and he actually turns on Mr. Darcy and blames him for his misstep! Tom turns in a comic performance that fits right in with the zany script, for in the end he does get his Jane. She must divorce Mr. Collins in order to be with her man, and thus the two set off for the COLONIES to avoid scandal. Such fun.

pollcode.com free polls

Favorite Mr. Bingley

Crispin Bonham-Carter Simon Woods Tom Mison

Masterpiece Mystery Inspector Lewis Preview: Music to Die For Airs Sunday

The second season of the Inspector Lewis mysteries continues with ‘Music to Die For’ tomorrow, September 06, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET on PBS. Here is a brief description from the Masterpiece Mystery website.

An elite Oxford lecturer gets in a drunken brawl at an exclusive club, and is later found strangled by a strip of boxer's hand tape. Richard Helm, his old friend with him that night, seems suitably grieved — but is he guilty? Lewis and Hathaway become immersed in the brutal world of bare-knuckle boxing as they comb Oxford for the killer. One boxing student in particular has unexplained injuries and pent up rage, but is he angry enough to kill his own tutor? From the epic operas of Wagner to Cold War intrigue and buried secrets, the case swells to a heart-pounding crescendo, along the way invoking the memory of Chief Inspector Morse.

Watch a preview of the Masterpiece Mystery season
Read the full synopsis (spoilers ahead)
Read the full cast and crew listing
Watch last week’s episode 'And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea' online through Sunday, September 13, 2009, eastern time

This is one of my favorite series in the Masterpiece Mystery lineup this season from PBS. It is smart, reflective, and features excellent casting. I hope you enjoy it also.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Seen on the Blogosphere: Place de L'Eventail

Piere Henri Biger's fan website Place de L'Eventail offers a vast amount of information about ladies fans for the casual reader as well as a lover of history. Written in French and translated into English, the site offers information for the beginner, an extensive bibliography, and monographs.

Now, here's the crux. The site's owners are French. They are asking for help in translating their pages into English. If I had the time, I would offer my services. If anyone is interested in "smoothing" out the English translations, making sure that the information is accurate, I am sure that the site's owners will welcome your help. Their email address is: pierrehenri dot biger at eventails dot net.

Image of a Brisé fan from Place de L'éventail. Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World

Stick Jane Austen Everywhere!

Need to share your Jane Austen addiction with the world? Now you can stick Jane everywhere – letter envelopes, scrapbooking, craft projects, on your dog, you name it! These lovely images are available from MagicPug at their Etsy store online and include an 8.5 x 11 digital collage sheet with 63 1" button images. The quotes and images selected are beautiful. Go forth and spread the Jane love. Happy thought indeed!

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Fabulous Promotion: Sourcebooks B&N Heyer Receipt Promotion

This September, Sourcebooks is exclusively releasing The Foundling by Georgette Heyer in Barnes & Nobles stores Nationwide!!

Sourcebooks is holding a fabulous receipt promotion! Send them your receipt/proof of purchase of The Foundling from your local Barnes & Noble to our office or a scanned receipt in an email to: danielle.jackson@sourcebooks.com

and you’ll be entered to win a $200 Barnes & Noble gift card! Receipts must be dated between September 1 – September 31, 2009, and can be from an in-store or online purchase. Any questions please contact danielle.jackson@sourcebooks.com.

Sourcebooks is so excited about the warm embrace everyone has given the Georgette Heyer reissues! Good luck!

Send your Barnes & Noble The Foundling receipts to:
Sourcebooks, Inc.
c/o Publicity
PO Box 4410
Naperville, IL 60567

Join Sourcebook's Georgette Heyer mailing list!: http://www.sourcebooks.com/spotlight/georgette-heyer.html

Purr and Petulance: A PURRRfectly wonderful Austenesque blog

Purr and Petulance, home of heavenly cats who romp through the land of Jane Austen, asks only two things: To send in your funny cat photo and upload it at their link.

Or to find a Pride and Prejudice quote for an image. Here are the two I came up with. We'd love to see your ideas. Find the LOL Cat Builder at I Can Haz Cheezburger and enjoy yourself!

Soiree with Lady Susan at Austenprose

Today's the day to join Laurel Ann at Austenprose for the next two weeks to read Lady Susan, discuss the book with other readers, and discover additional interesting information about Jane Austen's anti-heroine. What a fabulous way to start September.

Food I've Eaten

Gentle Readers: In days of yore people ate foods that we no longer consider staples. We view the recipes with one eye raised. One 1792 recipe said that duck a bit old (in age) and "ripe" (in freshness) would do very well. Not for me. Here's a list of foods, most are modern, some are exotic. Are you adventurous? How many have you sampled. ? How many would you try if given the opportunity? And how often would you starve rather than attempt the food? I have bolded the foods I have sampled and placed an S next to those I will NEVER try. Those I left plain I would sample.

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Trifle
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects - S
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu - S
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. Hog's Head
62. Sweetbreads - S
63. Pigeon eggs
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Scotch eggs
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill - S
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

I've eaten 71 foods and will not eat five. Fugu is a poisonous fish, which, if prepared wrong, will kill you. I will not eat roadkill or insects. The other two choices I refuse to eat are irrational, but my experience in eating head cheese (brain), was such that I will not attempt offal. I thought I was eating tofu in Indonesia when it suddenly dawned on me that I was not.

Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World

Jane Austen Movie Throwdown

Gentle Reader,

Do you recall this passage from Pride and Prejudice, when Elizabeth visits Pemberley with her aunt and uncle? Mrs. Reynolds, the housekeeper, describes her master in a way that is totally counter to Elizabeth's first perception of him. She has since received his proposal, rejected it, and then read his letter, and her feelings towards him are softening, though still mixed. In this scene, she encounters Mr. Darcy's portrait hanging on the wall:

The picture gallery and two or three of the principal bedrooms were all that remained to be shown. In the former were many good paintings, but Elizabeth knew nothing of the art, and from such as had been already visible below, she had willingly turned to look at some drawings of Miss Darcy's in crayons, whose subjects were usually more interesting and also more intelligible. In the gallery there were many family portraits, but they could have little to fix the attention of a stranger. Elizabeth walked on in quest of the only face whose features would be known to her. At last it arrested her and she beheld a striking resemblance of Mr Darcy with such a smile over the face as she remembered to have sometimes seen when he looked at her. She stood several minutes before the picture in earnest contemplation and returned to it again before they quitted the gallery. Mrs Reynolds informed them that it had been taken in his father's lifetime. There was certainly at this moment in Elizabeth's mind a more gentle sensation towards the original than she had ever felt in the height of their acquaintance.

This week we ask you to decide, which image of Mr. Darcy do you think is best? (Please note: the wording has been changed to clarify the question.) The portrait in Pride and Prejudice 1995? Or the bust in the statue gallery in Pride and Prejudice 2005? Below we show both the work of art and Lizzy's reaction to the work.

Best Art Work of Mr. Darcy

Colin Firth Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice 1995, Portrait in oil

pollcode.com free polls

Best Art Work of Mr. Darcy

1995 Oil portait 2005 Sculpture bust

Matthew MacFadyen Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice 2005, Sculpture bust

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Offensive Rip-off or Clever Parody?

Having sold over a million copies, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is still on the New York Times Best Seller List after 21 weeks, coming in the top ten this week at number 9. While we think that this mash-up concept of combining Jane Austen’s genteel novel and bone-crunching zombie bedlam was, well novel, we are *rolling our eyes* in amazement and just wondering why it is such a hit?

New York Times columnist Jennifer Schuessler infers that adding zombies to Austen’s refined prose took the old fuddieness out of the classic quoting author Pamela Redmond Satran’s book How Not to Act Old as proof that us Janeites are over-the-hill in our taste.

“I like Jane Austen as much as the next novel-writing and -reading middle-aged woman,” she writes, but “there’s something a little too order-seeking, rich-man-loving and sanitized (i.e., fussily middle-aged) about the J.A. mania.”

Pleaaase. How marginalizing can you be Ms. Satran? Jane Austen sanitized? J. A. mania middle-aged fussy? Pray, we entreat you to re-read any of her novels. You will find time-honored themes AND eye popping topics such as adultery, illegitimate babies, pre-martial sex and other un-sanitized subjects infused into the subtext. They may not be the main theme as in contemporary novels, but it is there. And, Ms. Schuessler, if you think that we need to “Lay off the Jane” and read monster mash-ups to be hipper, you might want to surf the net and check out a few Austen themed blogs, websites, or message boards. Amazingly, the young can recognize and enjoy a great story, even without zombies in it!

So the question remains gentle young but acting old readers, why do you think that Pride and Prejudice and Zombies has remained on the best seller list for 21 weeks? Is it an offensive rip-off or just a clever parody? Who do think is reading this novel, and why do you think it has had such a mass appeal?

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Masterpiece Mystery Inspector Lewis: Series II Preview

Masterpiece Mystery continues with seven new episodes of Inspector Lewis: Series II premiering on Sunday, August 30th on PBS. Kevin Whately (Inspector Morse) returns as Inspector Lewis for a second season. The much-loved Oxford policeman is joined once again by Laurence Fox (Becoming Jane) as his young partner DS Hathaway. As the relationship between inspector and sergeant grows and develops, the viewer sees new sides to the inimitable duo.

There are several actors with Austen connections in the series: Tom Riley (George Wickham in Lost in Austen), Neil Pearson (Richard Finch in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason & Bridget Jones’ Diary), Pippa Haywood (Frankie in Lost in Austen), Tom Goodman-Hill (Mr. Lushington MP in Miss Austen Regrets), Ian McNeice (Quizmaster in Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason), Richard McCabe (Captain Benwick in Persuasion 1995) Jason Watkins (Rev. Clarke in Miss Austen Regrets & Charlie Parker-Knowles in Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason), Tom Mison (Charles Bingley in Lost in Austen) and Adrian Lukis (George Wickham P&P 1995).

Here is preview of the coming season:

'And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea'
Sunday, August 30, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

Stolen rare books and the murders of a brilliant Oxford fine arts student and a library maintenance engineer lead Lewis and Hathaway to a treatment center for gambling addicts and two talented painters. Can Oxford’s finest trace the killers before they claim their next victim? Pictured (l-r): DI Lewis (Kevin Whately), Philip Horton (Tom Riley) and DS Hathaway (Laurence Fox).

'Music to Die For'
Sunday, September 06, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

The worlds of no-rules boxing, Oxford dons and Cold War intrigue surround the death of a prominent Oxford don. Consequences from the investigation hit Lewis surprisingly close to home, leading to revelations about the loss suffered by Lewis since the death of his wife. Pictured: Jack Roth (Bradley James) taking part in an underground boxing match.

'Life Born of Fire'
Sunday, September 13, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

A serial killer seems to be targeting a religious group, “The Garden,” which claims to give guidance to lost souls. As he learns more about the group and its true purpose, Lewis’ trust in Hathaway wavers when he finds that his young sergeant has his own dangerous personal connections to “The Garden.” Pictured (l-r): DI Robert Lewis (Kevin Whately) rescues Hathaway (Laurence Fox) from a fire.

'The Great and the Good'
Sunday, September 20, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

When a teenage girl is assaulted, Lewis and Hathaway track down a possible suspect — only to find he has a seemingly watertight alibi provided by three pillars of the Oxford community. When the suspect is suddenly murdered, Lewis untangles a web of intrigue to expose the Oxford elite. Pictured: Kevin Whately as DI Robert Lewis.

'Allegory of Love'
Sunday, October 04, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

Literary whimsy becomes murderous reality with the death of a Czech barmaid. The scene of the crime yields two puzzling clues: a bloodstained note and a broken antique mirror. To find the killer, Lewis and Hathaway must uncover the hidden connections between the victim and a prominent Oxford professor, a literary society and a book by Oxford’s hottest new author. Pictured (l-r): DS James Hathaway (Laurence Fox), Norman Deering (James Fox) and DI Robert Lewis (Kevin Whately).

'Quality of Mercy'
Sunday, October 11, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

When a young actor is murdered during a student Shakespeare production, Lewis (Kevin Whately, shown) and Hathaway sift through the motives of several suspects — from a jealous thespian to an Oxford dropout to a playgoer only too anxious to use his ticket stub as an alibi. As the duo tracks down the truth, they unearth a dark secret that hits Lewis eerily close to home.

'The Point of Vanishing'
Sunday, October 18, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

The murder of a small-time criminal leads Lewis and Hathaway to a prominent Oxford don-turned-celebrity atheist who years earlier had been the intended target of a botched murder attempt. Could these isolated incidents be connected? As the pair investigates further, they uncover a web of deceit and a case of mistaken identity that will lead them to their killer. Pictured (l-r): DS James Hathaway (Laurence Fox), DI Robert Lewis (Kevin Whately) and Hope Ransome (Zoe Boyle).

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

The Author of a Murder at Longbourn offers a Pride and Prejudice Quiz

Tracy Kiely's debut book, Murder at Longbourn, is coming out next week, and we'll be reviewing it soon. Meanwhile, get to know Tracy on her site and take this very hard Pride and Prejudice quiz. Let us know how well you did (there were quite a few I could not answer off the top of my head.) The answers are on the site.

Murder at Longbourn is set in the modern world in a Cape Cod inn. This murder mystery boasts characters like Elizabeth and Colin, and a cat named Lady Catherine. A "How to Host a Murder Party" has been planned for New Year's Eve, but something goes horribly wrong. Instead of guessing who dunnit in a faux murder, the guests are suspecting each other of a real life dastardly deed.

Tracy's first novel is a must read for Jane Austen fans who like their mysteries light, bright, and sparkling! Stay tuned for more about this "can't put it down" novel, and look for our review of the book and interview with the author. Enjoy the trailer!

Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World

Carey Mulligan in the News

Isabella Thorpe would be very pleased with all the attention she is receiving this week in the form of actress Carey Mulligan who portrayed her in the 2007 movie adaptation of Northanger Abbey. Recently, Carey was a sensation at the Sundance Film Festival for her role in the movie An Education in which she played Jenny, a 16-year old schoolgirl in 1960’s London who falls for a much older man. She was also featured in a glitzy five cover spread in the New York Times special feature Womens’ Fashion Fall 2009 Issue where five leading fashion designers dressed her up in designer duds and high fashion photographers captured five fantasy covers.



As if that was not enough to send the 24 year-old British actress in a publicity swoon, this week she has been romantically linked to her co-star Shia LaBeouf during their filming of producer-director Oliver Stone's Wall Street sequel, Money Never Sleeps, now shooting in New York. We are quite certain that Isabella would rebuff any gossip by adding “Psha! My dear creature, do not think me such a simpleton as to be always wanting to confine him to my elbow.”

Oh Carey. Life does not get much better.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Premiere of Lady Vernon and her Daughter book trailer

Lady Vernon and her Daughter is a new novel inspired by Jane Austen’s Lady Susan. Co-written by the mother-daughter team of Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway, the book trailer is available for your viewing pleasure on Austenprose. It is quite clever and captures the tittle-tattle that permeates in the story beautifully. The book is available for pre-order and will be released on October 6th, 2009. Enjoy!

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Regency Fashion Cards

Costumes Parisiens 1821 Fashion Plate Card by AntiqueImages, From a Biedermeier Period Fashion Print for only $3.15 per notecard. Go to Zazzle to check out all the products.

Are Pride and Prejudice Movie Adaptations Clouding the Book?

Here’s a great quote from a book review of Pride and Prejudice by Laura MacDonald of Girlebooks.

My overall impression after this time around is that I need to stop watching movie adaptations and read the actual books. I believe I’ve watched the 1995 adaptation so many times that the performances play in my head as I read. This can be good at times–for example, the confrontation scene between Elizabeth and Lady Catherine De Bourgh couldn’t have been enacted better. But there is often room to criticize. While there have been several beautiful and somewhat faithful adaptations of this work, they can never fully represent the three dimensionality of the plot, the characters, their motivations, and their inner struggles that Austen so beautifully constructs.

What do you think readers? When you read Pride and Prejudice, do you visualize one of the movie actors as Mr. Collins, Lady Catherine, Lizzy or Darcy? Have the movie adaptations clouded our perception of the original novel?

To refresh your memory of Jane Austen’s original text, download Girlebooks wonderful ebook edition of Pride and Prejudice for free! Yes – FREE – thank you very much Austen elves at Girlebooks for all that you do to make classic literature available right on our desk tops and ebook readers.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose