Who is Who?

I am reading The Making of Pride and Prejudice (1995) and the book has lovely histories and images.

One of the photos intrigued me because I could not identify all the actors. I recognized Mrs. Bennet, Mary Bennet, Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley. In one case I suspect who is the actor, but I am not sure. There are still two remaining ladies who I do not recognize.

Could you help me identify them?

PS: I'm curious about the books the Ladies are reading, but in this case it is almost impossible to see the titles...

Contributed by Raquel Sallaberry, Jane Austen em Português,

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth 16 Years Later

Geoffrey Rush, Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth in The King's Speech

Have you ever wondered how Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth would look after fifteen years of marriage? Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle (Pride and Prejudice 1995) shared only a few moments together on screen in The King's Speech (she played Myrtle Logue, Geoffrey Rush's wife), but my heart rejoiced. My question was finally answered: How well would this couple fare in the looks department several decades on? Very well, as you can see.

Lyme Park as Pemberley

Lyme Park as Pemberley. Image @ JaneAusten's World

In Pride and Prejudice, Lyme Park represented the exterior shots of Pemberley. Interior shots were filmed at Sudbury Hall in Derbyshire. For more images and interesting articles about the house (especially the second link), click on the sites below.

• The Fictional Life of Lyme Park
• Lyme Park as Pemberley in Pride and Prejudice, 1995
• Driving the Stags: An Old Custom in Lyme Park
• National Park: Lyme Park
• Virtual Tourist: Lyme Park

Where Are They Now? Jane Austen Character Actors

The Daily Mail recently published an article that featured three Jane Austen character actors: Colin Firth, Jemima Rooper, and Felicity Jones. Click here to read it.

Colin Firth (Mr. Darcy) and Helena Bonham Carter in The King's Speech

Jemima Rooper, Amanda Price in Lost in Austen, now in Me and My Girl

Felicity Jones (Catherine Morland in Northanger Abbey) as Luise Miller, a woman in love with a prince.

Images from the Daily Mail

Mr. Darcy Interrupted

Inquiring reader,

Recently Roberta asked:

"Can you possibly identify the creature that makes all that ruckus outside of the window of Rosings, in the early morning hours, after Mr. Darcy wrote his letter of defense to Lizzy, in P&P, the miniseries of 1995....?

I am hoping that you can help me to solve this mystery. It has been bugging me for years, now."

Well, Roberta answered her own question a few days later. The mystery sound was caused by a fox cry, such as one you can hear below:

Video found on dizzo95 YouTube channel

Joanna David: Character Actress in Jane Austen Film Adaptations

My favorite portrayal of Mrs. Gardiner is Joanna David's in 1995's Pride and Prejudice. In this film, she had an opportunity to work with her daughter, Emilia Fox, who was acting in her first film role and who sweetly interpreted Georgiana Darcy. The mother/daughter association with Jane Austen does not end with this film. Emilia read Pride and Prejudice for Naxios audio books in what has to be one of my favorite readings for the novel.

Before her stint as Mrs. Gardiner, Joanna played Elinor Dashwood in 1971's Sense and Sensibility. She also narrated Claire Tomalin's Jane Austen: A Life for audio, as well as Pride and Prejudice.

Joanna recently married actor Edward Fox (Emilia's father, below), who had been her partner for over 30 years.

More information about her from this link on the 1995 Pride and Prejudice site.

Jane Austen Movie Throwdown

As we read Pride and Prejudice all of us have imagined Pemberley. Which house best represents the Pemberley you imagined?

Wilton House (Interior) Chatsworth House (Exterior): Pride and Prejudice 2005

Lyme Park: Pride and Prejudice 1995

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Which house best fits the Pemberley of your imagination?

Wilton House (2005) Lyme House (1995)

Jennier Ehle Video Interview: Discussion of Pride and Prejudice 2005

In this 3rd part of a 3-part A&E interview made in 2000, Jennifer Ehle discusses filming Pride and Prejudice 1995 and her role as Elizabeth Bennet.



The video is available on TerryKip's channel on YouTube, where many other Jennifer Ehle interviews and videos are available.

Mr. Collins Proposes to Lizzie

Mr. Collins' proposal to Lizzie shall always remain one of my favorite scenes in both book and film:

Jane Austen Movie Dance Throwdown

We now move to the dance floor. Of the two "Mr Beveridge's Maggot" dances, which do you prefer? The scene from Pride and Prejudice 1995? Or Emma, 1996 with Gwynneth Paltrow? The music is the same, but the dances and tecniques (and setting) are VASTLY different. One includes much conversation; the other is light and sparkling.

Pride and Prejudice 1995


Emma, 1996

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I prefer Mr. Beverage's Maggot in

Pride and Prejudice 1995 Emma 1996

Andrew Davies – Bonnet Drama King of the World Honored by the WGGB

Screenwriter Andrew Davies has been honored with a lifetime achievement award by the Writers' Guild of Great Britain. Quite an honor for the bonnet drama King of the UK – and the world.

Davies can thank Jane Austen for really putting the shine on his career. I still think that after fifteen years his adaptation of Pride and Prejudice still reigns supreme primarily because he did not muck about with Austen’s dialogue or plot too much and he had five hours to unfold the narrative. Having Mr. Darcy dive into the Pemberley pond did not hurt matters either, even though it was completely his invention.

The BBC announced last January that they had axed future plans for bonnet drama's in favor of contemporary fare. Davies has expressed his opinion decidely about period drama's going downmarket. None-the-less, he is presently working on a new screenplay for Middlemarch which he previously adapted in 1994. Now that the BBC has put a nix on future bonnet dramas, he must feel like a man without a country, forced to rehash a novel that he dramatised before. How sad and a bloody waste of talent. I think that the BBC has lost their heads and are running scared, hoping to appeal to a different audience. I hope that they find their footing again before Davies is gone. I am still patiently waiting for a great adaptation of Quality Street, anything by Fanny Burney, Maria Edgeworth or Georgette Heyer and top on my list is Lady Susan. What great classics would you like to see on tellie?

Congrats Andie! Thanks for the hours of great entertainment.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Jane Austen Movie Throwdown

Yesterday's post dealt with Regency style weddings. Which Jane Austen inspired movie wedding did you enjoy the most? The one in Pride and Prejudice 1995 which shot the double wedding of the Bingleys and the Darcys in the snow? Or Colonel Brandon's bell chimed wedding to Marianne in 1995's Sense and Sensibility? Both, you must agree, are incredibly romantic!

Favorite Jane Austen Inspired Wedding

Pride and Prejudice, 1995, with Mr. Darcy (Colin Firth) and Elizabeth Bennet (Jennifer Ehle), and Mr. Bingley (Crispin Bonham Carter) and his Jane ( Susannah Harker) in a double wedding. Artificial snow had to be carted in for this scene.

Sense and Sensibility, 1995, with Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman) and Marianne Dashwood (Kate Winslet) getting married by Hugh Grant (Edward Ferrars), who had shortly before married Elinor Dashwood (Emma Thompson). Villagers carry the wedding cake in a procession while waving ribbons. Willoughby (Greg Wise) looks on from a distance, and turns away when Colonel Brandon throws six pence in the air for good luck.













This YouTube clip is not visually pretty, but it showcases the music that was played during the wedding scene.

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Favorite Jane Austen Inspired Wedding

Pride and Prejudice 1995 Sense and Sensibility 1995

Regency Fashions in Films Ring True

Have you ever wondered if regency fashions in films are accurate? Some times they are and some times they're not. Here's an example of a costumer closely following the actual style of the day. The illustration is from an 1807 Belle Assemblée fashion plate. Compare the arrangement of the lace veil over the hat to the veil worn over a cap by Barbara Leigh-Hunt as Lady Catherine de Bourgh in the 1995 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Very like, is it not?
Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World

Seen on the Blogosphere: Fashionable Doings

Christine Sweetman Photography: Christine works in Totes, Devon, "a beautiful market and ancient Saxon town with its own castle." For a photographer, the location must be ideal. One day, Christine took photos of a Jane Austen group, who seemed to have a lot of fun putting on their costumes. As a client later wrote, "When once we had all been transported to the late 18th century, we took our places in the drawing room, lit the candles, served imaginary tea, prompted each other to exhibit proper demeanours." They were thrilled with the results. Wouldn't you be too? Click on Gallery to see more regency era photographs.

Bath Antiques Online: What can be more evocative than antiques purchased from the Regency era? Click on the link to see Bath Antiques online with its breathtaking array of truly gorgeous items.

Miser's Purses from the Early 19th Century: You never know what you'll find on the internet when you type certain key words into the search bar. I'd never heard of miser's purses before until this selection from the Museum of Costume in Bath popped up. I imagine they must have been crocheted or knitted by young misses for generations.

A Review and Guide on a Regency Wardrobe for a Lady: This succinct guide of a Regency Lady's wardrobe is surprisingly quite comprehensive. The author discusses underwear, day wear, evening wear, and accessories, and creates a list of necessities for those who would like to assemble their own regency costume.

This news items has little to do with fashion and everything to do with good taste. In this post, Book Examiner's Michelle Kerns discusses the five best book to movie adaptations and names 1995's Pride and Prejudice as number two (my other fave, The Lord of the Rings, sits on top) and Persuasion with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds as her #4 pick.

Austen Inspired Author: Kathryn Nelson Chats About Pemberley Manor

Gentle Readers: We are happy to welcome author Kathryn Nelson today to chat about her new Jane Austen inspired book, Pemberley Manor: Darcy and Elizabeth, for better or for worse. This continuation of Pride and Prejudice is a new twist on the story of Darcy and Lizzy after the nuptials. It has received solid reviews and was nominated for Best New Fiction in 2007 by the Jane Austen Regency World Awards. It is an engaging tale that not only reveals the story of their new life at Pemberley, reuniting us with many familiar characters, but introduces an intriguing psychological subtext for one of the main characters.

Kathryn Nelson

Hello to Laurel Ann, Vic and Jane Austen Today fans. Thank you so much for your generous praise of Pemberley Manor. The pleasure of hearing that someone enjoyed reading my book is only second to the fun I had in the writing of it. And that is closely followed by the delight in being asked, “Why did you write a sequel to Pride and Prejudice?” With the exception of parenting a child, birthing this book has been my most enjoyable adventure yet.

The sheer beauty of Jane Austen’s language coupled with the timeless quality of her characters constantly stirs up readers to visit and then revisit her work. I’m far from the only writer to become obsessed with chasing those characters down the road, trying to get a glimpse of how things will turn out for them. For me, that obsession included trying to peek back into the past, especially Darcy’s, to understand what forces molded their personalities. I confess it’s a very modern pursuit, but then I’m a pretty modern girl. And so are my readers.

To critics and admirers of Pemberley Manor, I confess I tried desperately to imitate Jane Austen’s prose, but I strayed a long way from her style. Conversations on nature versus nurture and the paths to self-awareness were definitely not the ordinary dinner conversation of her day as far as I know. But that is not to say that Jane Austen was not extraordinarily aware of who her characters were and what they represented in terms of human foibles. Particularly with her leading characters, she carefully placed them in scenes that tested their beliefs and values, and she was willing to allow them to be humanly flawed.

Some of us (not mentioning names) focused on Darcy as portrayed by Colin Firth in 1995. I had to pull myself away from the BBC/A&E tapes, and read and reread Pride and Prejudice, to fully comprehend how equally flawed Elizabeth Bennet was. She had all of the appearance of good sense, especially in her own eyes, but she was also prone to precipitous leaps of judgment. I lately heard praise of Elizabeth’s willingness to stand up for her ideal of love, even braving the possible outcome of disastrous poverty if her prince failed to materialize. I tend to think she was immature, as many of us were at that age, and didn’t really imagine that the consequences her mother feared would befall her.

Elizabeth’s father was her greatest fan – at least until Fitzwilliam Darcy came along. Mr. Bennet, first observed as a man of good humor and common sense, is revealed by Jane Austen to be lacking in the kind of strength and determination that are called for in difficult circumstances. Elizabeth seemed to recognize in herself that same weakness of character as she was confronted with the increasing complexities of life; unlike her father, she fought against that nature.

In Pemberley Manor I tried to wrap my mind around the inevitable sparks that would have resulted from the collision of these two strong personalities, and the process of maturing that marriage may bring to a couple. If all of this sounds terribly dark and serious, I hope you’ll find that large doses of humor alleviate any heaviness that may result.

Thanks again for the opportunity to join you on this beautiful site. I look forward to your comments or questions.

Thank you Kathryn for joining us today. I found her tale charming, intelligent and engaging; uniquely one of the most thought provoking and satisfying Austen sequels that I have ever read. I hope that you enjoy it also.

Kathryn Nelson’s romance with language and the characters of Jane Austen was reawakened in 1995 by the BBC/A&E miniseries of Pride and Prejudice inspiring her to write Pemberley Manor. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her husband and son.

Give away

Win a copy of Pemberley Manor by leaving a comment before April 8th by asking Kathryn a question about her new book, or stating why you think that Mr. Darcy is one of the most popular romantic literary heroes of all time. The winner will be announced on April 9th. Shipping to US and Canadian locations only.

Further Reading

Reviews of Pemberley Manor

• Austenprose
• Reading Romance Books
• Love, Romance, Passion

Visit Kathryn Nelson's website

Purchase Pemberley Manor: Darcy and Elizabeth, for better or for worse

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Sexing Up Mr. Darcy: Did Andrew Davies Do Him Justice?

Andrew Davies will probably go down in history as the man who had the epoch-makingly brilliant idea of putting Mr. Darcy into a wet and thus clingily transparent blouse. Laura Carroll

Did the wet shirt Darcy scene in Pride and Prejudice 1995 launch the Jane Austen Renaissance that we are still enjoying after fourteen years? Was it indeed a brilliant idea to put Mr. Darcy in a wet shirt? Do we like our Austen staid and buttoned up, or sexed up and sassy?

In her thoughtful essay Darcy and Davies: Adapting Mr. Darcy from the Novel to the Screen, lit student and Jane Austen enthusiasts Virginia Claire shares her feeling on Davies version of Mr. Darcy vs. Jane Austen’s original and asks some interesting questions about our modern interpretations of this iconic romantic hero an how they are changing the way he is remembered.

Other views

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Get Your Own Mr. Darcy Right Here

The word on the wire is that Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy is for sale. Well almost, if you consider a portrait the closest you'll ever get to him!

Bonhams Auction House in London has announced the sale of the portrait of Mr. Darcy used in the 1995 mini-series Pride and Prejudice. Since Firth palyed Darcy, you can kill two birds with one stone and have two British icons hanging in your Manor House if you are the highest bidder on January 21st. In my humble opinion, it's not the most flattering likeness of the heartthrob actor making him look portly and too mature for his years.

There is a great story written by Firth behind the portrait and its evolutionary creation which you can read here.

It will be very interesting to see if they announce who gets to take Mr. Darcy home with them. One wonders out loud if he gets hung in the portrait gallery or the bedroom! ;) Either way, the lucky new owner will have the pleasure of his gaze all day or night long.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Jane Austen Connection to Mills and Boon Bodice Rippers?

Not being a Brit (sigh) I did not understand the cultural significance of Mills & Boon! What the heck is a Mills & Boon? My American sensibilities imagined it as a cocktail made with Boons Hill Farm wine! Us Yanks are so uncouth, but the Brits may be quickly approaching. The Mills & Boon mystery was clarified by recent news articles announcing a new BBC Four production, Consuming Passion, 100 Years of Mills & Boon, to be aired on UK tellie this autumn. It appears that Mills & Boon are book publishers (duh) and their reputation in Britain and the world for a good bodice ripper is renown (except to this writer who lives in a Austen vacuum). The US equivalent would be Harlequin Romances, which by-the-by, purchased the company in 1971.

Mills & Boon is celebrating their 100th anniversary in business this year, so they must be doing something right! Well, many faithful readers over a century and the BBC seem to think so. The new 90 minute movie focuses on the history of the publishing house with stories of actual women behind the scenes beginning in 1918 to contemporary times. The producers have promised that it will be very raunchy - ahem - one assumes not to disappoint their many faithful readers and the BBC viewers in general since BBC Four’s slogan is “Everybody needs a place to think”. Right. Maybe they should amend that to “Everybody needs a place to _ _ _ _”?

Of note are two Jane Austen connections in the production; director Dan Zeff who brought us the new ITV Lost in Austen mini-series currently airing in the UK under much controversy and discussion, and Emilia Fox, who portrayed the sweet and innocent Georgiana Darcy in the 1995 BBC/A&E production of Pride and Prejudice. Oh my, it appears that Georgiana’s innocence many have progressed, along with the tenor of the times!

The BBC Four is renown for producing critically acclaimed costume dramas over the years such as the recent Sense and Sensibility and Cranford which made their way across the pond and onto to PBS’s Masterpiece Classics series. One wonders out loud what direction UK television is taking to attract a wider and younger audience, and if adaptations of classic novels by Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell are now passé? The BBC recently confirmed its commitment to period drama, so let's hope that we won't be teased with these imitations and parodies such as Lost in Austen which are quite diverting, but not the real thing.

Laurel Ann, Austenprose

The Austen Shopaholic: Great Deals on Mr. Darcy!

The Austen sweet deal of the week ...

The A&E Shop online is offering the 1995 BBC/A&E mini-series of Pride and Prejudice DVD set at 60% off retail price at an incredible value of $15.98 until September 17th! This two DVD set includes 300 minutes of Jane Austen's classic novel adapted by Andrew Davies and staring Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet. Don't miss out on your chance to own what is unarguably the ultimate movie adaptation of the greatest love story ever written or filmed!

Here are some great bargain books at $5.99 or less to fill out your Austen inspired library.

An Assembly Such as This: A Novel of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman, by Pamela Aiden

These Three Remain: A Novel of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman, by Pamela Aiden

Lost in Austen: Create Your Own Jane Austen Adventure, by Emma Campbell Webster

Happy viewing and reading to all!

Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Disco Dancing Darcy in Mamma Mia Movie? Well, I Nevva!

I am all anticipation of the July 18th release of the movie Mamma Mia, staring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, and yes, Mr. Darcy - - well - - actually the actor formally known as Mr. Darcy - - Colin Firth!

If Firth has his way, we would forever forget the fact that he smoldered his way into our hearts in the 1995 mini-series of Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice, a breakthrough role that he continues to be most remembered for. Being a romantic heartthrob has become a bit of a reluctant mantle to bear, and he has publically distanced his relationship with the archetypal hunk Mr. Darcy. In the thirteen years since he plunged into the Pemberley pond and into our hearts, he has tried hard to ditch the Darcy persona with a diverse array of acting roles in a variety of movies from the recent pensive When Did You Last See Your Father (2007), to the opulent Shakespeare in Love (1998), all to no avail.

When Mamma Mia hits the big screen in July, film goers will get a gander at his disco dancing moves and renditions of Abba 70’s pop ballads such as “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme”, and “I have a Dream”. In a recent interview with late-night talk show host Conan O’Brien, Firth deflected any future objections to his singing talent by owning up to the fact that he doesn’t really sing in his role as Harry Bright, just kind of talks his way through it, an old trick that Rex Harrison applied to his interpretation of Henry Higgins in the musical My Fair Lady. Fans of Firth will remember his singing “Lady Come Down” with Rupert Everett in the movie The Importance of Being Earnest (2002) and be grateful that he chose this talking technique for his songs!

Regardless of Colin Firth’s reluctance at being remembered as Mr. Darcy, he is extremely popular and has made ten movies in two years. We will not object in the least to his claim to being “the hardest working man in movies”, and be grateful that he chose to participate in the big-screen adaptation of one of our favorite 70’s retro musicals. He may very well shake off that Darcy stigma and charm our socks off with his disco dancing! Nah -- I prefer him in a quadrille any day!

Check out my other Darcy sightings when I blog about "Me and Mr. Darcy", at Austenprose

Cheers, Laurel Ann