This is the 20th anniversary of the beloved 1995 Pride and Prejudice miniseries, so we’re looking back at that version and Jane Austen’s world. This is the next in a series of many posts about this classic adaptation!
No other Mr. Darcy comes close to being as idolized or as polarizing as Colin Firth’s portrayal of Lizzie Bennet’s saturnine suitor in the 1995 Pride and Prejudice. In the lead up to today’s post, I was idly posting some observations on Facebook about how Firth’s Darcy is the “one true Darcy” and of course, people came out of the woodwork to either join me in enthusiastic agreement, or to disagree and put forth their own favorite actor’s portrayal.
Every generation has their Darcy, and I firmly and unapologetically belong to the generation that cut their teeth on the 1995 production. I was just entering adulthood when the series aired here in America (a year after it had swept the UK with Darcy Mania), and of course the dark and handsome and utterly unfathomable Darcy as played by Colin Firth tapped right into my girlish notions of the ideal man (tall, dark, handsome, and kind of a dick. I was eighteen, cut me some slack!).
Perhaps, one day, we will devote some posts to the other Darcys out there, but since we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of this miniseries, it’s all Firth, baby.
The Dance
Who can resist a man who dances? And look at those finely turned calves! RWAR.
The Bath
I argue that this is a way better scene than the swim. And if that’s wrong, I don’t want to be right.
The Angst
That right there is a man who is struggling with some serious inner demons. Such as, “How can I love a woman whose family are total dipshits?”
The Inquiry After Your Parents’ Health
I’m positive that I would have just stood there drooling if I had a dripping wet Colin Firth asking after my family.
The Look
I have lost count of the number of women who have said that their one wish in life is to inspire someone to give them this look.
Share your ultimate Mr. Darcy moment!
The band The Doubleclicks agrees with your assessment of Mr. Firth. And the “cutting of one’s teeth” thereupon. Put down the coffee while listening:
BWAHAHAHAHAHA! YES!!!
Well, I liked the additional fencing scene, too:
“I shall CONQUER this!”
*girlish sigh*
Oh, absolutely. The fencing scene was PIVOTAL in my psycho-sexual development.
He’s just…so…delicious…. *drool*
Accept no substitutes! #OneTrueDarcy!
I love when Lizzie is dancing with Mr. Collins, and he stalks her along the edge of the ballroom- then Mr. Collins crashes into some lady’s bosom and it cuts to Darcy’s quiet little smirk.
Also the scene when she walks into the ball earlier that night and upon seeing her, he does a double take and then just STARES at her as though he is about to devour her…*swoon*
I will just leave this here…
http://harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=120
Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!
Little late to the party, BUT. I was only 5 when this PandP came out, and my version of “He’s cute!” was Eric from The Little Mermaid. My first foray into movie Pride and Prejudice land was the 2005 version, which I enjoyed (having first watched it in homeroom the following year) until the day my mother handed me a copy of the book and I was immediately horrified at the lack of continuity between character personalities/descriptions and the movie. I actually only stumbled across this version about a year and a half ago, when insomnia had me thumbing through Hulu for entertainment.
I am a convert. Holy sweet Jesus, I am a convert. All hail, Colin Firth. Holy crap. I wish I had other words, but I don’t, and since my two year old is attempting to overtake my keyboard, I’m going to stop gushing now.
Very late to the party. Ditto on the fencing scene AND when he runs down the stairs at Pemberley buttoning his coat, desperate to catch her before she leaves. And then gazing after her when she does leave.