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Pride and Prejudice Part Two: Plot Analysis
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📖✨ In this episode of Book Watch, we’re diving back into Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and its two beloved screen adaptations: the 1995 BBC miniseries and the 2005 feature film. How well did the movies capture the twists, turns, and tension of Austen’s iconic plot?
💡 In Part 2, we’ll explore:
✅ Key plot points and how each adaptation handled them
✅ Memorable scenes—from disastrous proposals to dramatic confessions
✅ What worked, what fell flat, and what surprised us
✅ Our favorite changes (and what we wish they’d left alone)
🎬 Whether you're team Firth or team Macfadyen, join us as we unpack how each version brings Austen’s story to life on screen.
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Transcript
Intro
Introduction to Pride and Prejudice Adaptations
00:00:46
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Hello listeners and welcome back to another episode of Book Watch. I have Krista John here with me again to continue our conversation about Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and the 1995 BBC show adaptation as well as the 2005 film adaptation.
00:01:06
Sarah-Daye McDougall
So ah part two is when we dive into the key plot points and compare how the adaptation brought to life the book.
00:01:09
Krista John
Thank you.
Opening Scenes Comparisons
00:01:14
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um So We'll start with the opening scenes of both the show and the film. And that is Mr. Finley has arrived Netherfield and we're introduced to all of the Bennett's with their excitement about this man moving into the town.
00:01:33
Krista John
Yeah, I think both versions did a really good job with this part. And they both included the iconic line about a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. Like that's the most, probably one of the most famous lines in literature and both both include in some way.
00:01:50
Krista John
They do it in different ways. But um I think that was really important to me to have that line be present. So the movie movie did it. um And then, yeah, I think, you know,
00:02:02
Krista John
Mr. Bennett's teasing of the girls is, i think both set the tone really well.
00:02:09
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah, that's a really good way to put it.
00:02:10
Krista John
Yeah.
00:02:12
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And not only the tone of the story, but also the tone of each adaptation, because we've already talked a little bit about how the tones ah are so different between the two. So the way they introduce all the Bennets and that opening line sets the tone on how this adaptation is going to be.
00:02:29
Sarah-Daye McDougall
hmm.
Visual Styles and English Countryside
00:02:30
Krista John
Yeah, even the the visuals on both are, I remember right, the movie opens with some of those like English countryside views and you're, you know, so you get that, the cinematography right right from the beginning.
00:02:42
Sarah-Daye McDougall
a Yes.
00:02:45
Krista John
Yeah.
00:02:45
Sarah-Daye McDougall
good Yep. It really is a beautiful film.
00:02:50
Krista John
It is.
00:02:50
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um
Transition to Meryton Ball and Mr. Darcy
00:02:50
Krista John
Yeah.
00:02:51
Sarah-Daye McDougall
So anything else about the beginning before we get into the ball where we start getting into the meat of the story?
00:02:59
Krista John
um No, let's get into it.
00:03:01
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Okay. so we first meet Mr. Darcy at the Meryton ball It's a grand entrance. shirt We first meet Mr. Bingley at this mall as well. It's a grand entrance.
00:03:12
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And in both adaptations, if I'm remembering correctly, everything just kind of stops as this new group of people come into the scene. Right.
00:03:20
Krista John
it's extra awkward in the movie, though, because it's a much bigger it's a much bigger room, right And it's...
00:03:26
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Right.
00:03:27
Krista John
The whole place just, you know, they've got the musicians like up on the balcony and like everyone stops.
00:03:32
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes. And it's almost like, it almost looks like kind of like a barn, right? Because it's very dark.
00:03:37
Krista John
Yeah, it does.
00:03:37
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Like the background is very dark.
00:03:37
Krista John
It looks like a wet, like a modern wedding venue. It's like, know, yeah.
00:03:40
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes.
00:03:43
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um And then I don't think this happens in the show or the book.
00:03:44
Krista John
They're both awkward.
00:03:48
Sarah-Daye McDougall
So correct me if I'm wrong, but in the movie, they share kind of a look and Keira Knightley is almost like, like giggles. Like, did that just happen? Like, well, we shared a moment.
00:04:00
Krista John
No, I don't think that happens. And I mean, don't quote me on that.
00:04:02
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Ken thinks so.
00:04:03
Krista John
No, I don't think so. I don't think there's any hint of them having a connection. And that's one of the things that bothers me, I think, right away in the movie is that they do kind of make it seem like there's something there from the beginning.
00:04:14
Krista John
But in the in the book and in the show, there's really not like they really do not like each other. There's not even a hint of them liking each other at the beginning.
00:04:23
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah, so interesting.
00:04:24
Krista John
Yeah. Yeah.
00:04:25
Sarah-Daye McDougall
kind Well, and I think when you cut so much out for the film, you have to kind of just make that little tease um to kind of move things along quicker.
00:04:32
Krista John
You do. Yeah. Start building it.
00:04:34
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Mm-hmm.
00:04:34
Krista John
Yeah.
Key Plot Points and Wickham's Introduction
00:04:35
Krista John
I don't like her. i get the two balls confused. So the first one is that when she goes in the movie goes under like the bleachers and giggles.
00:04:43
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes, yes, the bleachers, yes.
00:04:43
Krista John
Okay. Like that.
00:04:45
Sarah-Daye McDougall
so
00:04:45
Krista John
That's another thing where like, I feel like it's a high school dance in 2005.
00:04:50
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes, it really is.
00:04:51
Krista John
And they're like, yeah, it's just not. I mean, again, just that modern.
00:04:55
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Especially because the rest of the balls in that film are in like a traditional white room of the house, you know.
00:05:00
Krista John
Yeah.
00:05:03
Sarah-Daye McDougall
That's so funny.
00:05:03
Krista John
Yeah.
00:05:04
Sarah-Daye McDougall
i never really thought about it until we had this conversation how different that ball is.
00:05:09
Krista John
It's very different. Yeah. Yeah. And that bleacher scene just very 2005 to me.
00:05:13
Sarah-Daye McDougall
It's bad.
00:05:13
Krista John
Yeah. Yeah.
00:05:14
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:05:15
Krista John
Yeah.
00:05:15
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:05:16
Krista John
yeah
00:05:17
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um so after, after we're, so this is all kind of how we're introduced to all these characters and we get some more of the story, but we're going to fast forward a little bit because we are introduced to Wickham later on in the film.
00:05:31
Krista John
you
00:05:32
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um Well, in in the story. And um there's a lot of dialogue and discourse that happens up until this point, but that's kind of the next main piece of the puzzle is being introduced to Mr. Wickham and how much of a reaction he elicits from Mr.
00:05:44
Krista John
yeah Yeah, again, I think that happens quicker in the movie as it, you know, it has to.
00:05:49
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Darcy and how confused Elizabeth is by that reaction.
00:05:59
Krista John
And they do cut so much of his storyline, which is such a critical part of the novel. um You know, he's the reason ah Elizabeth starts to really distrust Darcy, not just not like him, but why, you know, he actively tries to get her to not trust him.
00:06:12
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:06:20
Krista John
And I think how fast they move with that from like the time we you meet him, he's just, ah I just think he's too, it's too underdeveloped in the movie. Yeah.
00:06:29
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Sure.
00:06:31
Krista John
Yeah. Yeah, he shows up and they both are introduced in the town, right? In Meriton, in both the show and the movie, if I remember right.
00:06:40
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Right.
00:06:41
Krista John
Yeah.
00:06:41
Sarah-Daye McDougall
I think so, yeah.
00:06:42
Krista John
um Yeah. When we talked about how we feel about both of them, I think, I don't know, in the BBC, he's, i don't know, he's flirty flirty and he's, you know, right away. But I think in the and the movie, he's,
00:06:57
Krista John
it's played up right away, like you said, through that eye contact he makes with Darcy. So you're more focused on him and Elizabeth in the show, I think, right away. Or in the movie, you start to see that plot unfolding from the moment you meet him.
00:07:10
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah, I do like how it's more developed in the show. And you even the scene where um Mr.
00:07:14
Krista John
Mm-hmm.
00:07:17
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Darcy and Mr. Wickham see each other again, is there's a lot more to it in the show than there is... um There's like a quick little glance and he runs away on his horse in the movie.
00:07:26
Krista John
Yeah. Yeah.
00:07:27
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um And, you know,
00:07:28
Krista John
Yeah.
Mr. Collins' Proposals and Awkwardness
00:07:29
Sarah-Daye McDougall
that's just ah nature of me having more airtime than the film, I think.
00:07:33
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um And I think I said last week that I do think the film...
00:07:34
Krista John
yeah
00:07:39
Sarah-Daye McDougall
got across what it needed to um in order to tell the story. But I do appreciate the more in-depth storytelling we got in the show.
00:07:48
Krista John
And that's, it's a huge part of the book. So I think it, you know, I know they have, you have to make cuts in a movie, but I think they cut to, they did cut it too much. Like it is the catalyst for Darcy and Elizabeth's situation.
00:08:00
Krista John
You know, everything that he, like he is the reason why.
00:08:03
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Right. Right.
00:08:03
Krista John
So yeah. Anyway.
00:08:07
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Well, and we can get into it later because like you said, he he first of all is the reason why she does have so much animosity towards Mr. Darcy in the beginning because of ah all the lies that he's feeding her.
00:08:16
Krista John
Yeah.
00:08:19
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And then he's sort of the reason they get together in the end because of how Mr. Darcy fixes the situation.
00:08:25
Krista John
Exactly, yeah.
00:08:26
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um But we'll get to that. First, we're
Darcy's First Proposal: Show vs. Film
00:08:28
Sarah-Daye McDougall
going to get to Mr. Collins introduction and his proposal first to jane well, not a proposal to Jane, but he's interested in Jane.
00:08:33
Krista John
hu
00:08:37
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And luckily for James, he's already kind of promised to Mr.
00:08:38
Krista John
I love this, yeah.
00:08:41
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Bingley. So mama says, why don't you like my second oldest ah Elizabeth?
00:08:42
Krista John
and
00:08:48
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um
00:08:48
Krista John
Great.
00:08:49
Sarah-Daye McDougall
So both I feel pretty awkward in both portrayals. How about you?
00:08:55
Krista John
Yeah, they're, like I said, yeah, the last time, i think it, they both do a great job. He's just so absurd. Both of the actors do a great job with it in the book.
00:09:06
Krista John
Actually, I saved, I put a paper marker in this is one of the um markers I got at your part your but your book party.
00:09:09
Sarah-Daye McDougall
ah
00:09:12
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Oh, yay! Yes.
00:09:15
Krista John
So can I read it? Because this is just like this is just like typical Mr.
00:09:16
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes.
00:09:19
Krista John
Collins. So this is the scene where in the adaptations, he talks about the boiled potatoes, right?
00:09:25
Krista John
With excellent boiled potatoes. So in the book, it says...
00:09:25
Sarah-Daye McDougall
ha
00:09:27
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah, i think we all know that line.
00:09:29
Krista John
Yes, exactly. He doesn't say that in the book. He says, and but here he was set right by Mrs. Bennett, who assured him. umm sorry, wait, I started at the wrong part. He said he was complimenting them on everything, and their furniture, the dining room, praising them, you know, as as he does, he makes note of all the like material things, right?
00:09:49
Krista John
Right. The dinner, too, in its turn, was highly admired, and he begged to know to which of his fair cousins the excellency of its cooking was owing. But here he was set right by Mrs. Bennett, who assured him with some asperity that they were very well able to that they were very well able to keep a good cook and that her daughters had nothing to do in the kitchen.
00:10:11
Krista John
And this is the funny part. He begged pardon for having displeased her. In a softened tone, she declared herself not at all offended, but he continued to apologize for about a quarter of an hour.
00:10:22
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Oh my gosh, this man.
00:10:24
Krista John
but i know. So it's that, you know, that's like the subtle Austin humor that I that I love. He continued to apologize for a quarter of an hour. You could just hear him doing that.
00:10:34
Sarah-Daye McDougall
or I know. Yes.
00:10:35
Krista John
I know.
Lydia's Elopement and Consequences
00:10:36
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah. Both and both of those actors, like I can see both of them doing that too.
00:10:37
Krista John
yeah
00:10:41
Krista John
Yeah, totally. And he says something like to Elizabeth when he approaches her for the first time. He's like, from almost the moment I saw you, I was interested in you. but From almost, almost the moment.
00:10:53
Krista John
Yeah.
00:10:54
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah, so he's he's definitely an awkward character. um
00:10:57
Krista John
Yeah.
00:10:58
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And the, oh my gosh, have you seen the reel that's going around right now where they turn Pride and Prejudice into the horror movie?
00:11:07
Krista John
Yes. Oh my gosh. It's so funny.
00:11:10
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes, and like I'm just remembering the little flower that he holds up right before he starts proposing.
00:11:10
Krista John
It's so well done. Yes. and And her face is like, yeah
00:11:17
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes, yes, it's so good. so so good. So listeners, if you haven't seen that, ah you have to try to search Pride and Prejudice horror movie trailer. um They turned the 2005 film and made it a horror trailer and it's so good.
00:11:34
Krista John
Well, they have a lot of material to work with because there's a lot of scenes where Knightley is just like staring off into space, twirling on her swing.
00:11:41
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes.
00:11:43
Krista John
Yeah.
00:11:43
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Oh, yes. It's so good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You guys have to watch it because it it's really good.
00:11:46
Krista John
yeah
00:11:48
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Um, so ah Elizabeth, she denies Mr. Collins and, um, mother's very upset, but dad says, you're gonna either not speak to one of your parents because won't talk to you. If you do, if you don't marry him, I'm not going to talk to you. If you do marry him.
00:12:07
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And then some more times goes by, some more story goes by and Lizzie's confronted with another proposal by Mr. this time. this time
00:12:16
Krista John
This is one of my favorite scenes.
00:12:17
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And you're just like, what?
00:12:18
Krista John
the It's my favorite scene in the book.
00:12:21
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Okay.
00:12:22
Krista John
so that's why I'm so disappointed with the movie version of it because it's so different and it's so it's like overly dramatic for me with the rain and know like,
00:12:27
Sarah-Daye McDougall
It is very different.
00:12:33
Krista John
I don't know. I just, I think again, that subtle, that subtleness that comes through in Jane Austen's writing. I think they did a great job with that in the scene with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ely.
00:12:47
Krista John
I just love it. And he, and he literally almost everything he says is taken exactly from the book. And that's the quote where I have what he says in my locket. So it's one of my favorite scenes.
00:12:58
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And i I did like the BBC version, even though I'm so used to the movie version.
00:12:59
Krista John
Yeah.
00:13:06
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um liked the acting a lot because they're both kind of surprised by what's going on and what's transcribing, um transpiring, and
00:13:17
Krista John
Yeah.
00:13:18
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um getting shocked and then angry and then And then they are like, okay, well, we're you know we've we're not on the same page here, um which makes the second proposal so much better later.
00:13:29
Krista John
yeah
00:13:33
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And then, yes, in the film, it's a lot more emotional, I feel like.
00:13:38
Krista John
Yeah, they almost kiss look like they're goingnna kiss each other at one point, which is not not real.
00:13:41
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes.
00:13:43
Krista John
Like, that that would never have happened.
00:13:45
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Right.
00:13:45
Krista John
I think that was the most, like, icky part of it for me, besides the rain.
00:13:46
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Right. yeah
00:13:48
Krista John
i don't like the rain.
00:13:51
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah, I mean,
Darcy's Letter and Elizabeth's Perspective Shift
00:13:53
Sarah-Daye McDougall
the movie's a drama, know, a romance, and the rain always adds a little bit of drama.
00:14:00
Krista John
Yeah, that was definitely drama.
00:14:01
Sarah-Daye McDougall
But um i I do like the rain. Yeah. um And I like the way Matthew McVadie looks in the rain. um But um any other thoughts up until this point?
00:14:15
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Because I know that we're kind of condensing a lot of it um because there's there's it's a big story um and there's a lot to compare.
00:14:21
Krista John
Yeah.
00:14:22
Sarah-Daye McDougall
But up so up to Darcy's first proposal.
00:14:26
Krista John
No, i think I think that's good. i mean, this is where things start to start to shift, right? Because he gives her his letter next, and that's when things really start to change.
00:14:35
Krista John
Yeah.
00:14:35
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes.
00:14:36
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And it is interesting that she, you know, believes, you know, she's had all these lies fed to her by Mr. Wickham. And then he explains this is who Mr. Wickham really is in this letter.
00:14:49
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um And then that's when she starts to question everything that she's kind of all this, all these feelings about him, Mr.
00:14:53
Krista John
yep Yeah.
00:14:57
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Darcy and Mr. Wickham.
00:14:59
Krista John
And she, I think she starts to put the connect the dots, right? She starts to see what's really been, what's really been happening.
00:15:04
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Right.
00:15:08
Krista John
um
00:15:08
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah. And then, oops.
00:15:10
Krista John
Was it the, in the BBC, she reads, they show her reading it and they like narrate the full letter. Right.
00:15:19
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes.
00:15:20
Krista John
Is it the same? Which one has the flashbacks of Wickham? I'm getting them mixed up in my head now.
00:15:24
Sarah-Daye McDougall
The show. Yeah, the show has the flashbacks because in the um movie, I believe this is the moment where like the time is passing.
00:15:26
Krista John
Okay. Yeah.
00:15:34
Sarah-Daye McDougall
she like She's standing there and the letters being read over top of the film.
00:15:34
Krista John
Okay.
00:15:38
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And I think like it's I think she's staring out the window or something and the time is passing by.
00:15:38
Krista John
Okay.
00:15:45
Krista John
Okay.
00:15:46
Sarah-Daye McDougall
if I'm remembering correctly. um So, yeah, I definitely like seeing all the flashbacks in the show.
00:15:51
Krista John
Yeah. And again, that's where, that's the stuff that's left out where then it loses like the impact. I feel like when you don't really understand, like just how much Wickham really betrayed Darcy, you know, with everything that he did.
00:16:05
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes.
00:16:06
Krista John
Yeah.
00:16:06
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Very s sneaky and shady. Not a great guy.
00:16:08
Krista John
Right.
00:16:09
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um And um unless you're paying attention to exactly what's being said, because it's not being shown on screen in the film, you you do lose the impact of that.
00:16:18
Krista John
Right.
00:16:22
Krista John
Yeah, i agree.
00:16:24
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah. um Unfortunately, wickham moves on to Lydia and um has taken wisp Lydia away.
00:16:35
Sarah-Daye McDougall
She was on a trip, which I don't think we get in the film. I don't think I really understood that as much as I did when I was reading and watching the BBC version, but she is sent away.
00:16:41
Krista John
Yeah.
00:16:46
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And Elizabeth does beg her dad not to send her in both versions.
00:16:50
Krista John
She does. Yep. Yep.
00:16:51
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And that's not something that stuck with me in the film either. Like I didn't, that didn't register with me when I first watched the film. And when I watched it again, after reading the book, i'm like, Oh, she, she does have this conversation with him.
00:17:06
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Um, so she begs him not to send her because she's going to embarrass them. And she ends up embarrassing them.
00:17:11
Krista John
yeah
00:17:13
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Um, Lydia has run off with Mr. Wickham.
00:17:17
Krista John
Not cool.
00:17:19
Sarah-Daye McDougall
No. um She's distraught in both versions. Mrs. Bennett is unconsolable in both versions.
00:17:28
Krista John
She is.
00:17:30
Sarah-Daye McDougall
I mean, this is and this is a big deal because it's going to bring shame on the entire family, basically. And like none of the daughters are going to be able to get married. Yeah.
00:17:38
Krista John
Yeah. And I think that is something, I think that point gets, gets lost. Yeah. Maybe in both versions, just like, why is this such a big deal, especially for modern viewers watching it?
00:17:50
Krista John
Maybe you don't dont really understand why is this such a big deal?
00:17:50
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Right.
00:17:54
Krista John
They've run off to, you know, obviously it's not nice if you run off and don't tell you, you know, modern days go run off in a lope and not tell your family, but it's not going to destroy your family's reputation for, you know.
00:18:05
Sarah-Daye McDougall
right
00:18:05
Krista John
It was huge, huge deal. And I think the way, well, okay. The way they show it in the, in the show, how she reads the letter from Jane, i think it just brings out more of the distress because you see her reaction. You see, you start to understand.
00:18:26
Krista John
I think that Darcy's Darcy is, Darcy is, maybe going to do something to help her, like the way he reacts and then leaves. Like you, you start to where in the book, I don't think you really even understand that he's, I got a glimpse of him that maybe he was going to help her help the situation, the way he reacts to her in the BBC show, when he comes into the room, finds out what happened. And then he leaves like that. I think that like interaction starts to give you a little like foreshadowing that what he's about to do.
00:18:57
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Interesting, because I felt... Well, first of all, there's two letters, right, from Jane?
00:19:04
Krista John
um
Unveiling Wickham's Deceit
00:19:05
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Because in the in the film, there's only one, and I might be thinking of a different scene, um because there was one letter...
00:19:11
Krista John
She writes one letter. She writes a letter, one letter about Lydia and then she and then.
00:19:16
Sarah-Daye McDougall
She wasn't there something with the mail and she ended up having two letters and she read the one and then ah immediately started reading the second one. But maybe this is not the right time.
00:19:26
Krista John
Is that when Jane was in London about Bingley?
00:19:30
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Maybe, maybe um either way.
00:19:32
Krista John
I don't know. um ah Some of these details are getting mushed in my brain right now, but.
00:19:34
Sarah-Daye McDougall
yeah. yeah have The aunt and uncle, she she has a letter.
00:19:37
Krista John
Yeah.
00:19:39
Sarah-Daye McDougall
She wants to read it from Jane. The aunt and uncle go on ahead, and you see her start to get very emotional, and she she realizes she needs to go find her aunt uncle, and that's when she runs into Mr. Darcy in the show.
00:19:53
Krista John
yeah
00:19:53
Sarah-Daye McDougall
but
00:19:54
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And then in the film, they're already at dinner. like They've already decided to have dinner.
00:19:59
Krista John
Right.
00:20:00
Sarah-Daye McDougall
He's already there.
00:20:00
Krista John
That's right.
00:20:00
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah. and she gets the letter, comes out crying, can't talk, goes back, and then comes out again and says what happens has happened to Lydia. um
00:20:10
Krista John
Right.
00:20:10
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And then...
00:20:11
Krista John
And they all find out at the same time. Right.
00:20:14
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes, right.
00:20:14
Krista John
Yes. Yes.
00:20:15
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um Because she tells them all at the same time, which for a film, sure, like to just get but but all that out of the way at the same time makes sense.
00:20:15
Krista John
Yeah.
00:20:20
Krista John
Yeah.
00:20:22
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um But what I so going back to what you were saying, I think in the show, it made him Colin's portrayal was more and I feel like even in her acting.
00:20:22
Krista John
Yeah.
00:20:35
Sarah-Daye McDougall
He leaves abruptly and you don't know.
00:20:37
Krista John
Uh huh.
00:20:38
Sarah-Daye McDougall
It's almost like, oh man, he's like, he doesn't want anything to do with it anymore.
00:20:41
Krista John
judging Judging her again.
00:20:42
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yep.
00:20:42
Krista John
Yeah.
00:20:43
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And that you can see that hurt on her face as well.
00:20:43
Krista John
Yeah.
00:20:47
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Come to find out he's putting all this in place um and, you know, saving them.
00:20:47
Krista John
yeah
00:20:50
Krista John
Yeah.
00:20:52
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um But I did really, really like how they portrayed it in the show.
00:20:56
Krista John
What he does but for Lydia. Yeah, me too.
00:21:00
Sarah-Daye McDougall
and Not yet.
00:21:00
Krista John
How he...
00:21:01
Sarah-Daye McDougall
ah How, how this whole, this whole moment of her explaining, like trusting Darcy with this information first and foremost.
00:21:08
Krista John
Right. Well, yeah, that's true. Yeah. yeah Maybe I'm, but I don't know, maybe I'm reading into her trusting him or just simply that I know, know what's going to, what's going to happen. And so you can, I don't know.
00:21:19
Krista John
I always feel like in that moment, I'm like, Oh, it's coming.
00:21:19
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:21:22
Krista John
Yeah, it's coming.
00:21:22
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:21:23
Krista John
It's all, you know, so maybe it's just me getting excited that they're actually going to get over their pride very soon and come out with it.
00:21:30
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um And because her you've read the book more than me, but isn't she doesn't she question it?
00:21:31
Krista John
Yes.
00:21:34
Krista John
Yes.
00:21:36
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Like, OK, I haven't heard from him. He he left so urgently.
00:21:40
Krista John
Yes, she does.
00:21:41
Sarah-Daye McDougall
OK, yeah, so she OK.
00:21:41
Krista John
She absolutely does. She thinks he's, she thinks like now, if he wasn't done with me before, now he's really done with me.
00:21:48
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And I think that that's portrayed much better in the BBC show than in the film.
00:21:49
Krista John
Yeah.
00:21:52
Krista John
Yeah.
00:21:52
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And again, like the film just doesn't have the time to do that ah because I feel like it's like
00:21:55
Krista John
Yeah.
00:21:58
Sarah-Daye McDougall
the next scene he's fixing it basically in the film.
00:22:00
Krista John
Yep.
00:22:01
Sarah-Daye McDougall
So, um, yes, Lydia spills the beans that Darcy's the one that paid for the wedding.
00:22:07
Krista John
Right.
00:22:09
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Um, and then we get to see how Mr.
00:22:10
Krista John
Yep.
00:22:13
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Wickham's reacting to this marriage and, um, in the book and the show, she talks, she has a conversation with Wickham and is like, Oh, we're, we're siblings now or whatever she says.
00:22:27
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Um, in the movie, she completely gives him the cold shoulder. Um, so I really liked seeing that conversation and just like putting him in his place with her words instead of just ignoring him that the film does.
00:22:32
Krista John
Yeah.
00:22:42
Krista John
Yeah. Yeah, that's true. It's definitely more developed. I like that scene. i can picture, I picture again, like what do I picture first? I picture the scene where Lydia comes home from her honeymoon, you know, and her, her attitude, even with her sisters and that scene, I think is so, you know, she's like, Oh, I'll go first.
00:23:01
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Oh yeah. She's so cocky.
00:23:03
Krista John
Right. Doesn't she say, Oh, I'm going to go first.
00:23:04
Sarah-Daye McDougall
yeah. Because I'm married.
00:23:05
Krista John
Cause I'm married now. Yeah.
00:23:07
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes.
00:23:07
Krista John
Yeah.
00:23:09
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah. Yeah. And I really did.
00:23:10
Krista John
Oh, Lydia.
00:23:11
Sarah-Daye McDougall
i we talked about it a little bit in the last episode, but I really did like her portrayal a lot more.
00:23:11
Krista John
Typical Lydia.
00:23:15
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Like she's still over the top, but not like overacting in a way.
00:23:19
Krista John
Yeah.
00:23:20
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um Okay. So that all happens. Now we can get to
00:23:23
Krista John
Yes. Now we get to the proposals.
00:23:25
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Bingley's proposal um and again just I I just love Bingley so much he is just such a sweetheart and and and Jane I just like those two characters together
00:23:26
Krista John
Yes. He
00:23:35
Krista John
is.
00:23:40
Krista John
They are. They're both, well, they're both sweet and gentle and it's like, oh, finally they can, they can come out with it and tell each other how they've really been feeling all this time.
00:23:51
Sarah-Daye McDougall
yeah
00:23:52
Krista John
Yeah. And I, I don't know. I think, I think I picture it happening the way it happened in the, in the mini series, you know, in the drawing room and the, and they're all kind of like waiting, you know, they're, they were all together and they give them space and they come back. I think it's,
00:24:06
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah. Now in the
00:24:07
Krista John
more how I picture it happening in this in that time period. and
00:24:11
Sarah-Daye McDougall
in the film, they add the little montage of Mr. Bentley practicing with Mr. Darcy.
00:24:17
Krista John
Yes, I know. I know.
00:24:19
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And it's so cute.
00:24:20
Krista John
It is cute.
00:24:20
Sarah-Daye McDougall
But do you think it was needed?
00:24:21
Krista John
No, no.
00:24:22
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Because it's that doesn't happen in the book. And it takes up time that they could be doing something else in the film.
00:24:28
Krista John
Yeah, but again, they're trying, it's ah there's a lot of that in the film.
00:24:28
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Fluff.
00:24:31
Krista John
There's a lot of, they could have included more Wickham if they'd cut out some of the um of the other stuff. But again, it's just, you know, it's ah they're trying to get your emotions.
00:24:41
Krista John
So that that gives it some more, it makes it feel, yeah, it makes you feet get the feels, right?
00:24:42
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah. And it does make me smile.
00:24:48
Krista John
So that's what
00:24:49
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes,
Culmination of Character Arcs
00:24:49
Krista John
the the movie does a good job with that.
00:24:49
Sarah-Daye McDougall
it does.
00:24:53
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Okay, so Jane and Mingly are finally engaged. And now it's time for Elizabeth and Darcy to reunite and kind of finally um reveal their feelings for each other.
00:25:06
Krista John
Well, is this your favorite scene in the movie? Because I think it's like my favorite scene is Darcy coming out of his pond in the and the miniseries. This is the misty field scene that people people reenact whenever there's a misty field.
00:25:16
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah. Oh my gosh. Wait. I feel like there's one.
00:25:19
Krista John
Yeah. Yeah.
00:25:21
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes. And it's, it's a beautiful scene. I mean, and that's why we, the film is so beautiful.
00:25:23
Krista John
and yeah
00:25:26
Sarah-Daye McDougall
The music is so beautiful. The cinematography is so beautiful. And I think that's why it's so, so popular. Like, yes, it's Jane Austen's pride and prejudice story, which is a great story, but then the film is so beautiful. And that's why I think both the 1995 and 2005 are so good in their own um But before we finish with the reunion, we forgot one key plot point, which is Lady, whatever her name is, coming to confront Lady Catherine coming to confront Elizabeth.
00:25:54
Krista John
Lady Catherine? me Yeah.
00:25:58
Sarah-Daye McDougall
I think that's a really important one to talk about. And we haven't really talked about her in general. So real quick, listeners, I assume you're listening to this episode because you've read or seen these adaptations. But of course, Lady Catherine is Darcy's aunt.
00:26:15
Krista John
She's his aunt, yeah, yeah.
00:26:16
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Okay. And she's he's technically supposed to be engaged to her daughter.
00:26:22
Krista John
Her sick, her ill, her ill, sicky daughter.
00:26:24
Sarah-Daye McDougall
yes
00:26:26
Krista John
Yeah.
00:26:26
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And so she heard a rumor that Darcy was going to propose and comes to the Bennetts' home to confront her and make her promise that she won't ever accept a proposal from Darcy.
00:26:40
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um
00:26:40
Krista John
Yes.
00:26:41
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And she says horrible things to Elizabeth about her and her family. um And Elizabeth kind of stands up to her and says, no, I won't promise you that. And I think that's a very important key plot point that we shouldn't we shouldn't gloss over.
00:26:51
Krista John
Yeah.
00:26:56
Krista John
Yeah. And I, again, in the miniseries, it's like almost word for word from the novel. So I think it shows her the dialogue is done really well and is very faithful to the book.
00:27:08
Krista John
um
00:27:10
Sarah-Daye McDougall
I do like in the film, though, how i do I not usually want to appreciate how dramatic the adaptations make things.
00:27:10
Krista John
And like.
00:27:20
Sarah-Daye McDougall
But I do love how dramatic the film made this um scene because she comes in the middle of the night.
00:27:20
Krista John
Mm hmm.
00:27:27
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Everybody wakes up um and she's so aggressive.
00:27:27
Krista John
Yep. Yep. It is.
00:27:31
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um And I think that and especially for a more modern, younger audience, That aggression with what she's saying, um you need that aggression to have that impact on like this. She's being very nasty right now.
00:27:48
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Whereas in the show, they're just walking around the garden and you can tell there's some animosity there, but it's still it's still all very rather calm.
00:27:48
Krista John
Yeah.
00:27:54
Krista John
Yep.
00:27:56
Krista John
Yeah. Again, that comes back to why, why I like Jennifer Ely's portrayal more than Keira Knightley's. And it's because it is, it is just more subtle and appropriate, I think for the time period versus what that really have happened.
00:28:11
Krista John
I know she's, you know, Lady Catherine's very angry, but would she really show up in the middle of the night? I don't know if that would, you know, I don't know, but I get it for the drama.
00:28:16
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah, I get it.
00:28:19
Krista John
I mean, it is, it does create an effect like, Oh, this is,
00:28:23
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
Lady Catherine's Confrontation
00:28:24
Krista John
this is a big deal.
00:28:25
Krista John
Yeah.
00:28:26
Sarah-Daye McDougall
It is a big deal. And so she's, oh, and then are we supposed to think she's finding out about that initial proposal or are we supposed to think, is he going to ask her again?
00:28:39
Krista John
Yeah, do you know, that's a good point. I always, I don't really know the answer to that question. I think I've always assumed that she's heard Darcy might propose, but maybe it is because she heard that he already did propose.
00:28:56
Krista John
So I don't know.
00:28:57
Krista John
I'm not sure if that's ever, yeah, I don't know that it's ever made clear in the book where she got the information, if it was about the upcoming proposal or the
00:28:57
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Just gossip in one way or the other.
00:28:59
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:29:09
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Okay.
00:29:09
Krista John
First one.
00:29:10
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah, because I always thought maybe somehow that original proposal leaked in some way, although I don't know who would have said it because I don't think Darcy would admit that he was turned down and Elizabeth didn didn't tell anybody.
00:29:10
Krista John
Yeah.
00:29:16
Krista John
um That makes sense.
00:29:22
Krista John
That's true.
00:29:24
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um So I always wondered how, where...
00:29:25
Krista John
That's true. Yeah.
00:29:28
Sarah-Daye McDougall
lady catherine got this information and and why and especially because the film it's so urgent like she's like i just heard this information he's going to propose to you tomorrow i've got to find you tonight um and tell you not to accept the proposal um so yeah it's always just been really interesting yeah yeah
00:29:37
Krista John
Right.
00:29:40
Krista John
Right.
00:29:44
Krista John
Yeah, it definitely feels like it's about his plan. Yeah. I don't know. i really i do not think it's made clear in the book why or how she got that information.
00:29:56
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um okay so now we can rewind to the elizabeth and darcy reunion and yes um colin coming out of the lake white shirt scene is at his home um and that's well that's kind of before all the wickham stuff
00:30:10
Krista John
Mm-hmm.
00:30:14
Krista John
No, no. Yeah. That's not the proposal scene. I'm just saying that's, that's the iconic Colin Firth scene.
00:30:18
Sarah-Daye McDougall
yes this yes
00:30:19
Krista John
And the Misty Field scene is the iconic Matthew McFadden scene.
00:30:23
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. um Coming through the field and they don't even kiss or anything. They just kind of like touch foreheads and it's just ah so romantic. um And then that
00:30:35
Krista John
It is a beautiful scene.
00:30:38
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um
Elizabeth and Darcy's Reunion
00:30:39
Sarah-Daye McDougall
we have the scene of them. in ah in a garden or something at nighttime and and talking about the, you know, um only call me Mrs. Darcy when you're super happy.
00:30:51
Sarah-Daye McDougall
and And then in the show, we have the dual weddings and more of an epilogue, I think, in the show.
00:30:51
Krista John
Right.
00:30:54
Krista John
Yes.
00:30:56
Sarah-Daye McDougall
But even the book has more of an epilogue than either of them.
00:30:57
Krista John
Yep. It does. Yep. Yep. Yep. their conversation, they're walking, right? When he proposed when they decide to reunite and get married, they're just on a walk.
00:31:09
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Oh, yes.
00:31:09
Krista John
When they kind of separate by themselves.
00:31:10
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Actually, you know what? Okay.
00:31:11
Krista John
Yeah.
00:31:12
Sarah-Daye McDougall
I like this, the both in such different ways because in the show, okay, Colin, you can see him get so excited when he's like, if your feelings have changed and she's so smiley and she's like, you know what?
00:31:16
Krista John
Yeah.
00:31:29
Sarah-Daye McDougall
My feelings have changed.
00:31:30
Krista John
Yeah, it feels very genuine. It's like it just happens, naturally like it unfolds naturally and it feels very genuine and and real.
00:31:34
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes.
00:31:39
Sarah-Daye McDougall
But in the movie, it's so beautiful and it's so romantic.
00:31:42
Krista John
It is.
00:31:43
Sarah-Daye McDougall
So they're both so romantic and in different ways.
00:31:43
Krista John
It is.
00:31:46
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um So it's hard to pick which one doesn't matter.
00:31:46
Krista John
Yep.
00:31:51
Krista John
I think they're, like I said last time, i think both have their and good things. So i can't, I mean, both of these scenes, I think are good in their own way.
00:31:57
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:32:04
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Definitely. um
00:32:05
Krista John
Yeah.
00:32:05
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Now,
BBC vs. Film Adaptation Analysis
00:32:06
Sarah-Daye McDougall
before we move on to our analysis and bookmarked moments, I want to ask you, because I know you've mentioned the Wickham stuff being cut. Is there anything else you want to talk about with his his story being cut in the film?
00:32:15
Krista John
Yeah.
00:32:18
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Mm-hmm.
00:32:20
Krista John
Yeah.
00:32:21
Krista John
I don't know. I guess,
00:32:23
Krista John
you know, I get needing to cut things. and one ah Let me sidetrack for one second. so One of the things we didn't talk about was other things that got cut. Are we going to talk about other things like that got cut?
00:32:32
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes. Go ahead.
00:32:33
Krista John
Oh, okay.
00:32:33
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Go ahead.
00:32:33
Krista John
Okay. Well, you know, Bingley's sister's
00:32:38
Krista John
I love both of them in the BBC. I love Caroline and her evil stepsister outfits. And i love Mrs. Hearst, which is the other sister who's married and her husband is always like snoring in the background of every scene that again, the subtle humor of her husband snoring off the side of every social gathering cracks me up every time I see it.
00:32:38
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes.
00:33:03
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Because he's not really in the book, right?
00:33:03
Krista John
And I, No, he's in the book as the guy like snoring in the corner. like He is that in the book.
00:33:08
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Okay, okay.
00:33:09
Krista John
Yeah. So i don't like that I don't like that they cut her. she and don't know, because it's just that comeut subtle humor, like the like comedic elements like that that make Pride and Prejudice what it is. It's not just a serious book about love and redemption, and yeah whatever. it's not It's not just about these serious...
00:33:31
Krista John
topics you know there is there's this lighthearted funny stuff woven all throughout and i just think that little sub plot is so funny um but the the wickham stuff you know One of the, one of the, we don't really talk about this as a theme, but just the idea that first impressions can be misleading. So it's your you know prejudice, right? So, okay. So the theme of, theme of prejudice, right? So we, we see him from the beginning and think he's a gentleman, right? And he's, and then all of a sudden he's not. And I just think it's not as believable in the movie. Yeah.
00:34:08
Krista John
Because of there's just not enough time to develop that.
00:34:10
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Just how quick it is. Yeah.
00:34:11
Krista John
Yeah, I think it's just, yeah, I think it just comes down to that believability. Not that it's confusing. I think you still understand what happened. But it just doesn't make as much sense. And it makes so much sense when you get the whole story.
00:34:24
Krista John
So, yeah.
00:34:24
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:34:25
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Well, I think a big part of that is that we don't get those flashbacks. um And again, if you're not,
00:34:29
Krista John
Yeah.
00:34:30
Sarah-Daye McDougall
If you're not paying attention to like the tiny details, you are going to miss a lot of that from the film because it does it does happen just too quickly.
00:34:40
Krista John
It does. Yeah. I wish they would have cut other stuff instead.
00:34:44
Sarah-Daye McDougall
What would you have cut from the film?
00:34:46
Krista John
Um, Karen Knightley on a swing.
00:34:46
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes.
00:34:52
Sarah-Daye McDougall
yes
00:34:52
Krista John
All those little like, I mean, they spend minutes, like there are literal minutes taken from that, that we could have taken out of the movie that were just unnecessary, kind of mopey looking dramatic scenes, you know?
00:35:00
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes.
00:35:05
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yep.
00:35:05
Krista John
And they could have, definite they could have asked added in some key stuff using that time, but it's okay.
00:35:11
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah. And again, going back to the flashbacks, like I'm pretty sure that's when she's staring at the window and it's just Matthew McVeigh Dian's voiceover.
00:35:12
Krista John
It's drama. Yeah.
00:35:20
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um
00:35:20
Krista John
Yep.
00:35:20
Sarah-Daye McDougall
and we're just watching her.
00:35:23
Sarah-Daye McDougall
staring yeah I think it's she's staring at the mirror and he comes behind her and then she's staring at the window so yeah I mean why couldn't we do flashbacks during that scene yes um well okay anything anything else um or any changes like that you think the show or the film the show didn't really do too much um different from the book but any changes you think the movie did well
00:35:27
Krista John
Yeah.
00:35:31
Krista John
I know. It's just a littleella a little too much, but... Yeah.
00:35:48
Krista John
yeah
00:35:50
Krista John
um Well, like we've all already said, I think just the this the cinematography, the the visual but elements, like how beautiful it is.
00:35:59
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:36:00
Krista John
It's just, you can't compare it. You cannot compare it to ah series. The series is dry when it comes to those elements. It is, you know, it's, that is not its strength.
00:36:09
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:36:12
Krista John
So, but you lose the,
00:36:13
Sarah-Daye McDougall
It's very monotone in color.
00:36:15
Krista John
Yes, it is. But you but you you lose it. But I almost see Jane Austen in monotone color when I read it because it is just it's just everyday situations. like there's no It's just like real people, real life. I don't know.
00:36:33
Krista John
When I think about anything in history, I tend to think about things in black and white or sepia tone. right
00:36:40
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Right.
00:36:40
Krista John
And then some sometimes i I'll like look around and I'd be like, no, like, and everyone in the past world looked exactly like this, right? And yes, the world the world is beautiful, but it's not it's not dramatic like the the movie, you know?
00:36:50
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Right.
00:36:56
Krista John
or just It's just like, it's moody, yeah.
00:36:57
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Well, and the movie's moody. Like, the lighting is darker and and lots of blues.
00:37:00
Krista John
Yeah.
00:37:03
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:37:04
Krista John
Yeah. So I just picture it more like everyday everyday life. So it's just like a normal...
00:37:08
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:37:08
Krista John
like so that It doesn't bother me that it's not visually stunning in the series.
00:37:13
Sarah-Daye McDougall
The
00:37:14
Krista John
like That doesn't bother me. But obviously, if we're looking for something that's stunning and dramatic, you can't really compare it. But it's at the loss of, I think...
00:37:25
Krista John
you know, lots of things.
00:37:25
Sarah-Daye McDougall
ah story
00:37:26
Krista John
The step part key part of the story, you lose a lot of Jane Austen's language. You know, I think they totally could have included more of the original language. There's no reason why they couldn't have.
00:37:38
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Well, and a really great example of using the actual language is the Romeo and Juliet film with Leonardo DiCaprio, because that is his dialogue.
00:37:38
Krista John
I don't know why they didn't.
00:37:47
Krista John
Yes. Yeah. yeah
00:37:50
Sarah-Daye McDougall
It's his script in the film, but it's a modern it's a modern take on the film, but the actual dialogue, which is a really great...
00:37:55
Krista John
Yeah. Well, it's a cute it's a huge, I would say when you do, if you claim to do Shakespeare and you don't use the language, it's like, oh, no, no, no, you can't do that.
00:38:06
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Right.
00:38:06
Krista John
You know, it would that would like not be accepted by anyone that appreciates Shakespeare if they had completely changed it. Then it's just a total... you know, adaptation is not even counted as Shakespeare, but there's no reason why they couldn't have included more of her language in the movie.
00:38:18
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Exactly.
00:38:24
Krista John
I don't know why they, why they did it.
00:38:24
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:38:25
Krista John
I don't, I don't know, but maybe it's just, they were trying to modernize it a little bit. Maybe it's just not like you even, you said when you were reading it, you're like, it's not what I'm used to reading. It's not what I'm used to hearing.
00:38:36
Krista John
So maybe they were just trying to make it appealing to people that you don't read 19th century literature often.
00:38:36
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes.
00:38:43
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Right.
00:38:43
Krista John
it is, It's not familiar. You know, it might have been more difficult to convey to a modern audience. and know. But I still think they could have included more of the icon, some of the iconic stuff that there was no reason why they cut certain things.
00:38:59
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah, I agree.
00:38:59
Krista John
and don't think.
00:39:00
Krista John
Yeah.
00:39:00
Sarah-Daye McDougall
I agree.
00:39:00
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah. All right. Well, um, Okay, which medium do you think told the story better or did they both succeed in their own ways? And I know that you think BBC told the story better than the movie, but do you think BBC told the story better than the book?
00:39:18
Sarah-Daye McDougall
So the book is better.
00:39:18
Krista John
No. ah book
00:39:19
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:39:20
Krista John
The book is always better. Where's my mug? I have a coffee mug. The book was better. um But I love Jane Austen. I've always, when I was an English major, majored in my major, studied mostly eighteenth well, mostly 19th century British literature.
00:39:38
Krista John
So that that's this, you know?
00:39:41
Krista John
And I, so I have an appreciation for literature written during this time and I just love it. So nothing will ever beat the book for me, I don't think.
00:39:41
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:39:52
Krista John
But I think BBC comes as close as you can get. I don't, I feel like I am, don't, I don't feel like I'm betraying Jane Austen and loving that, and loving that version of it.
00:40:05
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Right. Well, yeah. And um I think to summarize our conversations again, at least my view is that the BBC is a really great adaptation.
00:40:06
Krista John
Yeah. Yeah.
00:40:14
Sarah-Daye McDougall
It brings the story to life. And then the film is a beautiful movie that uses Pride and Prejudice as inspiration to tell its story. um
00:40:24
Krista John
yeah
00:40:25
Sarah-Daye McDougall
So I do think that they all succeed in their own ways. um But if you want to watch if you want to watch Pride and Prejudice, you go to the BBC show.
00:40:36
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And if you want to watch a warm and cozy romance, you go to the film.
00:40:43
Krista John
Yeah, that's a good way to put it. It is.
00:40:45
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Thank you.
00:40:46
Krista John
I think any book adaptation, no one's going to say the movie's better when it's a book to movie. I mean, I... I don't know. Maybe, maybe you know better than me.
00:40:56
Krista John
You're, you're looking at all these different adaptations, but I think unless there's a, see unless you give it the time it needs like ah a mini series, I think you're not going to get, you're not going to get really close as a movie.
00:40:57
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:41:05
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:41:08
Krista John
You can get pretty close if you dedicate more time to it.
00:41:12
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah. and
00:41:13
Krista John
You can fit so much more in a book and how many pages is pride and prejudice? 200 and 280 pages. Yeah. so hundred and eighty pages You know, and you need six hours to tell it, you know, so not longer books.
00:41:23
Sarah-Daye McDougall
yeah yeah
00:41:26
Krista John
I mean, how many hours would you need to really do a faithful, you know, you can't do it in a movie.
00:41:29
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yep.
00:41:30
Krista John
Can't do it in a movie.
00:41:31
Sarah-Daye McDougall
No. Well, and I am I started this podcast with The Hunger Games because I think The Hunger Games is one of my favorite adaptations. But that might be the only one that I think a film did the book justice because I always think that to adapt a book, it needs to be a show.
00:41:50
Sarah-Daye McDougall
You need to have more than two hours to get everything across.
00:41:51
Krista John
Yep. I agree.
00:41:55
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Or it's just inspiration, you know, like the Pride and Prejudice film just uses – Jane Austen as inspiration to tell its story because there is so much cut because you can only tell so much story in a two-hour session.
00:42:09
Krista John
Yeah,
Favorite Moments and Critiques
00:42:10
Krista John
that's true.
00:42:11
Sarah-Daye McDougall
So let's move on to our bookmarked moments. um The first is what you liked best about the adaptations.
00:42:22
Krista John
i ah like the use of language in the original language in the show. And I really enjoy the music in the movie.
00:42:35
Krista John
Like I can listen, I can listen to that soundtrack, you know, background music while I'm working.
00:42:38
Sarah-Daye McDougall
yeah i used yes yeah it does it's a beautiful soundtrack and i actually used to be able to play some of the music on the piano but that was a very long time ago um that was when like the movie had come out and i was still religiously playing piano um
00:42:40
Krista John
It's just very, and it, and it gives me good, but good vibe, good feels. Yeah. Yeah.
00:42:51
Krista John
Oh, that's cool.
00:42:59
Krista John
New goals. My kids are learning piano, so now I got to have them learn it.
00:43:02
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Oh, good. Yes. Give them the soundtrack music.
00:43:03
Krista John
Yeah.
00:43:05
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Oh, that would be so pretty to hear.
00:43:05
Krista John
Yeah.
00:43:07
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um okay Least favorite part of the adaptation.
00:43:12
Krista John
I really don't like the hair and the BBC, but it is accurate to the time.
00:43:17
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah. Yeah.
00:43:19
Krista John
So it's not that it's not accurate. I just don't like it. It's just the harsh parts down the middle and the little tight curls in the front.
00:43:22
Sarah-Daye McDougall
neith It's so tight. Yes. Yes.
00:43:27
Krista John
It's just not fun to watch.
00:43:28
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Mm-hmm.
00:43:28
Krista John
And like i you said, it's distracting. I do find it distracting. I'm like, can we not like, I wish they could just take it down, let it loose. Yeah. And my least favorite in the movie is cutting out of my favorite line.
00:43:44
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes, I bet. i know.
00:43:46
Krista John
Yeah. we
00:43:47
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um And it's not even like they cut it. They just changed it because he does say, i does say ardently at some point, but it's like,
00:43:52
Krista John
Yeah, maybe. Yeah, that's.
00:43:56
Krista John
No, he doesn't say. Does he say ardently? He does. He says. i think he says one word from it, but it's all chopped up and weird and it doesn't flow.
00:44:02
Sarah-Daye McDougall
what's, yes, it is chopped up. What's the line again?
00:44:04
Krista John
Yeah.
00:44:05
Sarah-Daye McDougall
do you remember?
00:44:07
Krista John
In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings cannot be but repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.
00:44:16
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah. Okay. I do think he says something about being in vain. And then i think he says, I love you. Pause most ardently in the film.
00:44:25
Krista John
Yes. But like, why
00:44:27
Sarah-Daye McDougall
I know. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:44:27
Krista John
Why couldn't we? That's why, that's why I'm like, there was no reason. Like they could have just said it the way she wrote it, which is so beautiful and perfect. There was no reason.
00:44:37
Sarah-Daye McDougall
No, i i I agree with you in the concept. that It doesn't bother me because I didn't know the line first, but there have moments where I'm like, been waiting for this moment in the film, in the adaptation, and it doesn't happen or it doesn't happen the way I want it to happen.
00:44:43
Krista John
Yeah.
00:44:53
Sarah-Daye McDougall
And I'm so disappointed.
00:44:53
Krista John
yeah
00:44:55
Sarah-Daye McDougall
So I completely understand the feelings you have about it.
00:44:57
Krista John
Yeah. The first time I read the book, when I got to that part, I will never forget it. I looked over my college boyfriend at the time and I was like,
00:45:08
Krista John
I want Mr. Darcy. was like, no one's ever, no one will ever compare to Mr.
00:45:11
Sarah-Daye McDougall
yep
00:45:14
Krista John
Darcy now. Yes.
00:45:14
Krista John
Yes.
00:45:15
Sarah-Daye McDougall
i know yeah yeah i mean he is the iconic book boyfriend like the this is we mentioned in the last episode this was the original enemies to lovers story but mr darcy is the original book boyfriend yep and
00:45:20
Krista John
yes
00:45:26
Krista John
Yep.
00:45:30
Krista John
I agree. He's my favorite book boyfriend.
00:45:33
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes.
00:45:36
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Okay. The last bookmarked moment is ah what is the most memorable moment of Pride and Prejudice? It can be from the book or from like something the adaptation just knocked out of the park.
00:45:48
Krista John
Oh, that's so hard. a lot of it's stuff we've already talked about for me, I think, but... Um,
00:45:55
Krista John
Hmm. Oh my gosh. Nail that down to, do you have one while I think that is hard to, I'm trying to think of something we haven't already talked about.
00:46:00
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Well, right, exactly. I mean, my book, my most memorable world moment is going to be Mr.
00:46:04
Krista John
Yeah.
00:46:07
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Darkie, Mr. Darcy walking across the field. Okay.
00:46:11
Krista John
Okay. All right. Well, mine is him coming out of this pond. There we go. I mean, that, that, that scene lives rent free in my head.
00:46:18
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:46:18
Krista John
So.
00:46:19
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yep. Okay.
Future Adaptations and Conclusion
00:46:20
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um Well, Krista, thank you again so much for coming onto the podcast. um Is there anything you would like to share with our listeners?
00:46:29
Krista John
We have to get team, we have to get team Colin, team Matthew shirts to wear.
00:46:35
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yes. Okay. We could do that.
00:46:38
Krista John
yeah But with your listeners, no, I think thanks for having me on. This was so much fun.
00:46:43
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yep. Absolutely. And please come back for the new adaptation coming out soon.
00:46:43
Krista John
And
00:46:46
Krista John
yes, I am actually really excited about it because like we just said, it is actually, it is a series. So I have, I have hopes they may do something really cool with it, you know, that they're going to give it time.
00:46:59
Krista John
i mean, think about how far things have come just with how movies are filmed now compared to 1995.
00:47:01
Sarah-Daye McDougall
yes
00:47:05
Krista John
Like, this could actually be, it could has the potential to be amazing.
00:47:09
Sarah-Daye McDougall
I had a thought, though, that I want to discuss with you. do you think the hype around Bridgerton and how much popularity Bridgerton has is going to taint Pride and Prejudice?
00:47:13
Krista John
Okay.
00:47:22
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Like, do you think they're going to try to make Pride and Prejudice like Bridgerton?
00:47:25
Krista John
So I have a confession. I haven't watched it. So I know, is it, is it Regency time period? When is it set?
00:47:31
Krista John
Is it the same?
00:47:32
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Mm-hmm.
00:47:32
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:47:32
Krista John
Okay.
00:47:32
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Queen Charlotte.
00:47:33
Krista John
Well, yeah, I mean, yeah.
00:47:34
Sarah-Daye McDougall
queen charlotte and George are it's during their reign.
00:47:37
Krista John
Oh, okay. See, I don't even know that. I'm so bad. I know I have to watch it. Everyone told me that I would like it and I just, I haven't, I haven't gotten into it.
00:47:44
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Oh, really? Cause I don't think you will.
00:47:46
Krista John
No.
00:47:47
Sarah-Daye McDougall
I don't think you will.
00:47:47
Krista John
Oh, okay.
00:47:48
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah. Because it's, well, I mean, it's good for like as a drama, but it's, it's not like, you're not going to like the historic, like it's not historic accurate.
00:47:49
Krista John
Well, you know, you know me well, so.
00:47:58
Krista John
Oh yeah, I know it's not historically accurate.
00:48:00
Krista John
Yeah. Do you know what? I did try to watch, i think I tried to watch the first episode when it first came out and I was like, nope. But everyone loves it so much.
00:48:00
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:48:09
Krista John
Like, I think I should, I think I should give it ah another try, but I don't know.
00:48:09
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah.
00:48:12
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Um,
00:48:12
Krista John
It could be because it is, it is super popular.
00:48:15
Sarah-Daye McDougall
The spinoff season of Queen Charlotte loved that. I absolutely adore that season. um And it's about her and George um meeting and becoming a couple.
00:48:22
Krista John
Okay. Okay.
00:48:27
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um And I love – and, like, he's he's succumbing to his disease throughout the season, and she she doesn't know until later on.
00:48:34
Krista John
Okay.
00:48:35
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Anyway, I absolutely adored that show, and I think the acting was incredible. So if anything –
00:48:40
Krista John
Is it, it's humorous, right? They take like is there like a humorous spin on, yeah.
00:48:47
Sarah-Daye McDougall
I wouldn't say it's a humorous spin on his disease. There is humor in the show.
00:48:50
Krista John
No, but on the, on the story. Yeah. Like the, the way they portray, a historical like drop, like narrative is in like a more of a lighthearted way.
00:49:00
Krista John
Is that, yeah.
00:49:01
Sarah-Daye McDougall
general or Queen Charlotte?
00:49:03
Krista John
Bridgerton.
00:49:03
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah. Bridgerton in general is more comedic. Yeah.
00:49:06
Krista John
Yeah. Okay. Have you seen the great, this is not an adaptation.
00:49:09
Sarah-Daye McDougall
No, I've seen that. I know what you're talking about though, but I haven't sat down and like watched the full season.
00:49:15
Krista John
Loved that. And that is totally not historically accurate, but it is hilarious. So I like, I like when they, they're not claiming to be historically accurate.
00:49:21
Sarah-Daye McDougall
So I don't think Bridgerton is as funny.
00:49:24
Krista John
Okay.
00:49:24
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Right. Well, and Bridgerton isn't either, but it's so Bridgerton is definitely just like a drama set in the Regency, like young adult drama.
00:49:26
Krista John
Yeah. So that doesn't bother me then. Yeah.
00:49:31
Krista John
Okay.
00:49:33
Sarah-Daye McDougall
wouldn't actually, it's not young adult because there's a lot of sex in it, but um I don't know. I would like maybe watch Bridgerton. Let me know what you think of it, but definitely watch Queen Charlotte.
00:49:43
Krista John
but
00:49:43
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um
00:49:44
Krista John
Yeah. mean, it's not quite trying to be historically accurate, then that doesn't bother me.
00:49:48
Sarah-Daye McDougall
So if the new Pride and Prejudice show
00:49:49
Krista John
Yeah.
00:49:51
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Like, do you want it to be like, do you want it to be like off the walls, not historically accurate, modern for a younger audience? Or do you want it to be like the BBC?
00:50:02
Krista John
I would love a true Austin that, like, stick as true to the book and her language as possible, but make it really pretty.
00:50:14
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Okay.
00:50:14
Krista John
That's what I would like.
00:50:15
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Okay.
00:50:15
Krista John
I would like a visually stunning, because there's nothing wrong with the book, so there's no reason to change it. That's my opinion.
00:50:22
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Okay. Okay. So I do think like a Bridgerton-esque style of the show, but using her dialogue.
00:50:24
Krista John
ah like, why change it?
00:50:30
Krista John
Yeah, use the tell the whole story. Use the language as much as possible when it makes sense to use her dialogue, but just make it visually stunning.
00:50:42
Krista John
It could really do that. There are shows that do that, where they tell even a true story about someone, but it's visually beautiful.
00:50:46
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.
00:50:54
Krista John
So I think they could do that and really...
00:50:58
Krista John
kill And nobody's done that before with this book.
00:51:00
Sarah-Daye McDougall
Right. Yeah. All right. Well, thank you for that tangent. um Thank you again for coming on. I'm excited to see what the new one will be like.
00:51:11
Sarah-Daye McDougall
um And listeners, i we will see you next week for another episode of Book Watch.
00:51:18
Krista John
Thank you.