7 – Pride and Prejudice #6 w/ Amanda Faye

Today we’re discussing the 2005 movie of Pride and Prejudice. Is it the best movie? Yes. Is this the only version of Pride and Prejudice I’ve seen? Also yes. Do not judge me. Honestly, a lot of the movie is very similar to the book, but it’s almost sped up if that makes sense. We’ll get into it.

If you happen to be curious about the amazing video of Darcy being awkward for seven minutes straight, check that out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nptj1uWFy5s 

If you want to find me anywhere or join the Barely Book Club, please go to barelybookish.com/connect

If you would like to find Amanda, please check her out in all these places:

IG: instagram.com/amanda_faye_books/

FB: facebook.com/amandafayebooks

Web: amandafayebooks.com

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Amanda-Faye/e/B07T7HYMLW?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1601935884&sr=1-2 

Transcript

Rachel: Hey hi. Hello all my lovely book nerds. Welcome back to Barely Bookish. Today we’re discussing the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie with our girl Keira Knightley and Matthew McFadden, right? That feels right, emotionally. That feels right. I-I’m sticking with it. If not, you know, Amanda, our resident Pride and Prejudice expert is going to say it at some point in this episode. And then you’ll know the truth and you can come at me in the comments. And I would respect that because I deserve it. So yeah, we are discussing that today, so if you want to watch the movie pause here, watch the movie. Watch that sweet sweet hand flex and then come back and join us as we discuss it and have a good time. So that’s all that. Also, if you haven’t joined the Barely Book Club yet, we are currently taking a small break. We’re finishing up A Song of Wraiths and Ruin right now this week, and then we’re going to take a small break until the beginning of December. So now is the perfect time to join because we are still submitting books, so you can help us pick our next read and it’s a lot of fun. And yeah, I’ll talk more about it in the outro, but yeah, I will catch you guys in the episode.

(Intro Music)

Rachel: Hello everyone and welcome back to Pride and Prejudice. We are now discussing the 2005 movie with the one and only Keira Knightley and a beautiful Mr Darcy and I’m joined today by Amanda again.

Amanda: That’s me. Hi!

Rachel: And this movie was beautiful and just the cinematography-if-like I just loved every landscape they did and everything. Like I love seeing London country-or not Lon-European countryside anyway, so just seeing all that was so beautiful to me.

Amanda: Yes. It’s-the way they filmed that I mean, the whole cinematography on this movie was just beautiful. They-they could not have picked a prettier place to film.

Rachel: I will say before we talk through the entire movie that this is spoilers for the 2005 movie. So if you have not seen it, make sure you watch that first because-or if you don’t care, you know then just enjoy, but if you care, make sure you watch that first. So, um. So I, my first note was like the Bennett House did not really seem like a house to me like it didn’t seem homey. Like did you get that vibe or was it just me?

Amanda: Um, I just think our idea of homey is different than their idea of homey. 

Rachel: That’s probably true.

Amanda: It’s, it’s just a generational thing. 

Rachel: Yeah.

Amanda: It’s you know, it’s, it was probably very homey to them.

Rachel: I did, did you notice when they’re all eating dinner at some point and there’s four photos on the wall? So first of all, there’s I think those were the daughters, and there’s one daughter that obviously did not get their portrait on the wall. And then three of them have a black frame and then someone has a gold frame. I think that’s how it is.

Amanda: I did not and I, I watched it, I watched the movie again yesterday. So no, I, I had, I did not pay that close attention to it. I’ll be honest with you, I did not notice that.

Rachel: I don’t know. I’m-my-growing up my mom used to be an interior designer so like when we watch movies I watch, I look at the houses a lot so it’s like I looked at that and I’m like what choice was that? Like why is there three photos frames that are one color and one that’s a different color? The one that’s a different color is even slightly smaller.

Amanda: I doubt the Bennetts cared all that much. 

Rachel: Yeah. So like they’re all in a line and then they’re all like aligned to the top. So like it’s noticeably smaller. It’s kind of funny to me. 

Amanda: I’ll have to look for that next time. 

Rachel: Yeah, definitely. I don’t know exactly what, but it’s one time that they’re all sitting down to eat.

Amanda: I have to look for that.

Rachel: So I made a note and it says I already don’t like Lydia and Kitty, which I didn’t like them in the book, but it’s even worse. Like something about the movie just made them like so much worse than they already were. You know? 

Amanda: Because then you can hear the grating of their voice.

Rachel: Yeah. 

Amanda:  Kitty’s voice is so high pitched and ew-do-do-da-do-da-do.

Rachel: Oh, I know. So annoying and like watching them like run around outside and everything’s like, ah, like their, their children, you know?

Amanda: Yep.

Rachel: They basically act like they’re twelve in my opinion.

Amanda: Yeah. I mean they are children, their children to us, but to them they were adults by that point in time, you know?

Rachel: Yeah, but there are adults that act like children

Amanda: Yes.

Rachel: You know?

Amanda: Yes.

Rachel: They just act like they’re so whimsical and everything and I just don’t like it.

Amanda: They act like their stuff don’t stink.

Rachel: Yeah, literally. And then my biggest note is why did the music and dancing stop the very second? Bingley and Darcy come in like everyone shocked as soon as they walked in across the room, the dancing immediately started again. Like that scene gets to me.

Amanda: Well, and the reason it happens like that is because they’re so high ranking and that it’s expected for it’s kind of like if the King or Queen would walk in. You know everything would stop and then it would ship- would-they-the room would show them their respect before it resumed again. So that’s why it happens like that. It’s just because Bingley is so high ranking in the neighborhood.

Rachel: Yeah. 

Amanda: Even if, even if he’s new to the neighborhood, he still automatically takes his spot at the top of the hierarchy just because of his income.

Rachel: So weird. Like it’s just, I get it, but at the same time it’s just like watching it happen is so awkward. 

Amanda: I know, it’s cringey.

Rachel: Like as you said earlier, no wonder that Darcy is constantly uncomfortable with attention.

Amanda: Yes, you know. I mean I feel for the dude right off the bat I do.

Rachel: I mean, yeah, it’s just that, if that happened every time I went somewhere, I’d, I’d also not want to talk to a single person.

Amanda: Yep.

Rachel: So then Bingley immediately starts flirting with Jane, and they’re dancing, and, like this is the point where I was watching them dance. And I was like, yeah, I wouldn’t want to do that either like.

Amanda: Oh when, when he says, when he talks about do you dance Mr Darcy? Not if I can avoid it.

Rachel: He’s like no. Yeah, I wouldn’t do it in there like that does not look any kind of fun.  Cause it’s hard to talk to people when you’re running across the room, and it seems like a lot of cardio over the fact that they aren’t allowed to exercise.

Amanda: That’s funny.

Rachel: Like it’s just, it’s a lot of jumping and running back to each side. It feels like to me.

Amanda: That’s why they’re so skinny.

Rachel: Oh yeah, there you go. And then I said Miss Bingley already looks like the absolute worst. 

Amanda: Yeah. 

Rachel: Yeah, she already like looks like she smells something bad. You know? 

Amanda: Her nose is all stuck up in the air. 

Rachel: Yeah, like that actress did a phenomenal job.

Amanda: Oh, she’s so good. Anytime I reread the book now, her parts are always in the actresses tone of voice.

Rachel: Yeah, and I just imagine her now that I’ve seen her. I’m like, Yep, that’s perfect. Like that was the best casting for her. 

Amanda: Yes!

Rachel: And I, I’m not even mad that they got rid of Mrs. Hurst because I, I don’t think she added anything and I always forgot she was there in the books.

Amanda: She’s basically just there for Caroline.

Rachel: Yeah, so it’s like when they got right away I was like eh, like I don’t really care. Then after calling Elizabeth ugly, he immediately starts walking closer to Elizabeth. Like he’s like “She’s ugly” and he’s like “Well now I’m gonna follow around like a little puppy dog.” He’s like I’ll just get rid of that by saying that she’s ugly, and then you know, find her the most beautiful woman in the entire world and just follow her continuously.

Amanda: Well, he doesn’t want people to think that he’s, he’s weak or he’s partial.

Rachel: Yeah.

Amanda: So he’s gotta he’s gotta act tough on the outside but then melt on the inside.

Rachel: Yeah, see in the book I always thought that like he said that because he legitimately wasn’t interested in her the first time he saw her, but like in the movie, to me, it felt more like, oh, he’s saying that so basically get rid of everyone watching them. 

Amanda: Yep.

Rachel: So I, I don’t mind that interpretation necessarily.

Amanda: I completely agree.

Rachel: Yeah, I felt like it was not necessarily what I thought it was in the book, but you know, it’s okay. Then my one of my notes is so starts the awkward Darcy that I love because it’s immediate. Like in the book, it took a second for Darcy to get awkward and the movie. It’s like, boom, awkward Darcy.

Amanda: Yes.

Rachel: And, uh, this is the note that I kind of listed, whereas I thought that the Bennetts were middle class, but you can kind of tell that they’re actually like lower than middle class in this book, in the movie I mean, it looks like they really amped up the fact that they’re like not super well off. Not necessarily poor, but their houses like untidy and kind of things like that.

Amanda: Well, I think they’d be better off if they didn’t have so many children.

Rachel: Yeah.

Amanda: So if they if they just had just one or two versus the five girls that obviously like to spend a lot of money.

Rachel: Yeah. 

Amanda: Then the House would be better taken care of.

Rachel: I think Miss, Mrs Bennett kind of said that they had so many kids because he kept trying for a boy, right?

Amanda: Yep. Well, not to mention they don’t exactly have reliable birth control at that point in time.

Rachel: Also that. Yeah, so as the officers come into the city, I think it really showed how young Lydia and Kitty actually are like that’s the point where I was like, oh, they behave like children? 

Amanda: Yes.

Rachel: Not like young ladies, you know. And what was the whole thing with the, the-not pocket square. The co-

Amanda: Handkerchief. 

Rachel: Handkerchief, thank you. What’s that whole thing where she threw it? And then people stepped on it like it was not trying to catch it or something.

Amanda: No, she was expecting that when she drops her handkerchief. It is the gentlemanly thing to do for the man to pick it up and hand it to her. So she dropped her handkerchief expecting the officers to give it to her except for at this point in time, the officers were dancing in formation. I mean, not dancing, they were walking in formation. They were having like a parade so she she’s stupid it-there’s no way that they could stop what they’re doing and pick up a handkerchief and handed to her and flirt.

Rachel: Yeah. 

Amanda: So.

Rachel: It’s you know you can’t like break ranks like that. She’s such a moron.

Amanda: That she is.

Rachel: So and then you know it goes on a bit and I really thought the turn about the room and like that kind of smaller enclosed space was so weird like they really amped up the fact that it was incredibly odd in that room ’cause. There was not a lot of space to like do a turn about the room.

Amanda: Well, and, and I don’t know it, I don’t think it is that odd. Maybe that’s just because I’ve, I’ve seen it and I love it so much that it just seems commonplace to me now. First, maybe before it wouldn’t have. 

Rachel: See I think with my fresh eyes I was just like this is weird like this is not like normal behavior. And then in my notes, I said I cannot remember who the goth of Bennett is, because when they all show up to see Jane and Elizabeth, everyone’s wearing colors except Mary, who’s wearing like all black for no reason.

Amanda: Oh, I know. And then that’s, that’s a difference from the book as well, because in the book, Mary doesn’t come to visit. She stays home and only in the movie does she come.

Rachel: Yeah, like I forgot Mary existed throughout the entire book until that moment. I’m like who is that like? I just was like I can see Lydia, I can see Kitty who is that? And then I was like oh yeah, Elizabeth has four other sisters. It’s not three other sisters like I completely forgot about Mary. And I’m just like why did they make her wear all black?

Amanda: Cause she’s prim and proper. She’s very, she should be a nun is what she should be. 

Rachel: Yeah, I could see it, I don’t, cause they don’t even talk about her at the end of the book where they mentioned like Kitty coming to visit her like what happened to Mary? 

Amanda: Nothing.

Rachel: I guess ’cause they just don’t even discuss her being a human being that exists anymore.

Amanda: Now, there are several several books that cover Mary, in Pride, Pride, in sequels.

Rachel: Oh really, what do they say she does?

Amanda: Most the time she gets married off to a clergyman.

Rachel: I could see that she seems like the type. 

Amanda: Yeah. 

Rachel: It just doesn’t seem like she really has a personality.

Amanda: I always thought she and Mr Collins deserved each other.

Rachel: True. Collins just needed to work his way down the line. One more person, cause Mary is in between Elizabeth and Lydia or Kitty, right? 

Amanda: Yep, she’s number three. 

Rachel: OK, yeah? I mean he could have just one more girl and he could have taken. Collins is so gross. Oh, and then we got to the scene where Darcy and Elizabeth touch hands.

Amanda: Oh the hand flex!

Rachel: Yeah, the hand flex!

Amanda: The hand flex! That is, that’s my favorite scene of any movie of all movies. And it’s my favorite scene cause just, I mean the look on her, he, it’s unexpected, obviously. She was getting into the carriage by herself, so he reaches his hands out sans gloves, neither of them are wearing gloves, mind you, and helps her into the carriage and she’s looking at him like what in the hell just happened here. Yeah, he’s flexing his hand like I touched her. I touched her. Oh my God, I touched her. I can’t believe I did that. What is wrong with me? Get out of here as quickly as possible. The hand flex it’s.

Rachel: Cause that hand flex is basically the equivalent of unexpected kissing between the two of ’em.

Amanda: Yes!

Rachel: Where one of them wanted it, but neither of ’em thought it would happen. That’s basically what that hand flex was.

Amanda: I mean. Who knew so many emotions could be, could be described at a hand flex? 

Rachel: I know.

Amanda: I mean, he was, it’s just so evocative. You know, the way he flexes his hand like that and her look the way she’s looking at him. Like what in God’s name?

Rachel: Yeah.

Amanda: That about you know?

Rachel: It was so good.

Amanda: It’s the best part of the movie.

Rachel: I know I just I watched it and I paused and I was like, oh, oh my goodness.

Amanda: I know.

Rachel: Things are getting real.

Amanda: The hand flex.

Rachel: Oh, and then so they’re all eating dinner and Collins is over and the look Elizabeth gives every member of her family anytime Collins speaks. Kills me, it absolutely kills me. I think it’s hilarious. Because she basically does this like of like “who is this guy and why is he here?”

Amanda: He’s so stupid.

Rachel: He’s trash. He is absolute trash. I cannot stand him. And then after dinner he says that he wants to read for them for an hour or two sermons what?

Amanda: Boring.

Rachel: Like I know he’s a clergyman but like have you ever heard of not taking your work home with you?

Amanda: Well, I mean in, in the book, he says he doesn’t believe in reading novels, if it’s not basically if it’s not chip-Christian literature, he’s not gonna read it.

Rachel: Oh, he’s just boring person.

Amanda: He’s too above it or whatever.

Rachel: I just there’s something to be said about looking at other works of literature outside of your own spirit. Like if you only read, let’s say you only read like sermons, but like reading other sermons outside of your own religion like it helps you understand not only the world, but I think it helps you understand what you’re reading as well. 

Amanda: He doesn’t want to understand about the world. 

Rachel: That’s true. I think he just basically wants to repeat what he knows continuously over and over again, like word vomit.

Amanda: Yep, he just wants people to look up to him.

Rachel: So annoy. This point, Wickham comes into the picture, and he’s actually really pretty. I felt like in the movie.

Amanda: Now, did you know that he and Keira Knightley were a couple during this movie. 

Rachel: No?

Amanda: They were together for five years. 

Rachel: Wow, that’s wild.

Amanda: Yep. He is, could you imagine how pretty their babies would have been?

Rachel: And then my next note is Lydia is so annoying. Like they really just amp up how annoying she is throughout that entire movie like she’s already annoying the books with like just because in the books you can kind of overlook what she says in the movie. You just hurt, her voice is just so piercing. And it just you can’t overlook it like you have to listen to it. And it’s like, ah.

Amanda: Well, she did that on purpose. Your voice is not normally that high. If you hear her outside of the movie. Yeah, it’s just like chalk on it, nails on chalkboard.

Rachel: Yeah, and then I had completely forgotten that Elizabeth solely dressed up for Wickham at that ball. And like her going to that ball and not seeing Wickham how disappointed she was I think like Darcy casually trying to like follow her, got to me, got to me, cause he has no idea.

Amanda: None and then, and she’s like she’s like I have sworn to loathe him for all eternity and and Charlotte’s like laugh and she’s like, well you’re gonna have to change those plans aren’t you? 

Rachel: Yeah, literally though I’ve like ma’am, that’s your husband, so.  And then, so that’s the point where Elizabeth has to dance with Collins. But we didn’t see that right?

Amanda: In the movie?

Rachel: Yeah.

Amanda: Oh no. It’s in the movie. 

Rachel: Okay, I’m trying to.

Amanda: Oh yeah.

Rachel: But it must have been quick or something, so I don’t really remember it very well.

Amanda: Because he’s trying to, he’s trying to talk to her, to Elizabeth, and Elizabeth is talking to Jane, so Elizabeth and Jane when they have a conversation-

Rachel: Oh yeah.

Amanda: About about Wickham. If a certain somebody were, were not here, a certain gentleman, a certain gentleman were not here, and Elizabeth says that gentleman hardly warrants the name.

Rachel: Yeah.

Amanda: So, so that’s that conversation is going on while she’s dancing with Collins and Collins is trying to talk to her and she’s just completely ignoring him.

Rachel: Yeah. I forgot that, but that’s when that was happening cause I was like, I don’t really remember Colin’s dancing, but now I’m like, oh yeah. So then Darcy and Elizabeth dancing and he’s so awkward. It really just amps it up. Like them passing by each other and her going “Oh, it’s your turn to talk now.” 

Amanda: That that reply will do for present.

Rachel: Right? Like they really amp up that conversation. I thought it was really well done.

Amanda: Yes, I agree.

Rachel: I will think it’s funny the modern, if any, modern day retellings do that and they slow dance. I want to see that conversation.

Amanda: I I think I have to think if I-if I read any of those that have slow dancing in the modern interpretation.

Rachel: Just cause I feel like it’s easier to have those type of conversations when you’re slow dancing so it would be even more awkward when he’s not responding.

Amanda: Most definitely.

Rachel: Cause it’s like when they’re dancing, they pass by each other for a second so he doesn’t respond, it’s not that big of a deal, but usually when you’re slow dancing, you’re right next to your partner. So you’re talking about something.

Amanda: Yep. That’s something to think about. 

Rachel: For your book.

Amanda: I’m not saying that.

Rachel: I get a 20 page fanfiction and it’s just a dancing scene.

Amanda: I do like, I do like reading Pride and Prejudice fanfiction.

Rachel: So as Collins makes an entire fool of himself talking to Darcy, the entire room goes silent to look at him, which I just thought was hilarious.

Amanda: Poor Darcy. 

Rachel: I was like what are you doing talking to Darcy?

Amanda: Poor Darcy.

Rachel: Also the height difference between Collins and Darcy gets to me. 

Amanda: Hilarious. Darcy is like tall, dark and brooding and Collins is like a gnome. 

Rachel: I know he, like one, runs up and he’s like do-do-do.

Amanda: Crazy.

Rachel: It’s just, I think it’s hilarious.  Collins even just looks like a creep is one of my biggest notes and then he’s not picking up any signals that Elizabeth was not interested and like she’s trying to get the entire room to stay with her. She’s very obviously like don’t have this conversation with me, I don’t want to talk to you, and Collins will not pick up on it. And then he proposes to her.

Amanda: He just doesn’t care he-

Rachel: Yeah.

Amanda: He doesn’t care.

Rachel: And then calling him her his cousin the entire time. I’m just it’s so gross.

Amanda: It’s so cringe and I know we think of things differently now than they do then. But still, yeah ew.

Rachel: Yeah, it’s gross. And then everyone listening at the door the entire movie I thought was hilarious. Every single person in this family listens at the door and it’s just so funny.

Amanda: They were laughing. I mean the way Kitty and them were. They were just openly laughing when they when they open, opened the door and they almost fell over ’cause they’re leaning on it trying to listen. 

Rachel: So yeah. Kitty and Lydia laughed really hard as soon as they opened the door, which is very good. And then Mrs Bennett immediately runs in the room, and she’s like you have to marry him. Like gives no chill at all.

Amanda: And her voice is all high and squeaky and whiny now.

Rachel: Yeah. Oh, and then Elizabeth, running away into the woods as she rejects him, got to me. I like that and it was a nice touch.

Amanda: Like like Mrs. Bennett and now the worry is Collins may not take Lizzie.

Rachel: Really? Good. Bye! Yeah, and then I was like wow, things really do move faster in this movie ’cause they combine so many scenes to make it fit into the, I think it was two hours?

Amanda: Yep.

Rachel: Yeah. So I-there were some things that were combined and I just wish I could’ve gotten pulled out more. But also, you know, I think it flowed well for a movie but having just read the books I’m like I need more. I want step by step.

Amanda: And it’s so funny. I’m just the opposite when I, I reread the book, I’m like I don’t care about this. Is-Darcy is not in this. I don’t wanna listen to her talking to her cousins, I mean to her sisters pretending she’s not thinking about Darcy. Let’s just skip forward a little bit like when she was at when when she was at Rosings for the weeks without him, I’m like, I don’t care about that, just skip forward already.

Rachel: You’re like more Darcy the better.

Amanda: More Darcy. 

Rachel: Yeah, I just was like wow, this is moving so fast. So like Elizabeth goes to visit Charlotte and the lady they cast to play Lady Catherine is very good.

Amanda: Yes.

Rachel: And Darcy is immediately there the first time she ever arrives to see Catherine. Like after getting introduced, Darcy’s just sitting there in the corner like, uh. Which I don’t really mind that he’s there right off because I hate like I hate Catherine so much like the less we see her, the better. To be honest. Oh yeah, and then my biggest note is, I say biggest note every time, but one of my bigger notes is Catherine is even worse on screen.

Amanda: Yes she is, but it’s that’s just because Judy Dame plays her so well.

Rachel: Yeah. She’s just a terrible character. Oh, and then one of the things that I thought was more noticeably weird in the movie, but also weird in the book, is that Catherine forced a party guest to play the piano. Like you’re supposed to go to someone’s house to enjoy them, and then she’s like get up and play piano.

Amanda: Well see, she thinks she’s entailed anything.

Rachel: Yeah. 

Amanda: So of course she has every right to enforce them to do whatever she wants. 

Rachel: So annoying. There’s just like, oh, it’s so weird that like she’s like, hey, you just said you don’t play the piano very well so get up, play the piano for me.

Amanda: I know.

Rachel: The dramatic entrance when he busted, Darcy made when he busted into the Collins house, shakes me to my core because he’s just. There’s no knocking, just bam, bam. Hello here I am.

Amanda: I know it’s awesome and he’s just so it’s it’s really the only thing I wish we had that was the same because I love, I love the proposal in the movie, but I wish I wish we could have seen him freaking out over her not feeling well. 

Rachel: Yeah, me too. Like I wonder if that was why he had that dramatic entrance when he first went in was that was supposed to be the dramatic entrance of her not feeling well.

Amanda: Maybe.

Rachel: Kind of, but you know I I wish we could have saw that like the worry on his face had been really good. Yeah, and then I was like I notice that he proposes very quickly in my opinion, but it’s also halfway through the movie already, so I guess it’s not really that quickly, but I felt like it was very quick.

Amanda: Well, it’s halfway through the book when he proposes.

Rachel: Yeah, but I think it’s because I had so much lead up in the book of like subtle romance and then like in the movie, I feel like the movie does a better portrayal of why Elizabeth was so shocked where she’s like I literally just met you not that long ago.

Amanda:  Well and she, I mean, she thinks that everything he’s doing has been trying to antagonize her when he thinks that everything he’s doing is trying to show her compliment.

Rachel: Yeah, they did a really good job of just showing how quickly that his love at least progressed, whereas hers was like, uhhhhh.

Amanda: Yeah, well like he says she was in love before she even realized it 

Rachel: Yeah, like yeah he’s in love and she’s just like still mad at them for existing. And then his face being like shocked, with Elizabeth saying no because of him suffering Jane. He’s like, wait, how do you know about that? Like his face was like oop.

Amanda: He’s probably never heard the word no in his life.

Rachel: Yeah, he thought as soon as he made that proposal that she is just as in love and the shock on his face. They really did a good job of showing that in the movie.

Amanda: Yes, Matthew McFadden just he’s he is just such a good job in this part? 

Rachel: Yeah. 

Amanda: Such a good job.

Rachel: And then Elizabeth saying that he was the last man on Earth, she would want to marry.

Amanda: No no. Last man on earth I could ever be prevailed upon to marry, get it right. 

Rachel: Yeah.

Amanda: Prevailed upon to marry. 

Rachel: I was shook absolutely shook to my core. Cause in that moment he was like, well, I’ve made an error in a lapse in judgment.

Amanda: I mean in the behemoth, in her voice, to your behavior even if I were so inclined made it obvious that you were the last man on Earth that could ever be prevailed upon to marry. She’s just so fierce when she yells at him.

Rachel: So good.

Amanda: Without ever raising her voice.

Rachel: And then Darcy’s handwriting. In that letter. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

Amanda: Gorgeous. 

Rachel: I feel like I need to fix my handwriting after looking at that. So good. Like that’s why he writes such  long letters to show off his penmanship.

Amanda: Well, penmanship was important in those days.

Rachel: True. Oh, and the way they show the passing of time in that movie is so strange to me, because basically one, one way they do it is Elizabeth staring out the window when she gets a letter delivered or she’s staring out the window and then like the lights fade and like to show. But like so with that in my she basically stared out a window for like 5 hours, not moving. When you think about it.

Amanda: But I love the way they show that, though, because it’s, it’s you, you do the same thing with writing. You need to convey a long amount of time, but you don’t have a long amount of time to convey that long amount of time. So that they were able to do so that she was by herself, ruminating for hours with her basically looking in that direction and showing the passage of time. Without having us there and wait for it. You know the same with like when she’s walking, making some time passes as she’s walking she she’s like. When she’s outside her house, when she after everybody had left before she got the letter for Charlotte and she’s twirling in the chair all by herself, you know, and they show the passage of time. That way. I love the way they show the passage of time in this movie.

Rachel: I think to me maybe it’s just weird because I’m imagining her not moving from that spot the entire time. And just being like staying in the same spot for five hours, I think that’s why I think it’s weird. 

Amanda:  Oh!

Rachel: It does convey the time of the passage of time very clearly, but it’s also like, well, she literally just standing there for like around five hours just looking out that window. 

Amanda: Maybe part of it is. Because I, I write a lot of short stories. So I’m, I leave, I give as few details as possible, just the ones that really need to be given, leave, leave the rest up to readers, imagination, and so with the passage of the time I can imagine her freaking out, walking around, pacing the room, flipping through the pages, reading and rereading, shoving them down, swearing she’s never going to talk about it again. Only pick them up two minutes later and flip through ’em, so.

Rachel: Yeah, maybe it’s one of the things where she started looking out the window and then later she returned that same window five hours later after she did all that, you know type of thing.

Amanda: Yeah, I like how they show the passage of time. 

Rachel: So then we get to go see Pemberley, and it’s absolutely stunning. But it feels kind of like a museum to me, but like thinking about how you talked about the wings of the house. Where is that? There’s a wing where you see it’s kind of set up like a museum, but like this is weird. 

Amanda: That’s exactly what it is.

Rachel: Yeah, it’s got like statues in it and stuff. And like I can’t imagine living there. But I guess they don’t live on that side anyways. 

Amanda: Yeah that, that, that is basically just there to show the wealth of the family. They don’t, most of their, cause like the private drawing room, the the team room, all of that stuff isn’t shown to the guest that’s in private wing of the house, so they’re, they don’t actually live in that portion of the house.

Rachel: Just imagine walking over them, they’re “You remember that we had these statues? I forgot.” Like, I just can’t imagine your house being that expansive that you kind of, just forget that you have things.

Amanda: Well, I’m I’m not sure if they forget, but I mean I’ve, they’ve got somebody’s job whose job it is to curate it whose job it is to make sure that their collection stays relevant, that their collection you know continues to grow over the years with the family.

Rachel: Yeah.

Amanda: So. 

Rachel: So weird. And then in this version Georgiana is already there when Darcy arrives. Which I didn’t mind cause it just got to the point quicker of them and Darcy meeting, but her spying on and seeing Darcy for the first time when he comes in and sees Georgiana. I was like first of all, how did you even get over to this side where she’s at?

Amanda: Well, because she was where in the movie she was, where she was not supposed to be. 

Rachel: Oh. 

Amanda: because she she had wandered off. So she was looking at something she was staring at the picture of him or the bust of him. And everybody wandered off without her. So then all of a sudden she’s alone in the house and she’s just walking around. So it was not that they were where they were not supposed to be. She was where she was not supposed to be. 

Rachel: Oh okay, that makes more sense. I just when Darcy looks up and sees her. I’m like, Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh. So good.

Amanda: It’s good. The, the surprise and shock on his face. 

Rachel: Uh huh. Also, Georgiana is really even more so sweet in the movie, I thought than the book like she was sweet in the book, but I think they really did a good job of like showing how sweet and like childlike innocence on her.

Amanda: She’s very pure.

Rachel: And she didn’t seem to be nearly as awkward in the movie as they said she was in the book.

Amanda: No, I I think a lot of the awkwardness was just came from how quiet she was. 

Rachel: Yeah.

Amanda: As the, she is, technically the leader, may, she’s the woman of the house, so it’s her job to run, to run the household basically and when they have guests over, she’s the one that’s supposed to take charge, but because she’s so shy she doesn’t do any of that which makes him.

Rachel: True, true. And also they don’t really have, like Bingley there. So it’s not like Caroline could have like talked over her.

Amanda: Yeah.

Rachel: So oh and then when Elizabeth finds out in the movie about Lydia, Darcy and her Aunt and Uncle are already there, everyone’s in the room together which makes it even more awkward. But it’s a change I don’t really mind, but I also. Maybe it’s just, like I thought it was kind of weird how Darcy keeps coming to her alone. Not that it’s weird, like I like it, but at the same time, like isn’t that kind of weird for that time period period that he constantly like shows up when she’s alone.

Amanda: Oh yeah, the fact that he keeps showing up in general is weird for that time period.

Rachel: True.  That’s true, but it’s like in the movie they didn’t seem to do that nearly as much as it happened in the book. Oh, and then when Lydia got married because it was very, it was a lot quicker. In the movie they didn’t really play that out as much, which I didn’t mind, cause I didn’t really like that plot line anyways cause I hate Lydia and so like the less we talk about it the better, but so in the movie she gets married at fifteen and she keeps trying to show off her ring to absolutely every person she comes across.

Amanda: It’s a puny little ring, too.

Rachel: I know and I’m like girl no one cares. Not a single soul cares. 

Amanda: Yep.

Rachel: And then, at, instead of in the movie having to wait for that letter, Lydia tells Elizabeth absolutely everything Darcy did right in front of everyone. But,

Amanda: No no. 

Rachel: She tells him by the side. But she tells everything right out the bat instead of like waiting.

Amanda: Yeah. Which I understand why they did it for time constraints.

Rachel: Yeah, it’s it didn’t really bother me. It did seem like Lydia would spill the tea like she wouldn’t, I don’t think she would have like waited anyways like even in the book, Elizabeth says if she really asked and Jane wasn’t there that Lydia would have told her everything. And then we get the wonderful scene of everyone trying to quickly clean the house because Darcy and Bingley are arriving, which is absolutely hilarious. I love it so much.

Amanda: I do! I love it. I wish we could have seen more of that in the book. The-

Rachel: Yeah.

Amanda: Cause the girls are, so they’re kind of more sedate. They make the boys wait for them in the book where in, in the movie the girls are running around like crazy to make them look cause they’re lounging around doing nothing and then by the time the guys get to the door, they’re all prim and proper again.

Rachel: Yeah, they’re all totally just casually sitting here, minding my own business reading books. Well, you know as you do, but it’s like everyone’s fixing their hair and all that kind of stuff. And then they have like a quick, they’re there for like two minutes and then they leave. Bingley starts freaking out and practicing his proposal. And then they come back in and he proposes. Really quickly, which I just think is super cute. I I really do like that, even knowing that it’s improvised, I thought it was really well done.

Amanda: It was, it was adorable.

Rachel: And then just that, you know, he definitely did that in the book too.

Amanda: Oh yeah. Oh yeah, they had practice all the time. He’s so nervous.

Rachel: And oh so cute. Oh, and I did like the like little added that he got down on one knee and proposed, I thought that was cute.

Amanda: I love it.

Rachel: Oh, and then in the movie they changed that Lady Catherine came in the middle of the night and everyone’s in their PJS, which I thought was like a weird change. I don’t understand why they did it that way.

Amanda: Well, I like it and I think the reason they did it that way was to better express how quickly she she, she.

Rachel: Left?

Amanda: Yeah. Because in the, in the book she’s more, she’s more even though she’s, she’s sharp and she’s not polite. She’s at least giving them other attention and you know she sits there for a few minutes, whereas in the movie you know her urgency. As soon as Collins told her that Elizabeth is about to marry Darcy she hopped in her carriage and she took out of there to make sure that this is not really what’s going on. So I kind of liked it being at night, and I understand why they did it to help impart the sense of urgency that she is seriously freaking out.

Rachel: Yeah, I do-now you say that it makes a lot more sense thinking about it that way cause it’s like it seems like that’s a weird change just to make. But like thinking about it that way, it definitely makes more sense. Like I get it. Everyone in the house is still like sitting at the doors when Lady Catherine’s there, so they don’t, she doesn’t get to hide it from her family like she did in the books. Which you know, that didn’t really bother me to be honest. It’s just, it is what it is. But now everyone’s like, what do you mean Darcy like?

Amanda: Well, and I’m not sure cause if you watch in the movie, I’m not sure they caught everything that was going on because they if they had realized the, the extent of what was really taking the conversation, cause the conversation that took place before between Elizabeth and Catherine, they said one thing and then their meetings were much, there was like a secondary unsaid conversation going on between them without words. And so I, I don’t think if you don’t know the background between the two and the background between Elizabeth and Darcy, which she’s obviously become at least a little bit, you know cause she watched them for weeks now at Rosings Park. I think with the family trying to listen through the door, they’re not really grasping what was going on. You know, just because they already knew that he was miss-that, that she was Darcy’s Aunt and I don’t think they really grasped the full, because otherwise they wouldn’t have been so surprised.

Rachel: Yeah true.

Amanda: They have the engagement.

Rachel: Because how well can you hear?

Amanda: Exactly. You know so.

Rachel: That makes sense. 

Amanda: So I don’t think even if they heard parts of it, I don’t think they really grasped the issue at hand. 

Rachel: Yeah, they’re probably just like this is weird. This random lady is coming in yelling.

Amanda: Yeah.

Rachel: So then Darcy’s back. He was in a dramatic walk up to Elizabeth across the field. Also fun fact about that see, do you know he had to be guided by a flag ’cause some of the mist was so thick?

Amanda: I did know that. And they, they had to do it three days in a row to get it right because of, because of the they they wanted it you know as-the light to look a specific way, so they did it three days in a row. 

Rachel: Wow.

Amanda: So that they.

Rachel: It’s beautiful and I love it, so.

Amanda: I wish it would have been like that in the book. I mean, I, I mean, I much prefer the movie version of the proposal.

Rachel: I just think it’s so dramatic. 

Amanda: Yeah.

Rachel: You know, instead of them walking behind Jane and Bingley, you know, and proposing that way. Instead, he does this very dramatic and being like I still like you like.

Amanda: And he’s in his regular I mean, he’s, he’s not dressed at all. Basically he got to got to Bingley’s house in the middle of the night couldn’t sleep, cause it doesn’t say how many days afterwards it has had to have been at least a few days for her to get to Pemberley, Bitch out Darcy, for Darcy to get back to Meryton and cause it’s not like they’re in a car, so it’s been a few days since. 

Rachel: Yeah. 

Amanda: Since she’s had her fight with Catherine. So he got to like Darcy’s house, couldn’t sleep, decided to take a walk, and there that is run into each other cause he’s not even properly dressed. She’s-

Rachel: Yeah

Amanda: She’s in her jammies still. You know it’s just aw.

Rachel: And he’s like you wanna get married and she’s like, yeah, let’s do it. And I was kind of hoping that like they would show a wedding but you know they didn’t, but it’s fine where we got the beautiful after scene.

Amanda: In that gorgeous property.

Rachel: Ugh yes, that balcony, stunning. I would kill for a beautiful house like that.

Amanda: Just as gorgeous.

Rachel: Yeah, that movie I think. Obviously I’ve never seen any of the other ones, but I think it was so well done and I loved it so much.

Amanda: Well, you do you think it compares nicely to the book? 

Rachel: Yeah, I like that a lot of the language is taken directly from the book. Like that’s what I notice when you sent me that awkward Darcy being awkward for seven minutes is how that was so, like so much of it was pulled right from the book.

Amanda: Almost entirety. Unless it was a scene that did not happen in the book or did not happen exactly almost almost the entirety of the the speech, the dialogue was taken from the book.

Rachel: It was so good.

Amanda: So that’s basically what they did. They took, they pulled out all of the scenes that didn’t have interactions between the main characters, so they took out all the fluff. But all the dialogue, and then that’s how they made the movie. So.

Rachel: Yeah.

Amanda: if you took out all the walking scenes and all the scenes where the girls were doing nothing but walking around and looking at ribbons and, and Elizabeth was just musing to herself about how much she hates Darth-Darcy then, how much she loved Darcy. That’s basically what the movie is.

Rachel: Yeah. And I just I think it was awesome I can’t, I can’t imagine the other movies like being as good as this one. Like I’m sure there’s gonna be parts that I like in the other movies, but like I, I really like that one.

Amanda: Well, after you watch the BBC miniseries come back to me and we will talk again.

Rachel: I’ll send you chats and be like so I lied.

Amanda: No, I do think that the 2005 one, I mean, it’s by far my favorite, 100%. But Matthew McFadden has a lot to do with that.

Rachel: That’s true, he did a wonderful job as Darcy.

Amanda: He did a fantastic job.

Rachel: And I think Keira Knightley did amazing job as Elizabeth as well.

Amanda: Oh no, she she did, she did a great job and they talk about the pressure they felt to get it right. You know, because it is such, and she personally was such a huge fan of Pride and Prejudice before the movie. But I’m not sure she would have been as good if he had not been such a good partner to work with, if that makes sense. 

Rachel: Yeah, I think we played off each other really well. 

Amanda: Yes, it was just fantastic.

Rachel: So good, so good. I just apparently I’m gonna watch Pride and Prejudice Zombies later. 

Amanda: Yes.

Rachel: I need to know I need to know like.

Amanda: Yes.

Rachel: Probably read the book at some point. 

Amanda: Well, an-it, it’s word for word. I mean they take the same, the same dialogue from Pride and Prejudice put it in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It just, and they just add in fact, that the Bennett daughters are renowned zombie hunters.

Rachel: I need to see it. I hope Lydia can’t be nearly as like airheaded and annoying in that version.

Amanda: I’m making no comment, but watch it and let me know.

Rachel: Okay, I’ll get you like the live tweet.

Amanda: Yes yes. Watch it and let me know.

Rachel: Okay, will do. Alright. Well, thank you so much for joining me on this entire Pride and Prejudice journey in this wonderful movie.

Amanda: It’s my pleasure, absolutely. I love it.

Rachel: Where can all the people find you?

Amanda: You can find me all over the Internet on my website is amandafeedbooks.com. You can find me on Facebook at facebook.com/AmandaFayebooks, my username on Facebook is just author Amanda Faye and I’m, I’m on Amazon all over the place on Amazon, Amanda Faye books.

Rachel: Right, well thank you so much for joining me and that’s all I have for today. I will see you in the next episode, bye.

Amanda: Bye.

(Outro Music)

Rachel: Thank you all so much for joining me on this lovely little adventure of Pride and Prejudice and listening for the first rounds of episodes. I am so happy to have you all here. It’s so exciting, especially cause you know it’s just started and I really hope that everyone is enjoying it. If you really want to help me grow, I would really appreciate you leaving a review for the podcast. It helps other people find us and it just it’s really helpful so I would really appreciate it if you wouldn’t mind taking some time to leave a review. Also, as I previously mentioned, we do have the Barely Book Club that’s available on Discord, and you can find that by going to barelybookish.com/connect or by going in the show notes. That link will be there and then you can go to the discord. I also wanted to let you all know that our next episode will be covering Fahrenheit 451. So if anyone wants to read that before we start discussing it, please do. I don’t want anyone to get any spoilers that they do not want, so please be sure to read that if you are trying to avoid spoilers, or if you’ve already read it and you are ready for me to make some hot takes on it. It’s going to be a lot of fun, so I will catch you on that one, and that’s all I have for you all today. Bye.