So, apart from Laurence Olivier, David Rintoul, Colin Firth and Matthew MacFadyen, who makes the best Darcy? It’s a bit of a wooden spoon contest of course, but nevertheless enough to occupy my little mind, and hopefully the larger minds of our dear readers. I’m talking about the Darcys of Bride and Prejudice, Pride and Prejudice: A Latter Day Comedy, Lost in Austen, and Bridget Jones Diary. I’m not sure that Mark Darcy from Bridget Jones really counts as a Darcy, but he made the list after Colin Firth called me last night and begged to be included. Wait! That was probably a dream…

Judging a Darcy is like judging a fruit cake. He has to be easy on the eye, crusty on the outside, soft in the middle, extraordinarily rich, and not particularly fond of dancing. OK, the simile doesn’t quite stretch but you get the idea.

Here are the nominations:

William Darcy from Bride and Prejudice (2003) – Martin Henderson

Bio: An American hotelier who arrives in India harboring stereotypes of the local culture, akin to Jane Austen’s Darcy’s preconceptions about life outside elite society.
Positives: Classic Hollywood good looks.
Negatives: Perhaps a little too “new-money” for Darcy. The real Darcy wasn’t merely wealthy, of course, and as a gentleman wasn’t one for holding down a job either, whereas this chap is never off his laptop.

Will Darcy from Pride and Prejudice: A Latter Day Comedy (2003) – Orlando Seal

Bio: A British publisher who receives a manuscript from a certain Elizabeth Bennet, he is initially contemptuous of Miss Bennet’s social circle, before inevitably love begins to blossom.
Positives: His Englishness definitely helps him to appear arrogant and superior at the beginning (I can say this, I’m English. Americans, please don’t leave comments agreeing with me!”)
Negatives: He featured in an episode of the comedy series ‘The IT Crowd,’ in which his name was Peter File. See the YouTube clip below. It’s just impossible to take him seriously after this. In Pride and Prejudice; A Latter Day Comedy, he also has the misfortune to be in a pretty bad film, which doesn’t help matters.

Mark Darcy from Bridget Jones Diary (2001) – Colin Firth

Bio: Mark Darcy is a stuffy, yet bizarrely well-connected human rights lawyer, who bumps into Bridget at a new year party and eventually becomes a rival of Daniel Cleaver, Bridget’s boss, for her affections.
Positives: He has a natural advantage of course, being for many people the “real” Darcy due to his fabulous performance in the BBC’s 1995 series. His turn in Bridget Jones, in which his head appears to be a perfectly good shape (regardless of Miss Amanda Price’s allegations) is very different of course, but still very Darcy.
Negatives: He is, of course, as socially awkward as Jane Austen’s Fitzwilliam Darcy but lacks the sheltered, aristocratic upbringing in comparison with Bridget. In fact, everyone in the movie is more or less equally posh.

Fitzwilliam Darcy in Lost in Austen (2008) – Elliot Cowan

Bio: Cowan plays the ‘real’ Darcy from the book, of course, but his life is knocked off course by the arrival of Miss Amanda Price from modern-day London. Amanda seeks to bring Elizabeth and Darcy together, yet slowly the two become drawn to one another instead.
Positives: Cowan is suitably tall, handsome and yet superficially ‘toxic,’ then turns on the charm rather delightfully as the series progresses.
Negatives: Perhaps a little angrier and pricklier than Darcy as portrayed in the book and the major adaptations. Not just cold or insensitive at the beginning, this Darcy is baldly unpleasant.

My Two Cents

My winner has to be Elliot Cowan from Lost in Austen. He takes Darcy to the extremes of insufferability and affability, and somehow binds it all together into one consistent character. He is handsome, of course, but not in a pretty-boy way, and has great chemistry with Miss Amanda Price.

What do you think? Aside from the Darcys of the major, straight adaptations, who is the best of the rest?

Here are My Pride and Prejudice’s all time top 10 pictures of the ‘illiberal’ minded, nerve suffering but hilarious Mrs Bennet. In no particular order and from all the major screen and TV adaptations we have Brenda Blethyn (2005), Alison Steadman (1995), Priscilla Morgan (1980), Mary Boland (1940) and Alex Kingston (lost in Austen).

‘Mr Darcy, Vampyre’ is a sequel to Pride and Prejudice with a twist (can you guess what it is?) Amanda Grange’s book begins at the end of Jane Austen’s novel, first thing in the morning of the day of Elizabeth’s wedding to Mr Darcy – and of course, Jane’s to Mr Bingley. However, before the day is out our heroes have left Meryton for Dover on the English south coast. Slipped into Lizzy and Darcy’s wedding messages was a shocking piece of news, which leads the gentleman to insist they leave for France immediately on an impromptu honeymoon tour of Europe.

On their travels, Elizabeth begins to wonder why her new husband hasn’t visited her in her bedchamber. She starts to fear the worst; perhaps he is regretting having married her. Eventually we learn the real reason behind his reluctance to… ahem… visit her. Unsurprisingly, it turns out to be something rather more sinister. Again, can you guess what it is?

‘Mr Darcy Vampyre’ is a fun read, with lots of romance, atmospheric prose and pulse-raising scenes. Not many Pride and Prejudice characters are included in the novel, with only Elizabeth and Darcy followed throughout, and the strongest supporting role given to Lady Catherine de Bourgh. However, Elizabeth and Darcy’s characters are written with love and careful attention. Elizabeth is as delightful as can be expected, given the terrible journey on which she is taken, and Darcy is as complicated as ever – perhaps more so, given the addition of the whole man-beast problem.

The sensual prose immediately – and I do mean from the first page – sets it apart stylistically from Jane Austen’s novel. There is more detail in Amanda Grange’s description of the view from Elizabeth’s window than Jane Austen gives of Pemberley, Rosings and the Peak district all together. The plot is also very linear in comparison with the complex, interweaving storylines of Pride and Prejudice. Letters are used, and do become important later in the book, but they generally serve just to recap what we have already learned, rather than to shove the story along. Furthermore, as you’d expect from any book with ‘vampyre’ in the title, it’s generally a lot darker, more emotionally direct and more hot-blooded than the ‘light and bright and sparkling’ Regency novel.

These aren’t really criticisms, however, but readers who love Jane Austen for the language, the light, ironic touch and the labyrinthine plot might not find much to enjoy here. However, if you are interested primarily in the two main characters and you don’t mind a little absurdity, then you should find ‘Mr Darcy, Vampyre’ perfectly agreeable. True Austen experts might enjoy the book as an homage to the Gothic novels that Jane Austen herself loved, but I’m not sure that casual Austen fans and lovers of general horror will find their bloodthirst quenched. It’s not particularly gory and it’s not until the final third of the book that it’s completely clear what’s going on (unless you had the foresight to read the novel’s title, that is!) so there are sure to be plenty more horrible horrors available, but for a light-hearted play on Pride and Prejudice, this is a pleasantly distracting read.

From the baffling through the bizarre to the beautiful, YouTube’s collection of Pride and Prejudice fan videos has it all. Here are some of the quirkiest and most agreeable that we have found. There are plenty more to enjoy, so please feel free to add links to your favorites below.

A 1980 adaptation fan video set to Chopin

This romantic video makes the 1980 version look quite cinematic, with lots of lingering looks, smiles and of course stiff upper-lips from David Rintoul.

Pride & Prejudice – Harry Potter Style

A very cleverly edited Pride and Prejudice trailer using video footage of Harry Potter.

Pride and Prejudice – She’s Like The Wind

We have featured this video already on this site, but in view of Patrick Swayze’s tragic passing it seems right to remember once again at his most awesome. Here is Pride and Prejudice 2005 set to Swayze’s ‘She’s Like the Wind’ from Dirty Dancing.

Pride and Prejudice Trailer Spoof

I don’t want to write too much about this for fear of spoiling the quite horrible surprise! This is my personal favorite…

Lost In Austen- Amanda & Darcy- She’s A Lady

So Miss Amanda Price of Hammersmith might have had Jane Austen spinning in her grave ‘like a cat in a tumble-dryer,’ but she still won the heart of Mr Darcy in Lost in Austen with her radical manners and quirky modern ways. Here is Lost in Austen set to Tom Jones’ ‘She’s a Lady.’

So there we have it. Delightfully absurd and quite absurdly delightful. Once again, please let us know about your favorites too. Also, please don’t forget to check out Mitchell and Webb’s Disco Darcy sketch, entirely unrivaled in its ridiculousnesses, for a guaranteed giggle.

This is our final feature on the endings of the major TV adaptations and Pride and Prejudice movies, with transcripts of the final scenes.

Click here for the BBC 1980 version.
Click here for the BBC 1995 dramatization.
Click here for the 2005 movie.

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The 1940 movie departs from the novel to such a degree, particularly during the final ten minutes, that there’s not much sense in comparing it with the other versions, but for this very reason there’s still plenty to discuss.

We join the movie just as Lady Catherine de Bourgh has visited Elizabeth, acting bizarrely as Mr Darcy’s ‘ambassador,’ to learn for herself if Elizabeth’s love for him is uninfluenced by his tremendous fortune. Lady Catherine has decided that Lizzy is right for him after all, and Darcy is enthused and emboldened by the news. Outside Longbourn, Lady Catherine leaves in her carriage, instructing Mr Darcy to enter the house.

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INT. LONGBOURN – DAY

Darcy enters Longbourn and is met by Mrs Bennet.

DARCY:
How do you do, Mrs Bennet?

MRS BENNET:
Well, this is an honor! First Lady Catherine and now you.

DARCY:
I was travelling with my aunt and I thought I would give myself the pleasure…

ELIZABETH (OFF SCREEN):
Jane!

Elizabeth enters the hall.

ELIZABETH:
Mama, I can’t find Jane anywhere. (Noticing Mr Darcy) Oh!

Mr Darcy bows and walks to her.

DARCY:
How do you do, Miss Elizabeth?

ELIZABETH:
How do you do?

MRS BENNET:
(Interrupting) Jane is somewhere in the garden, I believe.

DARCY:
Oh, Miss Jane. I have a message for her from the Bingleys. (Gesturing to go outside) Should we… should we… see if we could… find her…

ELIZABETH:
Why yes, let’s do that.

DARCY:
(To Mrs Bennet) Would you excuse us?

MRS BENNET:
Very gladly, Mr Darcy.

LONGBOURN GARDEN. INT – DAY

Elizabeth is walking ahead of Mr Darcy. He calls to her.

DARCY:
Miss Bennet. I have a confession to make. I didn’t tell the exact truth, I’m afraid, about the message from the Bingleys.

ELIZABETH:
You mean they didn’t send one?

DARCY:
They didn’t send one for the good reason that Charles Bingley had every intention of bringing it himself.

ELIZABETH:
Himself?

DARCY:
Yes, he came back to Netherfield last night. I was rather expecting to see him here this afternoon.

Darcy looks around and spots Jane in the garden. She is seated as Mr Bingley walks to her. Mr Bingley kisses Jane’s hands. Elizabeth and Darcy watch.

ELIZABETH:
Oh, Mr Darcy, this is your doing.

DARCY:
Shall I tell you who is really responsible for your sister’s happiness? Caroline Bingley?

They walk to a bench.

ELIZABETH:
Miss Bingley?

They sit together.

DARCY:
She sent her brother back by dwelling on all the reasons she should stay away. I only approved a decision that he’d already taken on his own account.

ELIZABETH:
Mr Darcy, there’s something else… I hardly know how to put it into words. What you did for Lydia…

DARCY:
I, but I assure you I did nothing Miss Bennet.

ELIZABETH:
Lady Catherine was not of that opinion.

DARCY:
What? But I never gave her leave to tell you that.

ELIZABETH:
Gave her leave? Do you have to say that Lady Catherine…

DARCY:
I… wanted to know if I would be welcome. She came as my ambassador.

ELIZABETH:
Your ambassador? I never imagined that that was the language of diplomacy.

DARCY:
(Laughs) You know she likes you in spite of the language.

ELIZABETH:
Me?

DARCY:
She really does.

ELIZABETH:
I wish I’d known it. I wouldn’t have been so rude.

DARCY:
But that was what she liked. People flatter her so much, she enjoys an occasional change.

ELIZABETH:
I’m afraid I gave her a good change this afternoon!

DARCY:
She went away delighted. You only confirmed the good opinion she formed of you at Rosings.

ELIZABETH:
I don’t know what to say or think, except that you must allow me to thank you for what you did for Lydia, and if the thanks were known to the rest of my family I should not merely have my own gratitude to express.

DARCY:
If you must thank me, let it be for yourself alone. Whatever I did, I thought only of you.

ELIZABETH:
Oh, Mr Darcy, when I think of how I misjudged you, the horrible things I said, I am so ashamed.

DARCY:
Oh no, it is I who should be ashamed -of my arrogance, my stupid pride, of all except one thing: I am not ashamed of having loved you. Elizabeth, dare I ask you again. Elizabeth, dear beautiful Lizzy…

They kiss.

Mrs Bennet is peering out of the window. Mr Bennet is in the background.

MRS BENNET:
Lord, bless my soul! Mr Bennet, Mr Bennet!

Mr Bennet comes to the window.

MR BENNET:
Miracles will never cease, Mrs Bennet.

MRS BENNET:
Mr Darcy! Who would have believed it? Oh, my sweetest, sweetest Lizzy. What pin money she will have, what jewels, what carriages. Jane’s is nothing to hers, absolutely nothing. Oh, and such a charming man. I do hope he’ll overlooked my having disliked him so much. Oh, dear, dear Mr Darcy, a house in town, ten thousand pounds a year. Of course, poor Jane will only have five. Oh, I wonder if there’s any dish he’s particularly fond of. I’ll go and…

As Mr and Mrs Bennet reach the door, they hear music. Mary is singing.

INT. LONGBOURN DRAWING ROOM – DAY.

Mary is singing and playing the piano, accompanied by a gentleman on the flute. Next to them are Kitty and another gentleman, who stroll through the doors together into the garden.

The eyes of Mary and the flutist meet.

MRS BENNET:
Mr Bennet! Mr Bennet!

MR BENNET:
Well, perhaps it’s lucky we didn’t drown any of them at birth, my dear.

MRS BENNET:
Mr Bennet, you must find out what money they have. Colonel Foster can tell you all about Mr Denny, and Sir William knows all about Mr Witherington. You must go at once, Mr Bennet, this very afternoon. Ah! Three of them married, and the other two just tottering on the brink.

Mrs Bennet closes the door.

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So, there we have it. It doesn’t look so much on the page, so don’t forget you can watch the whole movie on our site for free. The highlights for me are (in no particular order):

1. 1. Lizzy and Darcy’s kiss on the bench. Despite his sweet, genteel manner and soft voice, Olivier’s kiss almost takes poor Greer Garson’s head off! It’s a proper man’s kiss from the 1940s, when men were men and men… erm… couldn’t really kiss properly.
2. 2. The wonderful wartime humor, for example Lizzy’s joke about the language of diplomacy, delivered as if for a live music hall audience.
3. 3. The moment in which Darcy ‘notices’ Jane and Mr Bingley. They are in plain view, only a few meters away when he spots them.

What do you think about this ending? It’s surely the least faithful of the major adaptations (unless you want to count Lost in Austen!) but definitely also one of the most fun. It’s a shame that some of the nicest phrases and lines from the novel haven’t been included, or have been altered for the worse, and that some charming scenes are missing, but it’s still a great movie in itself.

Please let me know your thoughts!

Here are My Pride and Prejudice’s all time top 10 pictures of the ‘handsome’, ‘affable’ and infinitley ‘agreeable’ Mr Bingley. In no particular order and from all the major screen and TV adaptations we have Simon Woods (2005), Crispin Bonham-Carter (1995), Osmund Bullock (1980), Bruce Lester (1940) and Tom Mison (lost in Austen).