MY FAVORITE MOVIE OPEN BOOK BLOG HOP 18
This week on our Open Book Blog Hop we are sharing why we like a favorite movie, no matter whether it's a classic and/or a recent.
I love romantic/drama movies which is why I am almost certain I will think of another movie that comes in a close second to this one after I press send, but Pride and Prejudice is the book, TV drama and movie that comes to mind first when I think of favorites.
I consider a movie great usually when…
I have read and loved the book and cinema has not deviated far from the storyline.
I could not only watch it again any time, I could watch it back to back.
It has a strong heroine that is willing to go against convention and her love interest if need be.
The otherwise emotionally immovable male lead, will do almost anything for her or to get her. Pride and Prejudice covers all of these and a few others.
I was introduced to Pride and Prejudice in high school. I read it slowly and secretly.
Even though I belonged to a group of slightly peculiar youth who majored in dance, acting and/or singing, I didn’t want to take the chance of being judged for my love of books by Jane Austin.
In 1995 there was a TV Mini-Series of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth playing the aloof Mr. Darcy (just writing the name gives me the warm and fuzzies) and Elizabeth Ehle playing the intelligent and dry witted Elizabeth Bennett. I adored all 6 episodes and developed a bit of a crush (along with 1/3 of the American female population) on Colin Firth. Therefore I smiled right alongside them as Bridget Jones Diary, a modern day spinoff of Pride and Prejudice came to theaters.
I figured with a book as thick as Pride and Prejudice it would be less than likely that anyone could do it justice in the standard 2 to 2.5 hours the big screen seems to go by. I was wrong.
The 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice featuring Kiera Knightly as the keen Ms. Elizabeth Bennet and Matthew MacFadyen as the reticent Mr. Darcy was a very pleasant surprise. Though Mr. MacFadyen wasn’t my first pick as an actor to portray Mr. Darcy, he ultimately won me over and I was happy to replay all the dreamy scenes he was in. He had an intensity about him that allowed for smaller signs of symbolism to resonate through the screen. One such scene was after Mr. Darcy helped Ms. Bennet onto her carriage after she came to fetch her sister from Netherton Park, Mr. Bingly’s country home. The flexing and extending of his fingers showed that no matter how hard he tried, he was not unaffected by her. It was the bread crumb every hopeless romantic looked for when trying to ascertain his true feelings.
The actors’ performances and the director’s ability to translate so much inner dialogue
and subtle looks onto the big screen, took this movie over the top for me. What cinched it though was that this adaptation of Pride and Prejudice had my absolute favorite scene, of almost any movie, at its end. (beware: it is the American alternative ending) Who doesn’t love a movie that ends with a beautiful sentence punctuated with kisses? Plus, if I happen to come upon the movie close to its end, I still get to see of my favorite part.
Why don't you join me as I go to P.J. Maclayne's blog. I'm sure her favorite movie is worth reading about. You might even find a new favorite movie for yourself. http://pjmaclayne.blogspot.com
All of this talk of romance makes me long for a great book with equally wonderful romance. I think Wolves' Pawn by P.J. Maclayne is just the ticket. Adventure, love, and a fight to keep that love. Perfect!
If you would like to link your blog to this hop, please click on the link below.
October 28 – November 3, 2015: Share and tell why you like a favorite movie--perhaps a classic and/or a recent?
Rules: 1. Link your blog to this hop. 2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop. 3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants' blogs. 4. Tweet/or share each person's blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting. 5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
