No, no ... the green one!

Remember this scene?

In the 1995 BBC/A&E version of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth, there is a scene where Darcy, while being assisted by his servant, is getting dressed to go see Elizabeth at the Inn in Lambton. The servant is holding up various coats, but Darcy insists, "No, no, the green one." 

We really like that scene in the movie (sorry, couldn't find the exact picture of it anywhere), because Darcy shows he's excited to see Elizabeth, but turns out he gets there just after she has received some bad news from home.

 

Interestingly, he seems to have on the same green coat in an earlier scene when he goes back out to see Elizabeth on the grounds of Pemberley, before she has a chance to leave. He's very keen on looking good then too, and that green coat was the perfect choice. Perhaps it was his favorite color ... or favorite coat!

It was for this reason that I wanted to have him wearing a green coat on the cover of my book, Mr Darcy falls in love. But as you can see, our cover has Darcy wearing a purple coat with blue collar instead. Why not the green one, you ask? Well, as you can see, there is already a great deal of green in the grass and trees. I felt putting a green coat on Mr. Darcy would not make him stand out as he should. Of course, that meant I had to pick another color, and giving it some thought, I settled on purple to convey the idea of his wealth. I realize this is a bit cliche, but it was my second choice.

Therefore, if you are a real P&P aficionado, I hope 'you will acquit me of cruelty' in regard to the cover design of Mr Darcy falls in love for that purple coat, but please do give me some little credit for getting Pemberley in the background!

Here's a first sketch of Mr D in his green coat:

The one we chose for the cover is much better:

Juan scroll art

One of Noe's many skills

You know I love to brag about my Noe...
We got our scroll saw machine working again, so he got to work on doing some pieces we've been wanting to do. We may make these available for purchase for those that are interested.

Of course, this is The Juan, our famous detective!

You can read about him in our book :-)
See the Amazon link on the sidebar →

This is just the very beginning of this piece.
It hasn't been sanded or stained or anything.
Each piece of wood has its own character.
The line in the middle is just a part of this particular wood, and we'll see how it looks as Noe does the color staining later. Just thought I'd post the process as he goes along.

  

Let us know what you think!

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Pride and Prejudice movie characters, part 4

Continuing our discussion of the other characters

Uncle and Aunt Gardiner

The Gardiners, like Georgiana, are an integral part of the Pride and Prejudice story. Just consider: Lizzy is traveling with them on their Northern tour for three weeks, which leads to her and Darcy being thrown together again while they are visiting Pemberley. Later on, it is Aunt Gardiner who gives Lizzy the full account of Darcy’s involvement in finding Lydia and Wickham, which, as we know, moves her to thank Darcy for what he did for her sister, which then leads him to propose again! It is a pity that more of the movie adaptations don’t allow for these two characters from the book to have more screen time.

But when I think of Uncle and Aunt Gardiner in the P&P movies, only one couple comes to mind, and that is Tim Wylton and Joanna David from the 1995 BBC version. For one thing, Tim looks like an uncle -- friendly face and manners. Then Joanna is “hip enough” (if it is alright to use that word for something that takes place in the 1800s). Her facial expressions often tell you what she's thinking. You can clearly see why he and she would be the favorite relatives of the Bennet girls.

I love the scene with Mr. Gardiner and Darcy talking about who pays to have Wickham marry Lydia. This is a very short scene, but it is so striking to see a matter of such importance being settled by two gentlemen, with a handshake that is coupled with trust and respect. To me, it highlights how vastly superior Uncle Gardiner is to his sister, Mrs. Bennet, which is why Elizabeth is glad that Darcy gets to meet him on their visit to Pemberley. Though the other actors do a creditable job with the part (that is to say, in the other versions that have them make it on the screen), hands down there is no other Uncle and Aunt Gardiner for me.

Kids and summer reading

Parents really love it when their kids enjoy reading -- but it’s a pretty big job sometimes, for both parents and their children, to get them headed in that direction. Lots of stuff has been written on the subject of how to get your kids to like to read; there’s a few good sites you might like to take a look at with the links below.

But here’s a question we’d like to ask: do you wish there was a book for your young reader that wasn’t about witches, swords, or zombies? Or how about a book your kid could read that was just enjoyable, that wasn’t trying to teach them how to cope with death, or mom and dad’s divorce, or some other such tragedy that is all too common in today’s world?

Obviously, Cindy and I see nothing wrong with a book teaching our children how to cope with things that are beyond their control, but certainly reading can -- and should -- be something that, at least sometimes, is just done for fun.

We believe our Sarah’s World ebooks would be a wonderful addition to your child’s library, because that’s their aim: just let kids enjoy reading about kids and things kids do. The first three stories are short and can be your introduction to Sarah. The fourth book, The summer to remember, includes not only those three, but three more chapters of Sarah’s life that summer. We have lots of interactive links in the books that we know your child (and you!) will enjoy ... summer is coming, and we hope you and your children have a happy one that you’ll remember in the years to come too.

How to get your kid to be a fanatic reader
Reading Rockets: Reading Tips for Parents
Scholastic: Books Parents Loved as Kids
PBS Kids: Reading and Language

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Pride and Prejudice movie characters, part 3

The other characters
Georgiana Darcy

We’re beginning the discussion of more well-known characters of the Pride and Prejudice movies now, beginning with Mr. Darcy’s younger sister Georgiana. Though she is an important part of the story, not all movie versions have her make an appearance, but she is at least mentioned in every adaptation. Georgiana is essential to the story, because it is by learning about her that George Wickham’s truly despicable nature is established. On the grounds that he tries to take advantage of Georgiana when she is only 15, we see a much more deviant individual in the person of Wickham. Without this, he would just be someone who lied about what really happened between Darcy and himself. Certainly, slander is a terrible thing, but some might be tempted to minimize - if not sympathize - with him on losing a valuable living when he was young and foolish, so the story is incomplete without learning about Georgiana.

Jane Austen describes Miss Darcy as being shy and nervously worried about entering into her position of being the lady of the house, and thereby, hostess for gatherings and whatever other such things take place. That is the height of what a lady could reach for in that century; no wonder the prospect is a bit intimidating for someone as bashful as she is described to be. It might even be worth mentioning here that shyness is probably at the root of her elder brother’s clumsiness in the social arena as well.

But now to the problem of choosing my favorite Georgiana from the movies we’ve been discussing... I say problem, because most versions give her very little to say and do when she does appear! For instance, the Bollywood adaptation Bride and Prejudice, which has Alexis Bledel playing the part, has Georgie do and say more than most of the others. She even informs Lalita (Lizzy) about Darcy’s part in saving Balraj (Bingley) from a most imprudent marriage, which in the book is done by Colonel Fitzwilliam, who is completely cut out of this film. Though Alexis is a capable actor, she really blows it here, for she seems fake and looks as if she is only reading her lines. So even though we see a little more of this character here, the acting is so poor I cannot imagine she is anyone’s favorite Georgiana.

In the 1995 BBC/A&E version, the part is played by Emilia Fox, who interestingly is the real-life daughter of the woman playing Aunt Gardiner in this version. She seems “tolerable enough” in the role, but is pretty stiff and halting in her lines, probably because that’s the way the director imagined a shy girl would be.

Personally, Tamzin Merchant in the 2005 P&P is my favorite, even though her scenes on screen are of short duration. What I like about this young lady’s portrayal is that it shows Darcy and his sister as being close, which is what you would hope would be the case with the last two surviving members of a family, and has the added advantage of giving us a little more insight into both their characters. Also, I love the way she expresses genuine excitement at meeting Elizabeth, the girl her older brother had told her so much about, and whom she hoped might someday be her sister.

 

In our book, Mr Darcy falls in love, you will read more of the relationship between Darcy and his sister. Sales continue steadily but we have as yet received a review, which we've noticed is the same case with other books; not sure why everyone is so shy about leaving book reviews... but we are looking forward to hearing people's thoughts on our book.

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Pride and Prejudice movie characters, part 2

Continuing with the Lesser Characters

Two persons that come to mind when we think of lesser characters in the Pride and Prejudice movies we’ve been discussing here on our blog are Sir William Lucas and his daughter Maria, who both add a very nice touch in their own ways.

Sir William is found in most of the adaptations, with varying degrees of exposure in each. Of course, because he is a minor character in the story, most versions give him very little to do. Not so with my favorite: I would say hands down, without any doubt, the best portrayal of this man is by Christopher Benjamin in the 1995 BBC/A&E version. He exhibits that sense of carefree, innocent pride of someone who has been elevated to the knighthood and now feels compelled to spread goodwill throughout the kingdom, as if that were his commission from the monarch. Thankfully the director/producer (or whoever’s job this is) picked the perfect actor for the part.

Having Sir William and Maria present when Elizabeth visits the Collins’ parsonage creates some very fine scenes. One particular spot that comes to mind is when they’re being talked at by Lady Catherine, and as Elizabeth speaks up with a differing opinion and turns to ask Sir William if he would agree with her, he is truly shaken and looks dumbfounded as to what to reply! Priceless expression, to say the least.

With regard to Maria Lucas (who by the way, is sometimes called “muh ree uh” and other times “muh rye uh” - it seems it could be either way in Jane Austen’s time; you can go here to learn here about the Great Vowel Shift)... now where was I? Oh yes, Maria Lucas -- she is Charlotte Collins’ younger sister, and appears in only one version, the very one mentioned above, played by Lucy Davis. Even though we have no other version to compare her performance with, Lucy is excellent at playing the part of a young silly girl. She displays a childish nervousness at meeting Lady Catherine, and later a comical fear of displeasing her even when the great lady is nowhere nearby. Oh yes, don't forget her fabulous spinning around when calling Elizabeth to come see “such a sight” -- and no, it is not that the pigs have gotten into the garden!

Sir William and Maria with Elizabeth at Rosings

Maria... that face!

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MR DARCY falls in love -- book release

Quietly, so as not to call a lot of attention to himself, Mr. Darcy walked into Amazon Kindle ebook room last Sunday, March 17. Of course, someone of that great stature can’t really go unnoticed, and sure enough, many people grabbed ahold of him right away...

It is with great PRIDE, and not just a little PREJUDICE, that during this 200th anniversary
of Jane Austen's most loved book, I announce the release of a companion book:

Noe’s novel, Mr Darcy falls in love.

We look forward to hearing any thoughts you have on our book, and hope all of you readers will take a moment to rate and review the book there on Amazon. We do plan to get it in print format and make it available on more venues, but that’s where he sits right now.

In going over the book ourselves, I must say as editor, I’m a bit put out at myself, because I already found some mistakes I should have seen... mostly punctuation, one misspelled word so far, but regrettably, also one incorrect statement that I’m sure was my fault, not Noe’s. Let me know if you catch that.

I do plan to correct those errors in a future upload, but maybe all of you who have purchased this first edition should keep that copy, since once it becomes super famous, it just may be worth a lot !! LOL

Thank you for reading what noeandcindy.write !

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Pride and Prejudice movie characters, part 1

The Lesser Characters

As we take a closer look at the movies of Pride and Prejudice and begin our discussion of the characters, let’s start with Mary and Kitty Bennet. They are the middle girls, for the line-up is: Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty (aka Catherine), and Lydia.

Mary is described in the book as “being the only plain one in the family”, having “neither genius nor taste, and though vanity had given her application, it had given her likewise a pedantic air and conceited manner” -- chapter six. She is an accomplished pianist, the one who usually plays for the small family get-togethers, but at Bingley’s Netherfield ball, when Mary tries to sing for the crowd, her “powers were by no means fitted for such a display; her voice was weak, and her manner affected” -- chapter eighteen. But it is also Mary who explains this to us: “Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.” -- chapter five.

We are given even less information about Kitty, other than that she follows Lydia in whatever she does, even though Kitty is two years older. Most middle children will testify to being easily overlooked, and since with P&P we have proof of that happening for centuries, the habit is probably too entrenched now for it ever to change! One might wonder if Jane Austen purposely had the two middle children be obscure, or was it nature at work, beyond her control.

Therefore, naming a favorite Kitty is just about pointless since there is so little about her, except her ‘timing her coughs ill’ and that she received some information from Lydia when she was away at Brighton. Most of the movies honor this ‘let’s overlook the middle child’ and Kitty is almost a non-entity, so I will say the Kitty (played by comparatively young Polly Lucinda Maberly) in the 1995 BBC version is my favorite, because we at least see more of her in it than in the others. The P&P version with Elizabeth Garvie may also give more air time to her, but the girl that comes to mind readily when I think of Kitty is this one.

Mary, on the other hand, has more of a character to be developed and scenes to be in. Even though the portrayal in the version with Colin Firth is perhaps more like what the book describes, I like the Mary (played by Marsha Hunt) in the 1940 version with Greer Garson & Laurence Olivier, and the one (played by Tessa Peake-Jones) in the 1980 BBC version with Elizabeth Garvie. Playing the part less seriously and more lighthearted seems to be a better fit in the transition from page to screen. As an example, I would cite the scene in the 1940 version when at Netherfield she is playing the piano and singing off-key. You still feel the same sense of embarrassment in that older version, but it just comes across better than the more serious portrayal of the 1995 one.  And besides, though she is plain, in both of these there is still a hint of that Bennet beauty, which seems only natural.  

One other minor character worth mentioning:

Mrs. Reynolds, Darcy’s ‘respectable-looking elderly housekeeper’ is mentioned in chapter 43 of P&P; Elizabeth meets her when she and the Gardiners go to see Pemberley. This is the only time she’s talked about, but it’s an important minor role, for Mrs. Reynolds is the one who tells us about young Darcy: “I have never had a cross word from him in my life, and I have known him ever since he was four years old.” This part is played beautifully by Bridget Turner, who by the way, is almost impossible to find anything about with regard to this part on the internet!! We could not even find a separate photo of her, as you can see below. We had to pull out our DVD to even find her name... she is not included in the IMDb character list of this version of Pride and Prejudice, but who knows why? She does a super job playing this housekeeper and we just had to include her here.

Pics of Mary Bennet: 1940, 1980, 1995, 2005

Pics of Kitty Bennet: 1940, 1980, 1995, 2005








Mrs. Reynolds, second from the left: 1995 version

Pride and Prejudice movies, part 8

Pride and Prejudice, a Latter-day Comedy 2003

Just want to briefly mention this independent film adaptation, with the college student Elizabeth Bennet as an aspiring writer who is in constant disagreement with a haughty businessman named Darcy. Rather than having sisters, she has housemates, and some familiar references are Longbourne Avenue, Rosings Restaurant, as well as other P&P characters.

I think they would have been better served had they named it something else and simply described it as being loosely based on Pride and Prejudice. That would have gone a long way in deflating any anticipation of actually seeing something more closely related to the book. 

It's not a bad version, if you just look at it as a B-movie that uses P&P as a bit of a story line. If they had followed the example of the movie Clueless, which is based on Jane Austen’s Emma, the alterations to the characters and story would have been better tolerated.

 

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Pride and Prejudice movies, part 7

Bride and Prejudice, 2004

No, that's not a typo... we're talking about Bride and Prejudice. For those of you who are fans of good music, you won’t want to miss this Bollywood version of Pride and Prejudice, with Aishwarya Rai and Martin Henderson in the leading roles. If you don’t get up and dance at least once during this movie, someone has removed your music bone -- or is it the rhythm bone? Well, whichever it is, this is a fun movie to watch and compare with the beloved P&P.

It is set in modern times, with the Bennet family replaced as the Bakshi family in India. This, of course, means the names of several characters involved in the story have likewise changed: Elizabeth is Lalita Bakshi, Jane is Jaya Bakshi, and Mary is Maya, Lydia is Lakhi and there’s no Kitty in this one. Mr. Bingley is now Balraj, Caroline is Kiran, Mr. Collins is Mr. Kohli, Charlotte is Chandra... and what do we call Mr.Darcy? Why, Mr. Darcy, of course!

Lalita is every bit the witty Miss Lizzy Bennet, and William Darcy is an American hotel tycoon, if that word is still used for rich guys. Why make Darcy an American is a bit of a puzzle, unless they wanted to give the film a real international flair, which was also accomplished by having the movie shot on location in India, England, and the United States.

Aside from the music, which in my opinion is the best part, the transformation in the setting works well. And all the actors are perfect for their roles, with beautiful girls and handsome guys. They’ve done an excellent job modernizing the story too, making it one that P&P enthusiasts will want to own so they can watch it often.

Watch the clip, but note: This trailer has the song “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing”, which is not in the movie, and also says “featuring music by Ashanti”, but there’s only one song and dance scene with her in it.... we aren’t fond of that particular scene, but some will be.

More links:
IMDb page
Bollywood's Pride & Prejudice Extravaganza!

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