“Pride and Prejudice “ TV Series (1995), or Mr. Darcy through Female Eyes

Title: “Pride and Prejudice” (TV Series)

Release Date: 1995

Cast: Colin Firth, Jennifer Ehle, Adrian Lukis, Alison Steadman, Susannah Harker

The 1995 British miniseries „Pride and Prejudice” is one of the best adaptations of Jane Austen’s prose. The English writer’s novel, read in a completely different era than the one in which it was written, revealed a truly feminine perspective on the world on screen. For although female characters are at the center of the story, their gaze is directed at men. The BBC series therefore leaves us with the memory of the extremely handsome and interesting Mr. Darcy. It is this character (phenomenally played by Colin Firth) who becomes the main object of observation and admiration. This time, it is the woman who is the “ruler of the gaze,” and the man is its grateful target.

„Pride and Prejudice” 1995 – BBC series

Jane Austen’s novel “Pride and Prejudice”, published in 1813, has been adapted for the screen many times. One of the most famous and successful adaptations was the six-part BBC series from 1995. The screenplay was written by Andrew Davies and directed by Simon Langton. The movie is quite faithful to the plot of the novel. One day, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, small landowners, learn that a wealthy bachelor, Mr. Charles Bingley (Crispin Bonham-Carter), has moved into the neighboring estate of Netherfield Park. Mrs. Bennet, the mother of five marriageable daughters, is pleasantly excited by this news and hopes that one of her daughters will attract the man’s interest. Soon, a ball is held for the local estates, where Bingley indeed notices the eldest Bennet daughter, Jane.

Meanwhile, Charles’s friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy, shows contempt for the slightly younger Miss Bennet, Lizzy (Jennifer Ehle), at the same party. When asked to dance with her, he declares that she is not pretty enough to tempt him. Soon, the two have an opportunity to get to know each other better, as Jane (Susannah Harker), invited to dinner by Bingley’s sisters, falls seriously ill, and Elizabeth comes to Netherfield Park to take care of her. Soon, however, to everyone’s surprise, Mr. Bingley leaves and the expected engagement does not take place. Later, Lizzy and Darcy meet again at his aunt’s, Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

Miss Bennet arrives to visit her friend Charlotte Lucas (Lucy Scott), who has married the Reverend Collins (David Bamber), whom Elizabeth rejected, who has a prebend in the aristocrat’s county. Mr. Darcy then proposes to Lizzy, but she, shocked by his ambitious pride and the bachelor’s bluntly negative opinion of her family, rejects Fitzwilliam’s proposal. However, further events fundamentally change the attitudes of both characters, who realize their mistakes. Mr. Darcy’s invaluable help in resolving the delicate matter of the Bennet’s youngest daughter’s elopement with a certain George Wickham (Adrian Lukis) completely wins Lizzy over to this man. The series, like the novel, ends with a happy double wedding: Elizabeth to Darcy and Jane to Bingley.

“Pride and Prejudice” (1995) – men through the eyes of women

In her interesting analysis of the series “Pride and Prejudice”, Aleksandra Niemczyńska very aptly noted that we are dealing here with a reversal of the traditional film perspective, according to which a woman is the object and not the subject of observation. For a very long time, the camera’s eye was a male eye, interpreting the world (and, of course, women) from its subjective perspective. Meanwhile, in the series based on Jane Austen’s prose, the opposite is true: the very first scene of the film shows Lizzy watching two characters galloping on horseback: Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley. And it is this female perspective that will dominate the entire story.

Adopting this point of view, which is in line with Austen’s novel, has its consequences. The focus is on a man, primarily Mr. Darcy. “Pride and Prejudice” becomes a story about his spectacular transformation under the influence of his love for a proud and intelligent young lady. Mr. Darcy, brilliantly portrayed by Colin Firth, functions here as an icon of masculinity that women desire. Much attention is paid to his physical attractiveness, which is a typically contemporary feature, because in Jane Austen’s time, the most important male attribute was money, not beauty. Especially during his transformation, Darcy is portrayed in a sensual way that emphasizes his physical attributes. We see a man bathing (usually such scenes were reserved for female characters), and at other times we observe Darcy, torn by passion, practicing fencing in an unbuttoned shirt, covered in sweat. In one of the key and symbolic shots, Darcy, almost naked, jumps into a pond to cool down the emotions aroused by the memory of Lizzy, which emphasizes his erotic desires and vital strength.

Colin Firth in Pride and Prejudice

The emphasis on the man’s physical attractiveness is complemented by another technique – the method of portraying the female protagonist. In this case, it is not beauty that is her greatest asset, but her sharp mind, wit, and her own convictions. Darcy notices Lizzy not because of her physical beauty (or not only because of it), but begins to take an interest in her when he starts to notice her independence in her behavior and opinions. Here, we see a woman not as a man’s ornament, but as his equal partner.

“Pride and Prejudice” (1995) – women through the eyes of women

Interestingly, the world of women – as seen through the eyes of women – does not come across as friendly in the series “Pride and Prejudice”. On the contrary, apart from the sincere sisterly bond between Lizzy and Jane and Elizabeth’s friendship with Charlotte, the relationships between the representatives of the fair sex are difficult and often based on rivalry. This is even the case in the Bennet family – Mrs. Bennet (Alison Steadman) is a shallow, almost simple-minded person portrayed with irony, who does not inspire any positive feelings. The figure of the mother in Jane Austen’s writing was usually treated harshly, which was related to the author’s personal relationship with her own mother.

The father (Benjamin Whitrow), on the other hand, is completely different – he sincerely loves his whole family and his favorite daughter Lizzy. The characters of the other Bennet sisters are equally pitiful: the know-it-all Mary (Lucy Briers), the silly Kitty (Polly Maberly), and the cunning Lydia (Julia Sawalha). The essence of the cold family relationships is captured in a scene in which Lydia, now married, visits her parents’ home with her husband and rudely points out to the eldest sister, Jane, that she deserves the place of honor after her mother because she is now married.

The other women in “Pride and Prejudice” expose the hypocrisy of 18th-century English social conventions. Lady Catherine (Barbara Leigh-Hunt), who wants to marry her daughter to Mr. Darcy, is the embodiment of an unpleasant character devoid of deeper feelings. The Bingley sisters are portrayed as insolent schemers, and Mrs. Bennet’s neighbors and acquaintances are gossips who rejoice in the misfortune of others and lie in wait for any scandals. It is therefore difficult to find anything resembling female solidarity; instead, the world of women appears to be a space of brutal salon battles for position and the preservation of good reputation.

It is worth noting the ingenious method used by the creators of the series to reflect the deep irony that permeates Jane Austen’s prose. Among other things, it involves the thoughtful arrangement of individual frames. For example, in the scene where Mr. Collins clumsily proposes to Lizzy, there is a painting of a romantic couple on the wall, and when Mr. Bingley’s sister criticizes Miss Bennett’s bad manners, we see her husband snoring on the couch in the background of the salon. The elements of the spatial arrangement thus “comment” on the ironic nature of a given shot and introduce a considerable dose of distance.

“Pride and Prejudice” (1995) – a story of great transformation

The BBC series “Pride and Prejudice”, like the novel on which it is based, remains above all a story of a great transformation brought about by love. The title character traits can be attributed to both Lizzy and Darcy. However, thanks to the authentic bond between the characters, they turn out to be only appearances masking the true nature of both. Discovering the truth about the Other (and about oneself) is a process inextricably linked to metamorphosis. The most spectacular change is undergone by Mr. Darcy – a selfish, spoiled, wealthy bachelor who learns how to be a man who is not ashamed of his sensitivity and is able to show it to others.

The final wedding scene is the crowning proof of this transformation: for the first time, we see Darcy with a sincere, genuine smile. It is an expression of his happiness and acceptance of the imperfections of the world, which previously caused him constant irritation. And, of course, in the final scene of the BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning series, there had to be the long-awaited kiss – a symbol of romantic, fulfilled love.