It is a well-known, if not widely-discussed, fact that fans of Jane Austen in general and Pride and Prejudice in particular fall into two loose groups: those who study them from a scholarly perspective and those who read the books (and often watch the films made from them) purely for pleasure. This is, of course, an overgeneralization; there is a large middle ground that the vast majority of Janeites occupy, but one cannot deny that the scholarly group has produced most of the publications about Jane Austen and her work. However, in this age of miniseries and films and fiction based upon Jane’s work and life, and in the face of a new film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, it is not wonderful that a different kind of take on the novel might emerge; one that does not ignore the novel’s relationship with pop culture but wallows in it. Does Flirting With Pride and Prejudice break startling new ground or present a new common wisdom? No; however, it is an eclectic and very modern take on a 200-year-old book that is perhaps better loved today than at the time of its publication. (more…)

There really is no spoon, you know.

The Guardian has an article about the continuing attraction of Jane Austen–why we continue to read her books, and why filmmakers keep adapting them.

For some critics, that narrow focus convicts her of impossible limitations. However, Austen’s sophisticated command of language and her inimitable style (usually the one thing missing from the screen) are anything but provincial. It is for her style that her readers revere her. Again, her steely mind is made dangerous, at times lethal, by splinters of broken glass.

Keira Knightley and Joe Wright discussed the new adaptation of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE during a press conference at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Rising star Keira Knightly admits playing Jane Austen’s beloved heroine Lizzie was a tad daunting.

After all, Lizzie’s romance with Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice is perhaps one of the most referenced love stories of our time - and the subject of numerous film versions.

“It was absolutely terrifying . . . to the point where I nearly didn’t want to go up for it because I was so afraid of it,” she told reporters at a Toronto International Film Festival news conference Sunday, hours before the film’s world premiere.

“In my opinion, Elizabeth Bennett is one of the most beautiful characters in English literature. As an actress, if you get a chance to play a character like that, you can’t turn it down.”
[. . .]

Guiding the U.K. production, set in 1797, was first-time film director Joe Wright, who admitted Sunday he’d never read the popular novel prior to be handed the screenplay.

“I was coming to it fairly fresh,” said Wright, whose previous work included TV series such as Charles II.

“I took the screenplay to the pub with me one Sunday afternoon and started reading it. By about page 60 I was weeping into my pint of lager. I was very moved by it and laughing out loud as well.”

He’s since read the famed classic, often found on English class reading lists.

The Sunday Mirror has a review of the film:

Keira Knightley is extremely impressive as the stubborn Elizabeth in perhaps her best performance to date.

She and Macfadyen make an attractive bickering couple and it’s great to sit back and let the film’s stylish and witty atmosphere wash over you.

Director Joe Wright makes a fine debut, sensibly giving Knightley centre-stage and letting the terrific support deliver the acting goodies when she’s off screen.

…as does Empire Online:

It’s Knightley, though, who really stands out. She’s delightful as Austen’s best-loved character — the slender, clever figure who loves a laugh, such as when she sets eyes on Darcy’s palatial pile and can’t control her goggle-eyed mirth, realising it could have been hers. The emphasis is not on heaving cleavage but on wit and unstudied charm, and Elizabeth Bennet has more of those than any other heroine in the English language.

We received the following review from a Dear Friend of AustenBlog, Kathleen, who is a Ph.D. candidate in history and a Regency re-enactor with a particular interest in period costume and musical instruments (and also one of the funniest and most fun people we know; she once attended a party at AustenBlog World Headquarters in full Regency regalia, tripping up the sidewalk on a Sunday afternoon as the neighbourhood guttersnipes stared slackjawed. It was quite a sight). We alerted her to the possibility of free passes to the film, and she sent the following review with permission to post it on AustenBlog. It contains spoilers, so read at your own risk. (more…)

The Herald has an article about Andrew Davies, the adapter of P&P2, in which he discusses the continuing interest in the film and his upcoming adaptation of Dickens’ Bleak House.

Davies claims he had no idea of the impact the lake scene would have on female viewers (including a group in America who apparently had to set up a support group to conquer their compulsion to rewind and replay).

“I was quite surprised that that particular scene should so capture the hearts of Britain’s womanhood, but I’ve no complaints,” says Davies, who will be 69 a week today. “It’s not my favourite scene in the whole piece. My favourite is in the music room when Elizabeth is looking at Darcy over the piano and they’re shooting looks (at each other). It’s the first time Elizabeth realises that she is in love with him and … God, I’m soppy aren’t I?”

Oh, join the club already.

He’s looking forward to the new film, too:

“I haven’t seen the film version yet, but I’m looking forward to seeing it,” he says. “People can compare Elizabeths and Darcys and see which they like best. I’d be interested in how they managed to handle the plot in just two hours. I found there was plenty for the six 50-minute episodes on television, so I’d be interested to see what they leave out and what they emphasise, that sort of thing.”

Leave Me Alone, I’m Reading, a new book by Maureen Corrigan, the book reviewer for the radio show “Fresh Air,” includes a discussion of Jane Austen’s work.

For Corrigan, this is not a wholly gloomy genre — she includes in it the novels of Jane Austen because, even though they’re comic, they’re laced with an awareness of the societal restrictions placed on their heroines’ lives.

The Northlight Theatre in Skokie, Illinois will present a stage production of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE from October 5 through November 20. Tickets are $34-56.