Worse is better than not at all

此文做於06年初，是沒有對Colin Firth的Darcy做深入調查研究就妄下的斷言，用紅色勾出來，意思正好掉個兒就差不多。別的評論，我不去碰了，感覺還是一樣。
 
95的Pride and Prejudice隨身攜帶，新版的這部，卻該刪掉。
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Compared to the inoxidized and perhaps the most popular work of Jane Austen’s, the latest Pride and Prejudice in film is, in my observation, what Mr Darcy remarked on Elizabeth at the first sight: barely tolerable. Granted, in the perspective of grand paysages, of music, and of etiquettes at table and in balls, indeed, it is a very British film which surely has much credit to take. But in the name of the Pride and Prejudice of Jane Austen, for a person who found utter fun in reading every of its words, even those of the loathful personages as Miss Bingley, Mr Wickham, this film could not be more than mediocre.

Take the main characters first. Matthew Macfadyen is every thing Mr Darcy should be: 「fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien」, plus reserved, determined, yet attractive voice. If Firth Colins had set a milestone for Darcy, Macfayen went further. He incarnated him. Thus it is quite a pity that he shouldn』t have had oftener occasions to show his ardent love for Elizabeth. On the side of Keira Knightley, she is uncommonly pretty as Elizabeth, but her disposition or what she appeared to have as, is so 「lively and playful」, that at her senseless but seemingly indispensable 「playful」 chuckles （to hide her disconcertedness or dissatisfaction sometimes）, I could not help murmuring, what a silly girl! Though, absolutely probably, her inferiority could be imputed to a not-very-witty screenplay. And that turned us to my second observation.

A picture oddly lost in over-scrupulous background scenes (just count the minutes the camera shot and re-shot in ball halls) and in over carelessly-treated and therefore blurry subject: the love story itself. For example, please give a second thought, could you believe at their first rencontre, Elizabeth, after overhearing Darcy’s negative remark of her, would answer his attentive question instants afterwards 「What do you recommend, for encouraging affection?」 by saying: 「Dancing, even one’s partner is barely tolerable.」? This is not an amiable and decisive Elizabeth, but a nobody with very inappropriate manners. Could you imagine, equally during her very first conversation with Mr Wickham, Elizabeth would have strong confidence in whatever he said, including distortions about Darcy’s uprightness? Were Elizabeth so, she is even shallower than nobody.

 Besides, in book, after Darcy’s declaration of love and her refusal, Elizabeth spent very long to change her mind, through talks, pensées, letters, and then her short trip at Pemberley. But in film we saw her stand still atop a certain cliff overlooking the vast English green land, her cloak flying in tender wind; we saw her on carriage, silhouettes of trees on her beautiful face, and she opened her eyes, thinking. Indeed, just and always thinking. But how, a film spectator could have detected her minds if he/she happened to be unfamiliar with Austin’s work? So the case may be, very likely so, that one was startled at Elizabeth’s attitude towards Darcy, 「the last man in the world that she will be prevailed upon to marry」, turned sharply! All of a sudden, with no touching particulars. Evidently, these are not Miss Knightley’s faults but the director’s.


In brief, the film galloped in haste when it should have paused and evolved elegantly in love, and in the opposite rhythm when definitely not necessary. But still, I have to say, worse is better than not at all, isn』t it?