apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

This is a beautiful film to watch. I own it and have watched it several times. Put it on the top of your netflix list.

I loved the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice - even as much as I enjoyed the MGM version with Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier (which is often shown on TCM)

I'll have to keep a lookout for this version too.

If anyone is fond of late eighteenth early nineteenth century films sets, I recommend the French film "La Marquise d'O" by Eric Rohmer. Everything was shot on location in an italian chateau with period furnishings and a very careful attention to light, inspired by painters like Chardin, Greuze, Füssli.

dunno why but i love the flick, but longbourne is a big part of it

want to know something sad? i'm in my mid-twenties and i know exactly the book you're talking about. its from the twilight series. its actually pretty good. i was introduced to it by a 14 year old family friend. i would highly recommend it. AND, why pop in the movie? shouldn't we encourage reading in the younger generations?

but, i DO love this movie.

I'm a chick. I never say no to a costume drama.

great post & a nice analysis of the rooms!

I love this movie! The score, to me, is incredible. It makes the movie for me. (Expected to hate this version because of KK.) All of the songs in my wedding ceremony were from this soundtrack. *sheepish grin*

Thanks for posting the photos!

matthew macfadyen, who was mr. darcy and was in the early seasons of MI-5, was in a movie called death at a funeral. the movie was okay (I was expecting better), but the sets were kind of like an updated version of longbourne--there was a lot of blue and cream and piles of furniture and it all looked very lived in and comfortable in a upper middle class british sort of way.

I have my students read pride and prejudice and then they get to watch this movie after the test. every class so far has made me rewind darcy's proposal so they can watch it over again. it may not be as textually accurate as the bbc version, but I think it captures the emotion of the book better.

Thanks for linking to my Pride and Prejudice post on Silver Screen Surroundings! I loved the sets of the movie version as well - although I did think that the movie Longborn was way too shabby - pigs were practically running through the house. As long as the father was alive, the family was comfortably set. Your photos are great - especially the Netherfield guest bedroom - drool!!!

Linda

My god, what a bad movie in my opinion. As a fan of Jane Austen and her writing, I have to say that this was a poor portrayal of the lively and quirky characters from her books. If you want a good live action version of the book you can't go wrong with the BBC Colin Firth version. I love it!

But the one good things about this movie? The spaces did look amazing. And the use of natural lighting throughout the movie made it feel more like it was from the early 1800's. Good looks, bad realization of the characters.

the set is cool, but the movie could have never lived up to the BBC mini series version starring the dashing and quite gorgeous colin firth. ohhhh colin!

BBC and Colin Firth is the best adaptation IMO. Elizabeth was a feminist for her time, but *never* would have behaved the way Kiera's character did. I'll have to watch again for the set, I was so mad at the script I didn't even notice it :(

spiderbite, I am also an avid jane austen fan and I liked the movie. I reread pride and prejudice at least once a year, every single year. what has become more and more striking to me the older I get, is how young the characters are, particularly the bennet daughters (they range from jane at 22 to lydia who is just 15). more than the bbc version, I felt that the movie version captures that youth. lydia is a fool, but she is a fool like so many 15 year old girls are. elizabeth is smart and interesting, quirky and appealing, but she is also stubborn and idealistic and overly romantic as so many young women are. I actually found the movie to be more in line with my reading of the book.

yes, there are problems with the movie, the ending kind of makes me cringe, but I think it is a valid interpretation of the novel, it just might not be your interpretation. but that is always the danger with adaptations.

So how did the 14 year old girl like the movie???

The 14-yr-old loved the movie! She was enthralled with the whole dancing scene with the white dresses (she actually squealed during the rainy marriage proposal bit).

KTPotatie, I actually tried to get her to read the book--countless times. But I made a deal with her: after she reads the Pride and Prejudice, I'll be a good sport and watch the damn Twilight movie with her. Gah!

I'm still in favor of the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice.

Love the colors of Netherfield! And love this movie. Way better decor....and way better than the BBC version (which is only okay if I'm sick because then I don't mind sitting in front of the tv for a million hours straight for one movie!).

I love the Twilight series! It's so awesome seeing young people being into reading. It seems like they are more likely to be glued in front of the tv watching brain-draining sitcoms.

I'll have to check to see if the Pride & Prejudice movie ends sad (nope, it's not my genre of choice to read)....sad movies can make me depressed for weeks.

This is one of all time favorites.

The costumes and set design blew me away. I liked the Collins' House the best.

Although most of the acting in Vanity Fair was pretty terrible, the costumes and set design in that one were pretty awesome as well! Note the unconvential fabrics and color choices on the walls and trim used to illustrate England's fascination with (not to mention oppession and domination of) India at the time.

I'm a total Period Piece Queen.

And yes, I draw.

www.thebitterfoodie.blogspot.com

anyone who takes another youth away from those vampire books is a hero in my book ;).

i've never been a fan of blue walls, but your post made me remember how much i loved those interiors. just goes to show that in the right setting, any color can work.

I've been thinking of doing just this sort of blue and cream theme for my linked hallway/dining room/living room. It's a Cape Colonial with lots of molding and built in corner cupboards, so the detailing would work well. The only problem - it's a cape, and therefore made to be snug and cozy, so not a lot of natural light. How can you make pale blue not look dingy in those circumstances?

SIGH!!!!

A few years ago I was visiting family in England and we drove past the building that was Longbourne. So lovely!!

My favorite interior is at Pemberley when Lizzie gets separated from her aunt and uncle there's one room with gilded and ice blue walls and crimson drapes that kills me! The wallpaper in the bedroom at Netherfield is also stunning.

My favorite scene is Mr. Darcy walking out of the mist. Sigh.
I love this version and also the BBC version but agree with another poster that the ages are more accurately portrayed in this version. And, the BBC Mr. Collins is just creepy as hell!

@ Bridget212323: Yes! I loved that scene, especially when she's staring at the marble statue of the woman with the veil over her face - so beautiful. I loved the sets, and the earthiness of the movie, but I was really offended when they had a pig walking through Longbourne. I mean, really - they weren't farmers. But I though they got the gist of the relationships right, especially how Darcy is an asocial dweeb who acts all snooty because he doesn't know how to get a long with people. Not that I love this book and its filmic adaptations or anything.

Folks need to look to "Persuasion" for some gorgeous sets as well - certainly not as oppulent as any in this movie, but still very awesome, and Ciaran Hinds as Capt. Wentworth...man.

Along. With people. Cripes.

Another striking thing was the costumes. Middle sister Mary is always dressed in dark gray and aprons, except for the ball, Jane's are the more refined and lovely. Lizzie's clothes are plainer, solid-colored and somewhat mannish. Kitty and Lydia's are fussier pastels with lots of lace, more like the mothers dresses.

You have to admit the movie stages Darcy as somewhat stalkerish. He appears out of nowhere than steps quickly out of sight again. What is that? I do love the proposal/argument. And I love that despite her obnoxious ways it's clear that Mrs. Bennett's agenda is to see her daughters taken care of and not tossed out to endure on their own. Even the life of a governess would have been hard.

I most love when Darcy finally comes to the house on foot, stripped of "all his state." No horse, no hat, no waistcoat, no frilly blouse. Just a shirt, breeches and a coat. And he comes on Lizzie's terms: on foot. Though I'm still not sure what she says to him when she kisses his hand. "XXX. ...Your hands are cold." ???

Everything I've read about the Twilight series is so wildly contradictory--many love it; and others (probably a minority) find it a throwback idealized love-type theme with a creepy stalker angle thrown in. I'd be one of those curmudgeons, I suspect, since I feel overly sensitive about young women feeling empowered in the world.

Jen_g, really it's just a fun, adventurous quick read, with a sappy love story. You can't judge a book by it's critical reviews. I too am sensitive about young women feeling empowered.

I have all of the Twilight books and love them, but they are no masterpieces. It freaks me out how all of the little 13 and 14 year olds are obsessed with them...I guess I probably would have been too at that age. Hot guys and immortality are pretty enticing.

I own this movie because it is so beautiful. I'll watch it just to see it, not even paying attention to the story sometimes. Although I love the story too. Soooo pretty.

The Twilight books start out bad and quickly turn terrible, and they DEFINITELY are not empowering, but at least they're books. If they get even one 14 year old to read *another* book after she finishes them... I'm a fan. And they're a fun enough read if you can get past the incessant description of Edward as "perfect."

I thought the Longbourne set was fantastic. They really were way out in the countryside and I thought the moderate level of shabbiness and the closeness to farming were in tune with rural England even now, let alone in the early 1800's! The Bennetts were not a sophisticated family and the movie does a great job of showing that and allowing Lizzie and Jane's greater refinement to shine subtly in the midst of their crazy family and rustic home.

"I love the Twilight series! It's so awesome seeing young people being into reading. It seems like they are more likely to be glued in front of the tv watching brain-draining sitcoms.

I'll have to check to see if the Pride & Prejudice movie ends sad (nope, it's not my genre of choice to read)....sad movies can make me depressed for weeks."

Yeah, but you should watch what they're reading. No young impressionable teen should read about a creepy stalker vampire who has a doormat mary sue girlfriend who names her kid after the loch ness monster.

And you should try to read better books (like Pride & Prejudice) because what you "love" is weird creepy bad fanfic-like porn that just mistakenly got published.

But I must say, those who just like the smutty aspect of the novel and the fact that it has no plot but acknowledge that it's trash have a right to enjoy it. As long as you realize that what the book preaches (BABIES THAT CAN KILL YOU ARE WORTH BEING BORN! HAVE LOTS OF BABIES! CREEPY STALKER BOYFRIENDS FTW!) is rubbish but still like the whole super hot woman worshiping thing that Ed does, eh. I guess it's okay with me.

I am in love with the decor from Pride & Prejudice! I actually just wrote a blog post about it myself.

http://www.thebluepearlgirl.wordpress.com

I was just wondering if anybody knew the name of the painting in the background of the picture where they have furniture lust for the sofa. I love it and need it