Pride and Prejudice 1980 series
As part of the P&P Bicentenary Challenge, I recently watched the 1980 adaptation, starring Elizabeth Garvie as Elizabeth Bennet and David Rintoul as Fitzwilliam Darcy. (Well, to be precise, I mostly listened to it while building a B-17 model.)
It’s a faithful adaptation (easy to do with five, 55-minute episodes) with of course the odd little adjustments that make you wonder, why did she say that line instead of him? I enjoyed it quite a lot, especially Moray Watson’s performance as Mr. Bennet. Priscilla Morgan as Mrs. Bennet and Natalie Ogle as Lydia were appropriately annoying as well.
The two leads were appealing and for once Mr. Collins played by Malcolm Rennie had a little weight to him, as Austen had written. I appreciated the running gag of Kitty’s constant coughing, to the point I thought she might die of consumption.
It was also interesting the Mrs. Gardiner (I always enjoy the Gardiners) was played by Barbara Shelley, who appeared in so many Hammer Films she was dubbed the “The First Leading Lady of British Horror.”
I thought Garvie did a brilliant job of conveying Elizabeth’s realization of “I might have been mistress of Pemberley.” OK, I looked up from modeling occasionally.