Stave Three of A Christmas Carol

I agree. I haven't seen all of the 2005 version either for the same reason, and also because when I was flipping channels on a TV in a hotel room, I came across it AND...hated it . My friends tell me that it is hardly fair to judge a movie by 2 or 3 scenes; they also tell me that I saw the worst ones, but I've never had an interest in it since.

Has anyone ever seen the 1940 Pride and Prejudice? It's only distinguishing feature (in my opinion) is that Laurence Oliver plays Mr. Darcy. It is much shorter than the BBC version, and most of the other characters are kind of dumb but Oliver given the amount of time Firth had could have made something nothing short of brilliant of Mr. Darcy. Maybe--maybe even better than Colin Firth. In fact, Firth studied Oliver's Darcy before taking the part, and you can actually see some similarities. (Greer Garson, who plays Elizabeth is terrible, along with many of the other cast members but Oliver makes it worth the watch in my opinion).

Believe it or not, 1930's and 1940's movies and television shows were quite steady fare for my siblings and me when I was a young girl in the late fifties and early sixties, and Laurence Olivier was one of my favourite actors... he was just so classy. He made it hard for me to appreciate the wit and charm of actors like Cary Grant haha, though I did learn to, eventually. Some of those movies just made no sense to me, like, Bringing Up Baby. That was Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn (KH I adored) from 1938. Baby was a pet leopard. Slapstick and vaudeville proliferated but left me nonplussed. The Three Stooges, Spanky and Our Gang, all those movies with that curly headed little girl, Shirley Temple, my goodness, they were never ending it seemed. They were entertaining and kept us occupied, and I am sure I really liked some of it, but the thing is that Laurence Olivier stood head and shoulders above the pack. However, I have tried to watch P&P from 1940 as an adult fan of Jane Austen's, and could not tolerate the acting. My daughter cannot stand any of the movies from that era because everything is so overacted compared to the subtlety of today's best actors. I probably did watch it also when I was much younger without really understanding what was going on.

I have tried watching the 2005 version on youtube, but I am not getting the full
image and so it is unacceptable I will switch over to the 1995 version

I hope you both are having a lovely evening

There was a bit of overacting that went on in the 1940's version, but I think it was because it was so short! They honestly didn't have time. I can totally believe you grew up on '30's and '40's shows and movies...would you believe me if I said the same?? In my opinion they are some of the best and cleanest out there and yes, Oliver was totally the best of the bunch. My favourite two movies with him in are Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (He is THE ultimate Hamlet), and Rebecca (also starring Joan Fontaine), in my opinion, Rebecca was Oliver's best ever. SO powerful.

Good day, Tinuviel Oh! So interesting that you had the same television diet I did as a youngster! Ah, Joan Fontaine was such a great actress; I have read the book and seen Rebecca a few times. Looking it up, I see it is Hitchcock's first American film, and first time working with David O. Selznick. More very familiar names, of course I recently watched The Birds and Vertigo again Not everything from those days is over-emoted, but much of it is. Plus my daughter does not care for B&W movies. It is true that the content from those decades is quite clean, especially compared to what is allowed on TV today, particularly the cable channels.

I stayed up until around five this morning watching P&P, the BBC six part series. I was going to stop halfway through, and then after 4/5, haha but did the whole six parts in one sitting Such a joy, and I agree with Galatea: Jennifer Ehle is perfect as Elizabeth, her manners and her energy exactly matching what the book conveys, and my goodness, Colin Firth is sublime as Darcy. It is Jane in this version I do not care for The mom is quite over the top, and the dad and sisters well portrayed. I wanted to watch the 2005 movie version with Matthew Macfadyen and Keira Knightley (haha) but the youtube version ratio was cutting the sides off terribly. I may have to buy the DVD. You young women have reignited my passion for all things Jane

I hope you have a lovely day!

I saw it years ago, but can not remember much about it, except I was highly aggravated that the costumes were Victorian with big hoop skirts and not Regency (I said Georgian on another post, but Austen is Regency). I remember I did not care for Garson. Olivier was probably very good as Darcy, but I honestly can't remember much about it.

I prefer older movies, too- and grew up on them as well. Rebecca was really good. I can't imagine anyone else playing Maxim de Winter. He was a good Heathcliff in Withering Heights as well.

I read a book about Selznick. He and Hitchcock had a battle royale about Rebecca. Hitchcock wanted to change the story. Selznick was adamant that the film stay as close as possible to the book. His reasoning was that it was a bestseller, and the viewers wanted to see the book filmed. He felt the same about Gone with the Wind, he was a purist. Hitchcock was so irritated with Selznick's micromanagement that he broke his contract with him. Lots of people credit Hitchcock with the brilliance of the film, but I think Selznick had a lot to do with keeping it as close to the book as he could. Hitchcock wanted a giant fiery R in the sky when Manderley burned, and that kind of nonsense. It could have been kind of kitschy.

I'm glad you like the 1995 version. There is nothing much like Firth diving into that lake, is there? I liked the mom being over the top. She was hilarious, between her and Mr. Collins, there is a lot of humor there. Every time I see the actor who played Mr. Collins in something else, I think "There's Mr. Collins." Lol I'm glad you liked it. Since you are always giving away roses, here is one for you:

It seems like I've seen him in other things, but maybe it was just the Wuthering Heights, and I might have taken to him because I have a special soft spot for Heathcliff. I honestly can't remember seeing him in anything else. I saw Snow White and the Huntsman, but did not like it very much. The plot didn't make sense to me. I love fairy tales, traditional or updated. I used to watch the show series Once Upon a Time, but stopped following it a while back, I don't know why. Cinderella was REALLY REALLY good if you haven't seen it yet. I'm looking forward to seeing Beauty and the Beast with Emma Watson. It promises to be very good. Cinderella is one of those beautiful movies, very clean and good.

I had heard of Kate Bush, but never heard her music before. I can't say I liked it, it was a little creepy- but maybe that was the point if she is portraying Cathy!

Good morning Galatea It is not quite midnight here as I start to write, but I figure you will be reading this in the morning I just got home from my daughter's We used to met up closer to noon or one in the afternoon, but her hours have just recently changed, so she is working more than a half day on Saturdays, and not that happy about her increased workload. But I would not have been able to stay up so late last night, otherwise

Ian McShane played Judas in the very highly rated 1977 "Jesus of Nazareth" miniseries. It was a very well done; Laurence Olivier portrayed Nicodemus, and there were quite a few fairly famous actors and actresses in that six hour epic. Ian McShane was very young back then and so was I It is on youtube...

When I saw Snow White and the Huntsman it seemed to me that the differences between the two characters of Snow White and her wicked step mother made so much more clear the demarcation between life and death, and whom/which one each of them served. Kristen Stewart had never particularly appealed to me before, having seen her in all the Twilight movies, and even during any public appearance, she never seemed to smile, always striking me as being quite morose or even sullen or something. Her role in that movie really helped me to see her as a good actress.

I don't think I have seen Cinderella, but it looks good from what you have said and what I can see of it on imdb.com where it shows two of the characters were also on Downton Abbey! (Cinderella and Drizella.) I will put it on my must-see list I really liked Once Upon A Time as well, it was current during the early seasons when I still had a TV and I actually bought a cable package so I could watch the series catch-up one weekend before the next season started... it was filmed out here, you know My daughter lives in Richmond which is just south of Vancouver across the Fraser River, and OUAT was filmed in the southwest corner of Richmond, which is known as Steveston. It is an older area, lots of fishing boats and marinas and such, being right on the ocean. There are a couple of really fantastic used book stores out there that we have visited on occasion Richmond is actually an island, and our airport is also on another island, which is counted as part of Richmond. Lulu Island and Sea Island, respectively.

It is true that Kate Bush's voice is not to everybody's tastes. Mrs. Collins in the BBC production was a bit shrill I just can't imagine living with someone like that, always being in such a tizzy going off their head about something haha. What else had Mr. Collins been in? He did look familiar to me, but I don't know from what I see quite a long list of his roles on imdb.com, but nothing I readily recognize, except Quadrophenia from 1979, though I don't remember seeing that

It is just after one now... I just watched some of the 1940 B&W P&P with Greer Garson and Olivier, though I cannot find the full movie on youtube. It actually did not look as bad as I remember the beginning being from whenever it was I tried watching it years ago... I watched both proposal scenes, and Lady Catherine's coming to make sure there was no engagement. Some of the dialogue was pretty much exactly the same as the BBC production! I think David O. had the right idea about people wanting to see a movie being more true to the book than not. I loved Anne Rice's vampire Lestat series, but the movies totally tanked, perhaps especially Queen of the Damned, where one whole very important element was completely dropped. Tom Cruise just seemed all wrong for the lead, also. Now I can watch it and not be so bothered by those things, but Lestat was supposed to be a tall blond man and Tommy boy just did not fit the type.

Thank you for the lovely rose Sweet dreams to you

"OH MR BENNET!! YOU HAVE NO COMPASSION ON MY POOR NERVES!!!"

Smiles - "You mistake me my dear. Your nerves have been my friends for many years."

One of my top fave lines of that film, just priceless.

For maybe the first time ever, I WATCHED the movie (Rebecca) before I read the book. I am ever so glad that some of the things got changed, since I definitely preferred the movie to the book. It also illustrated to me how UNnecessary bad language and profanity is, since the book had it and the movie was more powerful without it.

Sometimes, you have to watch that film all in a sitting! In my opinion, Mr. Bennet is the very best portrayal from the book. GREAT actor! I actually think that they leave a part of Elizabeth out of this movie, but it is by far the best I've seen, and I can't put my finger on what is missing. I agree, Jane isn't as superb as the rest...Bingley makes up for her

I am watching Ang Lee's Sense And Sensibility now.
It is such a charming movie, and so lovely to revisit

[video=youtube;xrMiWM99mLk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrMiWM99mLk[/video]

Here is another link for you, Galatea

Mrs. Robinson by Simon & Garfunkel Songfacts

Good Evening, Magenta! I actually did not see your post until tonight. I had a busy day today. I must have seen McShane in the Jesus of Nazareth series. It would be in keeping for me to have a crush on Judas Iscariot. I don't know how many readers loved Heathcliff, but my sister hated him and though he was evil. She could find no pity for him. Come to think of it, it is probably just my attraction to dark hair and eyes.

I don't blame your daughter for missing her Saturdays. That must be disheartening for her. I know I like my weekends and holidays off.

I am not particularly fond of Stewart. I have not seen the Twilight films, but she always seemed sullen, like you say. There is an older live action Snow White film I liked much better. It was filmed by the Hallmark company, when they were filming live action fairy tales. Kristen Kreuk plays Snow White and Miranda Richardson plays the Queen.

I think a lot of films and movies are filmed out in Vancouver now. It looks really beautiful. You must like waking up and seeing all of those beautiful trees and mountains. I love trees. We have many here, but NO mountains. I liked Downton Abbey, too- but stopped watching after the third season or so. I think my attention span must be deteriorating the older I get. For some reason, I can't stay with a series after a couple of seasons.

I love used book stores, but I have so many books now- and I will never read them all. It used to pain me, knowing I will never read all of my books. BUT I hope that in Heaven, God will let us read the books we did not get to read here. Or maybe even better books, who knows?

Yes, Mrs. Bennett was a piece of work. I didn't blame Mr. Bennett for retreating into his interior world, although he should have known better and been more aware of what types of men his daughters were seeing. He just abdicated his role because his wife was a handful. But, she was overly dramatic. David Bamber played Mr. Collins, he was in a show called The Paradise about the first department store in London. It's really good- very pretty- visually, all kinds of beautiful Victorian costumes and sets. And the heroine is someone you can't help but root for. He was in the newer Pollyanna, and The King's Speech (really good).

I think readers want to see films stay fairly close to the books- there's a reason why we love the books, after all. What irks me is when filmmakers ADD to the plot. It is annoying. I can understand the need to cut some things, as the film will be too long- but why add something to the plot? I haven't seen or read the Anne Rice books, or movies- but Tom Cruise doesn't seem like the vampire type.

You are quite welcome, sweet dreams to you as well.

I love this one! They cut a lot, but I feel it remains sensitive to Austen and to the story. Emma Thompson did a great job of writing the screenplay.

Lol, yes that's a good one. I love the part where Mrs. Bennett is getting herself all worked up about being one day thrown out by Mr. Collins after Mr. Bennett dies, and Mr. Bennett says very calmly, to be more positive and that she might die before him. (I can't remember the exact quote).

I liked the book better than the film, but I am a great fan of Daphne du Maurier and her creepiness. She was a good writer of atmosphere. The film is good- and Fontaine a superb second Mrs. de Winter.

The 1995 version, I like Jane- she's gentle, but maybe too soft spoken? Mr. Darcy has a good case when he tells Lizzie that he wasn't sure of Jane's feelings for Mr. Bingley, she doesn't really show her affection outwardly. I guess she was more like her dad and less like her Mom?

Are you people still reading books,
or have we finally moved on to action movies?

Mr. Bennet: "My dear, do not give way to such gloomy thoughts. Let us hope for better things. Let us flatter ourselves, that I might outlive you."

Superbly wicked humour.

We've graduated to talking about films of books- but they are very "talky" Austen and Bronte books. No action as of yet. We have not ascended or descended (as the case may be) to that level.