Post-Firth Pride and Prejudice...and Other Fall Films

USA TODAY on the new PRIDE AND PREJUDICE film, along with a rundown of the history of Austen's novel on film.

Some of the information in the article gives me pause. When Elizabeth tours Pemberley she doesn't view the portrait gallery, but a garden of nude statues? Okay... It will certainly be interesting to see how the new film fits in with the excellent earlier versions.

I've always been fond of the abridged 1940 Olivier-Garson version, despite the anachronistic costumes. Olivier conveys more with his eyes than other actors do with pages of dialogue. Whenever this turns up on Turner Classic Movies, the entire family will stop and watch it.

The 1980 version, which aired here on MASTERPIECE THEATRE, was highly entertaining. The complete version was released last year on DVD; an earlier video release was apparently edited and incomplete.

And of course the 1995 edition is dear to the hearts of Austen and Colin Firth fans everywhere :).

It looks to be a good fall movie season. WALK THE LINE, with Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon as Johnny and June Carter Cash, has been receiving strong advance notice.

My older children are all rereading THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE in anticipation of seeing the new movie.

Dennis Quaid, who previously remade the '60s family comedy THE PARENT TRAP, stars with Rene Russo in a remake of another '60s family comedy, YOURS, MINE AND OURS. Quaid is one of my favorite actors, and I certainly hope his new movie is better than the tacky Steve Martin remake of CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN!

Update: This article describes Emma Thompson's uncredited role as "fairy godmother" for the film PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Thompson, who won an Oscar for her SENSE AND SENSIBILITY screenplay, assisted with the script. (And no, Garson and Olivier were not 40 when they played Elizabeth and Darcy, as the article states. They were in their 30s.)