I decided to stay in on this humid Friday evening and sit down to a movie with a glass of pinot in one hand and a salad, which unfortunately tasted nothing like chocolate, in the other. On a whim, I flipped a coin to choose a shelf and rolled a die twice to choose a number. The twenty-third film on the second shelf of my tv stand was Pride and Prejudice. Being a staunch Janeist, I am ashamed to admit that it is the Kiera Knightly version.
Though it is beautifully filmed, the blatant gothic undertones of the movie always make me cringe. I imagine sitting next to Jane, or perhaps I should say, I am sprawled inelegantly on the sofa in stretch pants while she lounges in a chair, the epitome of grace and intelligence. So, I am "reclining" next to Jane as she protests the dramatic proposal scene in the rain or the soaring music as Lizzie's cloak billows ominously in the wind on the cliffs of the Peak District. I can hear her declare that her intention was to present a realistic yet humorous view of relationships and that the extreme emotions of the gothic style are exactly what she intended to satirize in Northanger Abbey. Of course, I can then see her turning to me with a sly smile as she admits that Mr. Darcy is wickedly handsome.
And, though I know it has nothing to do with the novel which is perfection, I do adore the second proposal scene. What woman does not want a man to declare his passionate love to her in the magic moments of the day when the light is just emerging? Yet, I believe that the beauty of the scene is not in the lighting, the score, or the tender words. The beauty is in the fact that two wildly different people have overcome their conflicts, their incompatible backgrounds, and their various misunderstandings to find a friend who is also their dearest love. It is a hope that keeps us coming back for more. It is a lovely dream that we wait to see fulfilled.
P.S. The score of the film is heartbreakingly beautiful.
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