I've known for a long time that Bridget Jones's Diary was based on Pride and Prejudice (although, truthfully, when I first read Bridget Jones, I didn't realize it was based on Jane Austen's famous novel, even though it happens to be my favorite book of all time ). Today, just for the fun of it, I watched both movies back-to-back with an eye toward noticing similarities and differences.
Of course, Bridget Jones = Elizabeth Bennett (albiet a chain-smoking borderline neurotic version of her). Mark Darcy = Mr. Darcy—they're both snobbish at the beginning and smitten by the end. Daniel Cleaver = Mr. Wickham—they're both cads.
I got a kick out of noticing the parallels in plot ... the entire love triangle between Bridget/Mark/Daniel and Elizabeth/Mr. Darcy/Mr. Wickham is almost identical. There are fun modern day twists from the old to the new: the country dance becomes a lunch buffet...letters become emails.
Too bad I didn't watch the BBC version of P & P due to time. Otherwise I could have had a double-dose of the smoldering Colin Firth.
6 comments:
The BBC version is by far the best, although the book is better (they almost always are). P&P is in my estimation much better than Bridget Jones, although it is also good. Of course I am a guy (and a rather guyish guy at that) so what do I know of such matters?
Hi! The BBC version is absolutely marvellous: I watched it 5 times! I utterly love P&P! I watched the movie, and I hated it...Mr Darcy was not as appealing as Colin Firth's, and Lizzie was not as dry as BBC's...didn't like it at all!
Bridget Jones is hilarious, however I didn't know that it had been inspired in P&P!
Cheers!
I LOVE COLIN FIRTH! I'm not hard to please, I loved both P&P versions only because I have loved the book forever and ever and any extension of it is fine by me...It's funny because these two movies have permanent residence in my bedroom....they're my "feel good" movies
Okay, now explain the "pride" in Bridgett Jones and while you're at it, where does the "prejudice" come in?
My term paper is due in a week.
My next assignment is to compare and contrast "She's the Man," with Shakespeare's Twelvth Night. Any help you can give would be great.
Thanks.
What a lovely reindeer jumper! :)
I love the Bridget Jones movies and like a previous commenter, especially the v. sexy Colin Firth.
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