Why I fail as an Austenite

[litlover12]

I've finished another viewing of the 1995 P&P, which I love. But oh, how the second proposal scene bugs me. And it bugs me that it bugs me. Because I don't want it to bug me. It's very sweet and the actors are terrific and their facial expressions are all that could be desired. But they don't kiss, and they don't touch -- they look away from each other and keep walking! It drives me NUTS! I'm going "Kiss her! Kiss her!!" like that nosy old man in It's a Wonderful Life. I know this is Austen and she's prim and proper to the nth degree, and the whole thing is true to her vision, but for heaven's sake. . . . couldn't they at least hold hands?

Of course, it's not much better than what happens in the book. I love Austen, I really do. She was a genius and many of her books are right up there among my favorites. But her love scenes are just so . . . unsatisfying.

Comments

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

No, I haven't seen it, but I like the imagery!

I don't really want them to be untrue to Austen; it's just . . . they look away from each other! Argghh! It just kills me! :-) If she could even just take his arm or something . . .

[sylverwind.livejournal.com]

Well, if you don't mind being spoiled just the teeniest bit for a five-year-old movie, watch the first minute of this youtube vid because this is the scene I'm talking about! :D I don't know why, but in their own respectable, socially graceful way, I can totally see Elizabeth and Darcy all, "OMGSQUEE!" and "FISTPUMP of EPIC WIN!"

Man, I really want to draw this, now...

[goldvermilion87.livejournal.com]

:-D

I'm so glad you gave that link. I hate Diaz/Law side of that film, but the Winslet/Black romance IS WIN!

AND THAT MOMENT SHOWS EXACTLY WHY!

[sylverwind.livejournal.com]

YOU AND I ARE EXACTLY ALIKE in this respect! :D I also can't stand the Cameron and Jude plot, with one exception being any scene featuring his children - because those scenes, I think, are precious.

I mainly watch this movie for Kate and Jack... and for the music, which is EPIC and fills me with tons of dramatic glee.

[goldvermilion87.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I like the little kid bits, too... but they are ruined by the rest of their storyline...

[sylverwind.livejournal.com]

I wish their relationship had been as innocent and emotional as the Iris/Miles plot. If Jude's character had still been in a semi-state of grieving and had gone to his sister for support, but found Cameron's character instead, and their friendship had grown from her putting aside her selfish whims to provide some advice and support until he realizes that she has sort of inadvertently become a part of his family... yadda, yadda, etc, and so forth. I just found the whole drunken one-night-stand thing too sudden and laughably unbelievable given each character's "development" up until that part of the movie. It made me roll my eyes like ickle Ronnie-kins.

Eh, sorry for the ramble. I sort of spend a lot of time re-writing movies in my head. :D

[goldvermilion87.livejournal.com]

No, I COMPLETELY agree. I guess I think that if you are going to make it all dramatic and emotional you can. You can't have a drunken one night stand (plus, really, MOST of their relationship was about sex) and then all of a sudden surprise the audience with "actually he's really deep and noble and a good dad and awwwwwww"! That just doesn't work in my book.

[sylverwind.livejournal.com]

Completely agreed. Although I think it bothered me more on her part than on his. I have no trouble believing that he's been cavorting around as a means of escaping his tumultuous emotions and the difficulties of being a single father, even if I don't LIKE it. It seemed at least somewhat believable, even if it wasn't spelled out in the movie, that he's been trucking along doing the best he can, but he's also hitting this wall of emotional and mental fatigue... and also letting his fears (of somehow messing things up with his kids as they get older and things grow more complicated) get the better of him, to the point that he just has to snap and be the exact opposite of everything he is at home.

But I just couldn't get over her and her little, "could we do that again," after making it clear she wanted nothing to do with men. It seemed to come OUT OF NOWHERE, even taking rebounds and people-not-really-knowing-what-they-want into consideration.

And YES, the fact that their "relationship" was all about the smex is probably what bothered me most. Start things with a one-night stand if you absolutely must, but bring something tangible into the relationship fast after that to make it honestly believable.

But I guess this is why they say sex sells. Blech.

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DRAW THAT. It would be awesome!

[sylverwind.livejournal.com]

Heee, I think I may have to! :D