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

[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.