picspam: Pride & Prejudice (1940)

[inner-v0ice.livejournal.com]

Pride & Prejudice
Greer Garson ... Elizabeth Bennet
Laurence Olivier ... Mr. Darcy



Austen fans might be surprised that this adaptation does not have period-accurate dresses; you'd think that the costume department had raided Scarlett O'Hara's wardrobe. This would be because they actually did. (Or so the rumor goes...)

I absolutely love Greer Garson's interpretation of Elizabeth Bennet. She's so utterly self-possessed; she's mastered the art of being poised and charming while saying the most outrageous things. This started out as a picspam, but ended up including vidspam as well, because stills simply cannot do justice to this movie--the banter, oh my God the banter! ♥


Meet the Bennet family...




And here's our heroine, Miss Elizabeth Bennet.








Miss Bennet, meet Mr. Darcy. (or overhear Mr. Darcy, to be precise...)


She is not pleased with what she heard.


Hmph!


Introducing Miss Bingley...


Who extends her rather barbed courtesy to Jane Bennet


And whose courtesy toward Elizabeth becomes even more barbed...








Lizzy also has to endure her family doing embarrassing things in front of Mr. Darcy


And the unwanted attentions of Mr. Collins.




But she holds her own in any conversation.






She has a rather turbulent relationship with Mr. Darcy


But in the end, we know it will all work out!






And now, for the vidspam! First, a selection that I compiled of the best scenes from this version of Pride & Prejudice. I maintain that the best thing about this version is really the banter!

And a short compare-and-contrast between the 2005 version and the 1940 version. (That was totally not made for an event of my IRL book club, no indeed!)

This version is probably not for Austen purists. Aside from the non-period costuming, the ending also takes a number of liberties with the plot and (in one case) characterization. But for anyone who wants romantic comedy, fantastic banter, and a heroine who manages to be fierce as all hell in 20 yards of tulle and a flutter of eyelashes, I highly recommend this movie!

The movie is available as a torrent, just search! It should also be available through more legal means--I actually do possess a legal copy! ;)

Comments

[hafital.livejournal.com]

omg, awesome. Thanks for this! As an avid JA fan, I've been wanting to watch the 1940s version of P&P but haven't gotten around to it. Delightful! And Lizzy Bennet kicks butt in any incarnation. :)

[last-archangel.livejournal.com]

Amazing movie, although the schizophrenic costuming makes my eyes bleed!

[starmalachite.livejournal.com]

you'd think that the costume department had raided Scarlett O'Hara's wardrobe. This would be because they actually did. (Or so the rumor goes...)

Consider the rumor busted. The costumes for the Garson version of P&P are from the 1830s, not the 1860s. Most people won't notice, but there are dozens of telltales for costume geeks like me.

[inner-v0ice.livejournal.com]

Sigh. I kinda thought so, since I found another source that also said it was unfounded, but it was just too great a line to pass up! XD (...which is how rumors like this are kept alive, of course...)

I'm super impressed by your costume geekery. I love costumes, but ballet is not a background that promotes awareness of costume accuracy. XD My approach to investigating the rumor would have been to literally check the dresses in GWTW and P&P against each other one by one...*fails*
If I may ask, what are a few of the telltales that you can see? (Also, this means that the GWTW costumes are accurate for the 1860s, then?)

[starmalachite.livejournal.com]

I love costumes, but ballet is not a background that promotes awareness of costume accuracy.

Or any other kind of historical accuracy, right? ;) I'm super impressed by your ballet background. I wanted lessons desperately, but could never convince my parents I was serious. That may be just as well, because by the time I was 10, it was clear I was going to be entirely the wrong body type -- short, wide & pearshaped even though not overweight (then, anyway).

what are a few of the telltales that you can see?

1. Ugliness -- to me at least. The 1830s gave new meaning to the phrase wretched excess. Proportions were wildly exaggerated. Decoration & ornament ran amok (6 different kinds of ribbon, lace, braid, etc. on a single dress was not uncommon). And the hairstyles were even worse. Fashions of the 1860s, if only by comparison, were simpler and more graceful.

2. The enormous puffed sleeves, which gradually got much tighter by 1840. 1860s sleeves were mostly close to the arm or flared from shoulder to wrist (what would now be called bell sleeves).

3. The huge & elaborate hats. 1860s hats were smaller, closer to the head, and more simply decorated.

4. Hairstyles. This is usually the 1st place authenticity goes out the window, and for good reason. The 2 sisters on the right in your "Meet the Bennet family..." pic are fairly authentic, but way too simple to be fashionable. In general, 1830s hair was all about curls, knots, frizzes, and elaborate constructions often supported by wire or pieces of rough fabric. For instance, the apollo knot/ (http://content.liveauctioneers.com/item/6685117) was a common style. 1860s hair tended to be smoother and closer to the head. Curls were still popular, but were used with more restraint.

Whew! Those are the biggies. For more info, here's the 1830s in fashion/ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1860s_in_fashion) & 1860s in fashion/ (http://content.liveauctioneers.com/item/6685117) from Wikipedia. You might also want to compare both with the styles of Jane Austen's period/ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regency_fashion).

Also, this means that the GWTW costumes are accurate for the 1860s, then?

Surprisingly, yes. As well as the 1870s by the end of the movie, Scarlet's red gown, for instance. Authenticity was in this case considered a marketing tool.

In most costume dramas, though, even when secondary characters are absolutely correct, the heroine gets a pass. This is very true for the Garson P&P, especially her hair. Only girls under 13 or 14 wore it down on their necks like that. (By Scarlett's time, this had changed.) Ditto hair bows. On hats, yes, but not in the hair. Artificial flowers in the hair, however, were common.

Also, the dress Garson wears to kiss Mr Darcy for the 1st time never existed at any time before the 20th century. This is as much because of the fabric as the cut. And the triple strand of pearls is strictly modern. The wealthy *might* own a single strand, but it wasn't a popular style. And far too costly for the Bennet's genteel near-poverty.

Hope I didn't overwhelm you! Sorry, but I'm a librarian by training AND a costume geek, & you pushed both buttons. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

[maidenjedi]

Oh, this is just awesome.

And has it occured to anyone else that Greer Garson seems to be channeling Margaret Sullavan?

[copracat]

Greer Garson is simply awesome in every way.