Pride and Prejudice The Making of (Eng) BBC 1995
Summary
TLDRThe video script offers an in-depth look at the making of a television adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel, 'Pride and Prejudice.' It emphasizes the production's commitment to capturing the spirit and energy of Austen's work, highlighting the importance of casting, location scouting, costume design, and the adaptation process. The producer, Sue Bert Whissel, and director, Simon Langton, share insights on their collaborative efforts to bring the beloved characters and settings to life, from the cozy Bennett household to the grandeur of Pemberley. The casting of Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy is discussed, along with the challenges and creative choices made in depicting the social dynamics and romantic tension between characters. The significance of dance in the period and the meticulous attention to historical accuracy in costumes and manners is also explored. The summary underscores the dedication of the entire production team to do justice to Austen's masterpiece, aiming to create a popular television event that remains true to the original novel's appeal.
Takeaways
- π The adaptation of 'Pride and Prejudice' aimed to stay true to Jane Austen's original novel, capturing its spirit and energy.
- π¬ The production, led by Andrew Davies, emphasized the book's fast pace and dynamic events, contrary to the common misconception that not much happens in Austen's work.
- π The choice of locations was crucial in reflecting the social status and character of different households, such as the cozy Bennett home versus the grandeur of Pemberley.
- π¨ The design and costume choices were influenced by the characters' descriptions in the book, with attention to detail in clothing and accessories to reflect their personalities and social standing.
- π₯ Casting was of utmost importance, with the need to find actors who could embody the well-known characters authentically, including the iconic role of Mr. Darcy played by Colin Firth.
- π Dances were an essential part of the social scene during the period, and the series included English country dances that were carefully researched and choreographed.
- π½ The editing process was key in the post-production, where the timing of shots could alter the focus and emotional impact of scenes, particularly in building the romantic tension between Darcy and Elizabeth.
- πΆ Music was used to add a fourth dimension to the storytelling, providing an abstract layer that complemented the visual action and hinted at the characters' thoughts and emotions.
- π©β𦱠The actress playing Mrs. Bennett found the character to be vividly written, providing a rich base for her performance, which was described as attacking her lines like a bolting chariot.
- π Actors were required to perform various talents, including dancing, to authentically represent the period, with Colin Firth's iconic lake scene involving careful planning and the use of a stunt double.
- π The entire production team, from the actors to the costume and set designers, aimed for authenticity and realism, with a deep respect for Austen's work and a desire to do justice to the beloved story.
Q & A
What was the overall aim of the production team for this adaptation of 'Pride and Prejudice'?
-The overall aim was to be as true as possible to the spirit of Jane Austen's original book.
What was the first thing that struck the adapter when reading 'Pride and Prejudice' with a view to adapting it?
-The tremendous speed and energy of the book, with something happening on every page and enormous energy in both the characters and the action.
How did the production team decide to convey the energy of 'Pride and Prejudice' in the adaptation?
-They decided to convey the energy right in the opening scene by taking the scene where Bingley and Darcy get their first sight of Netherfield Hall, involving them galloping across the countryside.
What is the role of a producer in a television production?
-A producer commissions a project, works on the scripts, finds a home for it, and sees it through every stage from pre-production to post-production.
Why is finding the right locations considered fundamental to the entire design process of a period drama?
-The right locations convey a lot of information about the characters, their social standing, and the era they live in, which is crucial for an authentic adaptation of a period novel.
How does the design of the sets and costumes reflect the characters' personalities and social status in 'Pride and Prejudice'?
-The design team keys the characters to their houses, gardens, carriages, furniture, and decorations to create a cohesive image that reflects their personalities and social status.
What was the approach to the depiction of Meryton in this adaptation?
-The approach was to focus more on the jolly aspects like the handsome soldiers, socializing, and shops, rather than dwelling on the harsher realities of rural life, as this was not an area of interest for Jane Austen.
How did the costume designer use the book to understand how the characters would dress?
-The costume designer read the book and the script to gain a detailed knowledge of how the characters develop throughout the book, which helped in understanding their clothing choices.
Why is casting considered so important in the production process, especially for a well-known book like 'Pride and Prejudice'?
-Casting is crucial because it directly impacts the audience's connection with the characters. For a well-known book, getting the casting right is even more important as audiences have preconceived notions of the characters.
What was the reason behind choosing Colin Firth to play Mr. Darcy?
-The producer believed Colin Firth was an amazing actor who could embody the character of Darcy, despite initial reservations from some people, including Firth himself.
How did the editing process contribute to the storytelling of 'Pride and Prejudice'?
-The editing process was critical in changing the focus of a scene and timing the shots between characters to convey the development of their relationship without making it self-conscious.
What role does music play in a period drama like 'Pride and Prejudice'?
-Music provides a fourth dimension, adding an abstract layer that complements the visual action by hinting at thoughts and emotions not explicitly shown or stated.
Outlines
π Adapting Pride and Prejudice for Television
The first paragraph discusses the adaptation process of Jane Austen's classic novel, Pride and Prejudice, for television. The aim was to stay true to the spirit of the original book, capturing its speed, energy, and fullness of events. The adaptation wanted to reflect the characters' vibrancy and the constant action on every page. The opening scene was carefully chosen to convey this energy, focusing on Bingley and Darcy's first sight of Netherfield Hall. The producer's role, played by Sue Bert Whissel, is also explained, highlighting her responsibilities from commissioning the project to overseeing every stage of production. The importance of finding the right locations to reflect the story's social dynamics and the characters' statuses is emphasized.
π Recreating the World of Jane Austen
The second paragraph delves into the meticulous process of recreating the world of Pride and Prejudice. It discusses the importance of understanding the social and political context of the time to build the setting accurately. The casting process is highlighted, with particular attention given to the characters' homes reflecting their personalities and social standings. The grandeur of Pemberley, the modesty of the Bennet household, and the contrasting flamboyance of Rosings are mentioned. The paragraph also touches on the selection of costumes and props that align with the characters' descriptions in the novel.
π¨ Designing the Aesthetic for the Adaptation
The third paragraph focuses on the design aspects of the adaptation, including the choice of locations, furniture, and decorations that contribute to the characters' images. The design team aimed to choose a level of reality that aligns with the book's themes. The costumes are influenced by the characters' portrayals in the book, with specific attention given to Miss Bingley's attire to emphasize her social standing. The casting process is again highlighted, with the importance of getting the characters right for the adaptation's success. The actors' interpretations of their characters, such as Mr. Collins' transformation throughout the story, are also discussed.
π The Casting and Performance of Characters
The fourth paragraph emphasizes the critical role of casting in the production, especially for a well-known novel like Pride and Prejudice. The casting director's keenness on getting the characters right is highlighted, with examples such as David Bamber's audition for Mr. Collins and the contrast between his pre- and post-proposal portrayal. Alison Steadman's portrayal of Mrs. Bennet is praised, and the process of how actors like Colin Firth, initially hesitant, became invested in their roles is described. The physicality of the actors and the importance of their performances in scenes, such as Darcy's dive into the lake, are also covered.
π The Significance of Dance and Social Etiquette
The fifth paragraph discusses the significance of dance in the period during which Pride and Prejudice is set. It explains how dances provided opportunities for young people to meet and court. The process of researching and incorporating the dances into the adaptation is detailed, with the choreography reflecting the social manners and architecture of the time. The parallel between the intellectual and physical relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth during their dance is highlighted. The role of editing in the post-production process and the subtle use of music to enhance the romantic aspect of the story are also discussed.
πΌ The Role of Music and Authenticity in the Production
The sixth paragraph underscores the role of music in providing an additional dimension to the story, capturing the thoughts and emotions that are not explicitly shown. The importance of not overdoing the music to maintain the story's romantic tone is mentioned. The actors' experiences with the script, their connection with the story, and the effort put into making the adaptation as authentic as possible are highlighted. The anticipation and emotional investment in the relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy are emphasized, with the cast and crew's hope that they have done justice to Jane Austen's classic novel.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Adaptation
π‘Energy
π‘Period Drama
π‘Casting
π‘Costumes
π‘Locations
π‘Director
π‘Producer
π‘Social Manners
π‘English Country Dances
π‘Editing
π‘Music
Highlights
Adaptation of 'Pride and Prejudice' aimed to be as true as possible to the spirit of Jane Austen's original book.
The adaptation aimed to capture the tremendous speed and energy of the novel.
The opening scene was designed to convey a sense of energy and action, reflecting the book's pace.
Producer Sue Bert Whissel's role included commissioning the project, working on scripts, and overseeing the entire production.
Finding the right locations was fundamental to the design process, conveying information about the characters and their social status.
Costumes and character portrayals were influenced by how each character comes across in the book.
Casting was crucial, particularly for well-known characters from a widely-read novel.
Colin Firth was initially reluctant to play Darcy, but eventually embraced the role.
The scene where Darcy gets soaked was filmed using different shots and a blue mattress, not actually diving into the lake.
Dances were important in the period for social interaction and courtship, and were meticulously researched for authenticity.
The editing process is crucial, with the ability to change the focus of a scene through shot duration.
Music provides a fourth dimension to the story, hinting at thoughts and emotions not explicitly shown.
The production team strived for authenticity in every department, from acting to costume and set design.
The adaptation sought to recreate Jane Austen's vision, starting from her books and the importance she placed on certain elements.
The contrast between different locations, such as Netherfield, Longbourn, and Pemberley, was used to reflect the characters and their circumstances.
Characters' homes, gardens, carriages, and decorations were chosen to align with their personalities and social standing.
The production focused on the jolly aspects of life in Meryton, rather than the harsh realities of rural existence.
The adaptation aimed to do justice to Jane Austen's fantastic book and story, with a focus on the romance between Elizabeth and Darcy.
Transcripts
so
pride and prejudice is one of the most
popular novels in the english language
but how do you turn a classic book into
classic television
[Applause]
for this production of pride and
prejudice the overall aim was to be as
true as possible to the spirit of jane
austen's original book
andrew davis and i went to a screening
of another jane
austen it was about 1986 and we sat
together on the back row and watched it
and it was
it was very good very quirky but
afterwards
i i remember turning to andrew and
saying what i would really
love to do is a version of pride and
prejudice which is my favorite book
um and do it um in the way that really
reflects the book
when i read the book with a view to
adapting it um the first thing that
that came across was what tremendous
speed and energy the book had
it really goes like a train um there's
something happening on every page and
there's enormous energy
both in the characters and in the action
people talk about
nothing much happening in jane austen
this book is absolutely full of events
full of people dashing about full of
people falling in love breaking their
hearts
eloping with each other trying to seduce
each other and um
i i i just thought i wanted to convey
some of this energy in the adaptation i
wanted to
to get that into the very opening scene
so
instead of taking a scene with elizabeth
i decided to take the scene
in which bingley and darcy get their
first sight of netherfield hall
which would involve them galloping
across countryside and
convey that sense of energy right in the
opening shop
it's a fair prospect pretty enough i
grant you
oh it's nothing to pemberley i know but
i must settle somewhere
about your approval you'll find the
society something savage
country manners i think they're charming
then you better take it thank you i
shall
i shall close with the attorney directly
[Music]
to me pride and prejudice is a very very
popular book and i wanted to make a
piece
of popular television
[Music]
the producer sue bert whissel oversees
the entire production
people are quite often confused about
what a producer does
um they can't understand the difference
between a producer and director it's a
question i get asked quite a lot
but essentially what i would do as
producer is
i would commission a project work on the
scripts find a home for it
and then see it through every stage this
is
somewhere between pemberley
yeah i think this is in so many ways
it's absolutely perfect it
is too well it's older than we are simon
langton the director and i would cast
it together and um
work with the production designer on the
concept of it
how the production's going to look um
go to look at locations together and and
do all that
stage running up to um the actual
filming of it
finding the right locations is
fundamental to the entire design process
but is designed for a period drama more
difficult
there isn't intrinsically a lot of
difference between doing
period and contemporary you're still
working on the same problems
you just have more limited resources
with a period drama
you obviously have to do much more
research um
and you've got more difficult more
difficulty
in spelling out the characters because
you have less
tools to play with than you would on the
contemporary
and you also have to be very careful as
to
every shot it's just that there's a lot
of
stuff from there stuff from here people
rushing
did we keep these lines sort of clear we
start with reading about the social life
if you start from understanding the
situation the political situation in the
country at the time
how people live and what their incomes
were then everything else
grows from that that lady i suppose
is your mother yes she is
mama this is lady catherine de berg
and that i suppose is one of your
sisters
yes mom she is my youngest girl but one
my youngest of all is lately married you
have a very small park here
and this must be a most inconvenient
sitting room for the evening in summer
why the windows are full west
indeed they are your ladyship but we
never sit in here after dinner
we have miss bennett
there seemed to be a british kind of
little wilderness on one side of your
lawn
i should be glad to take a turn in it
if you would favor me with your company
jane austen has like everybody she's got
her own specific
area that she's particularly concerned
with and um
what we're trying to do is to recreate
her vision
and so we would start from her books and
and the the
importance that she places on certain
things there's no point in
deviating from that it's important to
get every piece of furniture exactly
right for the filming right well let's
try it
three of us have to sit in a line
and this one
not very much room
that's a bit snug right
i had hoped to condole with your poor
father and your mother our father is
still in london sir and our mother is
not yet well enough to leave her room
ah
i think the locations have to be found
exactly right but but they convey such a
lot of information
the the the kind of cosy domesticity the
the natural scale of the bennett
household
and then you see netherfield and realize
that
there are much richer people in the
story
and then finally uh
you see the absolute splendors of
pemberley and and realized that that
elizabeth has been proposed to by a man
who owns most of derbyshire
um and the park which is so big that you
can't even see the house
i think we've seen woods and groves
enough to satisfy even your enthusiasm
for them lizzy
i confess i had no idea pemberley was
such a great estate
should we reach the house itself before
dark do you think be patient
wait
there stop coach
i think one would be willing to put up
with a good deal to be a mistress of
pemberley
the mistress of pemberley will have to
put up with a good deal
from what i hear she's not likely to be
anyone we know
how do you like the house lizzie very
well
i don't think i've ever seen a place so
happily situated
i like it very well indeed
pemberley really has to be
the most beautiful place it's not
particularly ostentatious it's
showing great taste it's got to show
history
it has to show a lineage that goes back
it's supposed to really be the epitome
of all that is
good about the aristocracy at that time
rosings is the opposite rosings is
probably more flamboyant large but over
the top
this is uh this is a character we don't
like so much
huntsford has to be a small
modest parsonage but with pretensions
um to grandeur and a certain amount of
fussiness about it
to reflect mr collins longborne the
bennett's house is really
just a comfortable family house with no
particular pretensions to anything
so we key the characters to that we try
and find
the houses that go with it the gardens
that go with it the carriages
the furniture the decorations that all
add to that
that image
[Music]
in terms of the design for somewhere
like meriton
we can choose our level of reality and
we can choose the level
that is directly relevant to the book
and to the piece that we're doing so
on this occasion we'll concentrate more
on the jolly aspects
the handsome soldiers and the
socializing and the shops
we won't be dwelling on poverty we won't
be dwelling on
any of these sort of real solid hard
edged
aspects of rural life
because it's not an area that jane
austen was particularly interested in we
we see meriton really through the eyes
of her characters
[Applause]
costumes are also influenced by how each
character comes across
in the book
[Music]
shall we be quite safe here mr darcy do
you think damn tell you where to spend
an evening
[Music]
miss bingley would never have been seen
in a in a print dress
she would always warn silk or very fine
embroidered muslin
we also gave miss bingley very very big
feathers
um although anna chancellor is over six
foot
um in order to emphasize her haughtiness
and
her high social standing because she
just wants to look
as you know as as posh and as snobby as
possible
to get a real sense of the characters i
read the book and the script
um to have a you know detailed knowledge
of of
how they develop throughout the book so
that i can start to
understand how they would dress
[Music]
well casting it's a tourism to say
casting
is important it's probably the most
important thing or
aspect of the whole production process
uh particularly uh for a book
that is so well known because unlike
other novels which have been adapted and
successfully done
pride and prejudices i think i'm writing
saying is one-off if not the most widely
read
uh classical novel in english language
if we've got
allison and ben mr mrs bennett yeah so
if you like this
even more enhanced uh responsibility and
a part of
the casting the sisters don't actually
process to get those people absolutely
right
i mean we're very very keen to have
david bamber as mr collins now
when we first auditioned david bamber
for mr collins
um i thought he was the ideal person for
this job
and he absolutely proved it when he came
in to audition because he
he performed the proposal scene
um and he did it completely seriously
which is the only way it works my
reasons
for marrying are first that i think it's
a right thing for every clergyman to set
the example of matrimony in his parish
secondly that i am convinced it will add
very
greatly to my happiness and thirdly
which perhaps i should have mentioned
first
that it is the particular recommendation
of my noble patroness
lady catherine de berg mr collins she
said
you must marry choose properly she said
choose a gentle woman for my sake and
for your own let her be an active
useful sort of person not brought up too
high
find such a woman as soon as you can
bring her to huntsford
and i will visit her
in approaching the character um what
i've what i'm attempting to do
as opposed to what i'm achieving is
to show a contrast between the
pre-proposal
collins when he first arrives in our in
the case of this adaptation
which is episode two and the post
proposal which is really when you see
him
in rosing's park and a huntsville
parsonage
observe that closet cousin elizabeth
what do you say to that
well is it not the very essence of
practicality and convenience
lady catherine de berg himself was kind
enough to suggest that these shells be
fitted exactly as you see them there
shelves in the closet happy thought
indeed
i think that in the rosing scenes my
fingers
show more of a servile rather dark
and sardonic and unpleasant character
alison stedman is an extraordinary
actress and
and i've always thought that and we
thought that um i've admired intensity
for
for all various film she's done
and this is admittedly slight risk as
she's probably said herself is a
completely new
avenue for her talents um
uh when we did go to the read-through
and start the wreath
it was always a very nerve-wracking day
you get i think there's something like
100 people there
um and she has
she almost starts the dialogue off uh
she
she attacked it like a bolting chariot
it was most extraordinary confined
unvarying i would have him know we died
with four and twenty families
as an actress i am constantly on the
lookout for
fun roles things that are going to be
interesting and give me plenty of scope
to
be creative have you seen charlotte
lucas since i came away
yes she called yesterday but sir william
what an agreeable man he is that is my
idea of good breeding and those who
fancy themselves very important
and never open their mouths quite
mistake the matter
when i was offered this part i hadn't
read
the book so i first of all read the book
and then read the scripts and of course
as soon as i read it
i could hear the voice of mrs bennett
she just comes off the page so
beautifully written the character is all
there it's all there it's like a box of
chocolates you know you just
ready to dive into and and i just
couldn't
couldn't resist mr bennett you all
wanted immediately
we are all in uproar you must come and
make lizzie marry mr collins
for she vow she will not have him and if
you do not make haste
mr collins will change his mind and he
will not have her
i'm not the pleasure of understanding
you yeah what are you talking
about oh mr collins and lizzy
lizzy declares she will not have mr
collins and mr collins begins to say he
will not have lizzie
what am i to do on the occasion seems a
hopeless business
speak to lizzie about it yourself tell
her you insist upon her marrying him
let her come in
i particularly wanted colin firth to to
play darcy
um and some people thought it was an odd
an odd choice and i think colin himself
thought it was an odd choice and
um he in fact said no at the beginning
and i
absolutely had to insist that he think
again and
do it uh for him to to take the part and
he said he came to a stage where he
realized that if anybody else played the
party he'd be immensely jealous
because the part had taken over him um
he's an amazing actor physically
himself he doesn't actually look like
darcy
but i think you'd agree or i hope
most people would agree that he actually
looks incredibly like darcy when he's
playing darcy
[Applause]
this scene gives the impression that
colin firth as darcy
gets soaked in the lake at pemberley
in actual fact this isn't quite true
the scene is put together using lots of
different shots which sometimes require
several takes from different angles
so the film crew doesn't want colin to
get wet too quickly
he does dive but not into the lake
it's onto this blue mattress
meanwhile his stunt double is about to
jump in the lake
all under the watchful eye of these
professional divers
here to take care of everyone's safety
colin did get to swim underwater but
this sequence was filmed on a different
day
using a special water tank
[Music]
even if they don't always do their own
stunts actors in period dramas like
pride and prejudice
may be required to demonstrate other
talents
like dancing
dances were immensely important at this
time
um they gave an opportunity for young
men and women to meet
and to court if you like
so they were always eagerly awaited i
started by rereading the book
and marking all the points where dance
is mentioned and dances are mentioned
and dancers are mentioned
and also i marked all the places where
they bow and they curtsy and they
reverence and they come and they go and
they
show their sort of social manners how
they behaved at that point in time
[Music]
these english country dances that you
see in pride and prejudice
were danced in the country houses and in
the court
and mr beveridge's margaret is a supreme
example of that
and it has this harmony which almost
reflects the architecture of the time
the furniture of the time the landscape
gardening of the time
there is a reflection in their
relationship i remember hearing you once
say that you hardly ever forgave
the resentment once created was
implacable
you are very careful are you not
allowing your resentment to be created
i am there's almost an intellectual
fight between them
at the same time as that's going on
there's something totally harmonious
happening between them
physically
and never allow yourself to be blinded
by prejudice
i have not may i ask to what these
questions turn
[Music]
really to the illustration of your
character i'm trying to make it out
and what is your success i do not get on
at all
i hear such different accounts of you as
to puzzle me exceedingly
[Music]
you should feel when you look at the
dance these are two people who
are going to at some point really get on
extremely well
[Music]
editing is the third aspect of the whole
production process
you have pre-production you have the
actual production itself and then you
have post-production
uh which is almost entirely editing it's
the editing process and how
you put it together you can change the
whole
focus of a scene simply by staying on
one shot one second longer than another
[Music]
the beauty of the love between darcy
and and elizabeth that it is held back
almost to the last moment and and it's
the timing of the shots between the two
of them
uh too long in either way would have uh
made it self-conscious but it's not it
is just the right time
[Music]
i think as far as music concerned
actually what you do in a sense is
provide
a fourth dimension something which is
not said or
seen in terms of the visual action but
something
more abstract which is thought and and
hinted at
now you can ruin it by making it too
strong
too obvious but you can help it
by just in some mysterious way
keep it going in a romantic sense please
allow me
to thank you on behalf of all my family
since
they don't know to whom they are
indebted
if you will thank me let it be for
yourself alone
your family owes me nothing much as i
respect them i believe i thought only of
you
you are too generous to try for with me
if your feelings are what they were last
april tell me so at once
my affections and wishes are unchanged
but one word from you will silence me on
this subject forever
oh my feelings my feelings are
ashamed to remember what i said then
my feelings are so different
in fact they are quite the opposite
[Music]
oh it's a lovely book um
it's a classic love story even the
fellas on the unit who don't really
normally like much period drama they
they've all read it and they think it's
wonderful they couldn't put it down
so they've had a few of the problems
saying oh it's great
we all hope that we've done justice to
this fantastic
book of jane austen's this fantastic
story
i mean we've all gone to a lot of
trouble not only from the acting
department every department
um the design of the costumes and the
the wigs if necessary and the makeup
we're not allowed to wear any
makeup and mascara and things which is
in quite a shock to some of us
not to be able to put a flick of mascara
on but we've tried to
stick absolutely and make it as real and
authentic as possible
i've read it now hundreds of times but
every single time
i wait to see if elizabeth and darcy are
going to get together
i still suspend my disbelief until until
that moment and i long for them for it
to work out
so it is the best romance
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
you
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