I was gifted this word search years ago as a Christmas gift, I always meant to use it but had misplaced it in my last move. I found it and decided to crack it open and try it out.
The book is a collection of word searches, but not just word searches, with some pages having passages from Jane Austen texts, to having you solve anagrams to find the words to search for, answer trivia questions, fill in quotes, etc.
The word searches run from easy passages with an average collection of words to very difficult ones with large passages from Austen’s novels and with tiny printed word searches.
You might need one of these.
It is a fun diversion, and there are only two things I didn’t like. The last word search in the book was on Austen adaptions and has questions about actors, screenwriters, and directors. My complaint is that they got one of the names wrong, listing Jeremy Northam as Jeremy Thompson.
What??
Probably a printer’s error.
The other thing I disliked is that it is spiral bound and my kittens keep trying to bite the metal. I have to shelve it pages out to keep them from it.
But I otherwise found it a fun and diverting thing to do, especially with these past rainy days.
You might be thinking another post on the many retellings of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice? Don’t we already have a few posts on that?
Yes, but the problem is that there are just sooooooooo many books and films based on Pride and Prejudice…
Or read it, or watch it.
I decided that instead of doing an endless list, I would do a post of thirty, then make another post with thirty. To see the first installment of Pride and Prejudice works I have reviewed, click here: Happy Birthday Pride and Prejudice.
To succeed in polite society, a young woman must be many things. Kind… well-read… and accomplished. But to survive in the world as WE know it, you’ll need… other qualities.
So every year I have been trying to find a way to include Jane Austen in my Horrorfest posts. I lucked out with Death Comes to Pemberley as that gave me two years, (I posted in between as three years seemed a really long break.); and I was also able to reviewthe Midsomer Murders episode “Death by Persuasion“. Then I reviewed Northanger Abbey (2007), Northanger Abbey (1987), and Wishbone’s Northanger Abbey episode. But what to review next? I was trying to decide and it needed to be Pride and Prejudice related as every month I am reviewing sometime to celebrate the 210th anniversary of the book. I had to go with the film I had been putting off for seven years: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
It’s no secret that I hated the book, (you can read my review of it here), so my expectations for the film were very, very low.
But I try to keep an open mind. It might surprise me.
Like that will happen
No but seriously, I am going to try and keep an open mind. And to make sure I stay on track my sister is joining me. She has not read the book and has a completely blank slate to work off of. I took written notes while watching and have put them on here verbatim.
The film starts off not on Elizabeth but with Mr. Darcy. That is kind of an odd choice as I’ve never see a Pride and Prejudice film that gives us a pov of Mr. Darcy first. Everything is told from Elizabeth’s pov coloring the narrative in her favor and according to her thoughts and emotions.
We start with the terrible bloodbath that occurs at Netherfield Park pre-Bingley’s. Darcy is a Colonel in this.
Yes, his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam does not exist in this world. I didn’t really like that, but I guess it saved them money.
Anyways he arrives and thus far I like the scenery and the costumes. The way his coat swooshes so. The one thing I do not like…Sam Riley as Mr. Darcy.
Darcy on the left and Bingley on the right
There is nothing wrong with him and his acting is mostly done well (more on what wasn’t later) but he looks more like how I imagine Edmund Bertram than Mr. Darcy. I mean he doesn’t have to look like this:
Or this:
Sigh!
But he does need a certain air and style.
They also did this actor, Sam Riley, dirty as his wig is terrible, his makeup was not done well as he always looks sallow, and I think the cravat look doesn’t work for him.
So he goes to the house but before he can go inside he has to be checked for bites by a pervy vicar. He goes inside and looks for a zombie, but all appear normal. He relaeases carrion flies who stop and find a Mr. Kingston. This part of the reveal was done very well. Mr. Kingston is jolly and normal but as soon as the carrion flies landed on him his eyes turn red and his whole demeanor changes. Darcy dispatched him and asks after any others who might have been bit. The say there is no one, no family, and Darcy leaves. Unbeknownst to him, Mr. Kingston had a niece who was also bit. While Kingston looked great the makeup ok his niece isn’t as good. Anyways, she has turned and takes the whole house down with her.
That’s not good.
Sorry my phone died and I was unable to finish posting as when I plugged in my phone and waited for it to turn on, I fell asleep.
Mr. Bennet tells his kids about how it all started, giving us the backstory with the zombies. I’m glad that they did as that is one thing I really struggled with when reading the original book.
In this world the rich send their children to Japan to study, while those who go to China are seen as less then. But while they say that, nobody does anything that is distinctly from the East. They all fight the same way.
So the Bennets went to China, while the Darcys and Bingleys went to Japan. I do the think it is interesting that they mention all the countries but nothing about the colonies. Did America get hit too?
Hmmm…
We then meet the Bennet girls and they make Elizabeth (Lily James) so annoying. They have a ball coming up and everyone is excited while Elizabeth has to kill the mood by saying “I don’t want to go to the dance and be treated like a heifer”?
First of all why is going to a ball and dancing seen as less then? Why is it something we should be proud of not being a part? Why is that so “empowering”? Secondly, they live in a depressing world where you could die at any moment; why wouldn’t they want to immediately run to the ball to have some fun in their lives? I know I did!
I really hate how they make “strong empowered woman” a lot of times they just come off condescending and annoying .
I do like how they wrote Mrs. Bennet. She is still very marriage minded but she isn’t all over the place off the wall, more understated. The ladies get ready for the ball and they put them in corsets again, why?
Then we have the ladies arm up and they wear dresses with slits all the way up that shows their chonies (underwear). It’s so weird because why would anyone be comfortable showing that? I didn’t like it.
So annoying
We get to the ball and Mr. Bingley (Douglas Booth) who is absolutely beautiful. His cheekbones are amazing! He also has great hair and fantastic clothes. Even little Jane Pawsten my cat who never watches TV kept looking at him.
Darcy on the left and Bingley on the right
Soooo cute!!!!
The women are hanging out and Charlotte says even with a war on that they should think about marriage. Then Elizabeth says I would never trade my sword for a wedding ring and her tone is very condescending and she treats Charlotte like she’s a dummy for wanting to think about having a family. Elizabeth acts like she’s better than everyone else.
Mrs. Bennet comes over and tells Charlotte she needs to go be with her family and pushes her over there so she can introduce her children to Bingley and Darcy. That made me laugh. This Mrs. Bennet is great.
Mr. Bingley and Jane are super cute as they dance.
In most adaptions of Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth is having fun at the ball and then sits down when she overhears Mr. Darcy call her tolerable. In this, Elizabeth is scowling and mad dogging everyone, looking as if she has a pain. I agree with Darcy, this Elizabeth with her sour face and lemon lips and equally sour attitude, she is only tolerable. Less then…
So annoying
Elizabeth gets upset and storms out, knocking over a glass and causing everyone to laugh and make fun of her. She goes off by herself alone, which seems odd for someone who lives in a world with zombies that are constantly attacking. Like why not let people know where you are going so that you when someone watching your back.
While Elizabeth is outside she is approached by an undead who wants to talk to her. Before she can say anything, Darcy shoots the zombie and saves Elizabeth. Does Elizabeth thank him? No. Instead she yells about how she is capable and has everything under control, but Darcy didn’t know that. Like all he saw was a zombie approaching her and didn’t hesitate to save her, whether or not she could handle it doesn’t matter, she should be grateful that when he thought she was in trouble he saved her. Her attitude is super annoying.
Seriously!
The other thing I find really annoying is that they put in Jane Austen quotes every where but the context is all wrong or the wrong people say them. It’s as if they submitted the script already and then someone pointed oh there wasn’t enough Jane Austen and they did a quick google search and just inserted them in randomly.
The worst!
A zombie horde arrives, and the only people who fight are the Bennet girls which is odd as their are several men who just stand around doing nothing. I’m all for the ladies saving the day, but after all we have seen of Darcy why would he just sit on the side and not help out?
Darcy also falls for Elizabeth when he sees her fight, but when he lists off her features, first of all it’s very weird and the heifer analogy fits perfectly here; he also says it in a deadpan sounding like he’s reading off a list of ingredients and not a man who sees a woman he favors.
Ugh!
Also it’s weird that after all that killing the Bennets are spotless, no blood when it has been gushing. They must have forgotten to fix it in post.
From Clueless
That night Jane and Elizabeth talk over the ball and Elizabeth is hating on Darcy for absolutely no reason which I find very annoying as he didn’t do anything. Jane gets invited to the Bingleys for tea and her mom insists she takes the horse. She does so and not only gets caught in the rain but a zombie attack, including a truly gross zombie baby!
Zombies from Night of the Living Dead
Luckily she survives, but her gun backfired and tore her hand. I really like that they show that as guns back then were so unreliable, more often than not using one put the shooter at risk.
Jane arrives at the Bingleys and is ill, Elizabeth coming soon to care for her. Darcy is uncertain if she is okay, worried she will turn into a zombie but the doctor sees no bites. He tries his carrion flies trick but Elizabeth grabs them all and kills them. This would be a cool scene except it looks super fake. They did a better job in The Karate Kid.
They try to recreate a scene from Pride and Prejudice when Darcy says what his ideal woman is, but it falls flat. Everything about what they value in women, being presented, it all rings hollow in a world surrounded by zombies. It doesn’t make any sense. The Bingley women talk in Japanese to make Elizabeth feel bad and she talks in Chinese, but it just feels worthless. We don’t learn anything new about our characters and it loses the heart of the original content.
Have to pause my writing as I need to go to work. I’ll be back at my lunch break to finish up.
This Elizabeth doesn’t come off as witty but much more mean spirited and when Caroline says she Elizabeth is one who demeans their gender, I have to agree. One of the things you enjoy about Elizabeth’s character is her wit, ability to life, and joy; this Elizabeth is always serious and dour. Instead of being an opposite to Darcy they are exactly the same. We are missing this Elizabeth.
The Bennet family comes for Jane and they all leave. As they are traveling they see that the orphanage has been turned to zombies but none of the ladies fight them, take them out, report them to the authorities. It’s really odd as they are always acting like hardcore fighters and wanting to prove their mettle; but here is a threat and they just ignore it and then only for them to come up another day? It seemed like an odd choice. And for me it goes double for Darcy who is a Colonel and always dispatching them; why doesn’t he take care of the orphanage? Why just let the zombies roam about? Do they only care when it’s a party?
Not long after the ladies get word that they will be having a special visitor and Mr. Collins comes to town. I was really hesitant as I had interviews on the direction Matt Smith chose to go in portraying Mr. Collins, but he actually turned out to be the best part of the movie. He was funny, had perfect timing, was interesting, a much different Mr. Collins then I’d ever seen before, clueless but not bumbling, and a delight. I like how he had his catchphrase of “Oh, fuddle”. Everything from his manner, timing, lines, etc; was perfect.
Mr. Collins comes and announces at the table that he wants to marry Jane, odd as Mr. Collins always had an air of doing the “appropriate” thing in the “appropriate” way. When he finds out she is just as good as engaged, he immediately announces going after Elizabeth. While the scene is funny, and against Regnecy etiquette, it is odd to write it that way and then have the characters act like it didn’t happen for several scenes when Mr. Collins proposes again. What’s the point? Why do it twice? It’s a weird choice.
They decide to walk into town and instead of all the Bennet girls carrying their own gun, one sister Carrie’s all the guns. Why? To be funny? It’s also kind of odd that they always talk about their Chinese training but they seem to hardly use Chinese weapons.
They come across a zombie and take forever to kill it, taking to it first. Is that what they were trained to do? Or is it harder for them to kill immediately because both of the zombies were women? Because they lived in the village? Why do the Bennet sisters wait and chat? I mean the zombie was practically in Jane’s face.
Hmm…
This attack was a little different as the zombies had et a trap for them, which is interesting as that’s not something you see. Zombies aren’t really known for having brains, just for eating them.
Sorry!
This is troubling as it means they are getting smarter…
They continue to town and Elizabeth is struggling with carrying all the guns and Mr. Collins helps her, stacking them on top of each other better and leaving her to do it on her own. You know, Mr. Collins isn’t looking too bad. He doesn’t know how to fight so Elizabeth will have to keep up her training to protect him, he let her carry her own weapons so he’s acknowledging her strength, and if she marries him she’ll live down the street from the best zombie fighter in the world: Lady Catherine. I think they actually should get married and would do well together.
They get into town and run into Mr. Wickham (Jack Huston) and Dennys who are both not wearing their army coats-weird. Mr. Collins is hilarious as he instantly dislikes the two and tries to shepherd the girls into their aunt’s home. Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley also run into them with Mr. Darcy taking off like a shot. Immediately after Wickham can’t stay but before he lets Elizabeth leave he unloads everything about the bad blood between him and Darcy.
Yes in the book Wickham moves fast, but they spend time together first and he does that manipulative thing where they go “I really shouldn’t…” In this she literally spent two seconds with him, Darcy left, and then two seconds later he is telling her everything. It’s weird. It’s also a giant red flag don’t believe him!
The Netherfield Ball comes and guess who showed up. MR WICKHAM! Argh! That’s not supposed to happen! It’s supposed to be part of sent she believes Darcy later as Wickham lied and is a big fat liar!!! But he came! And not only that he says the line that Darcy couldn’t Mee him away. See what I mean about the random Jane Austen quotes. He does say that in the book but it is all a lie and false bravado. Ay, yi, yi.
Too late!
Sorry WordPress kept glitching and my lunch ended.
They are at the ball and Mr. Collins is actually flirting well. Again, Matt Smith is the best thing in this film.
At the ball Elizabeth and Bingley discover a zombie at Netherfield. Bingley wants to get help and Elizabeth tells him that there is no time and they try and destroy them, but there are far more than they can handle as first of all, Bingley isn’t the best fighter, and secondly he gets knocked out right away. Elizabeth talks to the zombies and finds out that their “new friend” let them into the house.
Why does Elizabeth talk to the zombies all the time? How come she never just kills them? Is that the difference between the Chinese and Japanese Zombie killing schools?
Darcy comes in and saves the day and Elizabeth is angry at him. He is prepared to do what he must to save everyone, which means killing his best friend if he has been bit, but Elizabeth assured him that he was only knocked out.
Elizabeth is angry at Darcy and yells at him that he should be a better friend and my sister and I were both like:
He just saved his friend when you almost got him his friend killed! Like seriously, girl.
Ugh…this guy
The next day the Bingleys and Darcy leave. It is supposed to be because he overheard her mother describing Bingley as a prime roast, but to be honest I feel like this is a great idea as Elizabeth almost got Bingley killed and I would be afraid that her recklessness would cause his death as well.
Darcy + Bingley, besties for life
Mr. Collins asks Elizabeth to marry him but she refuses. Mr. Collins is nice about it and doesn’t cause a big stink, but moves on to Charlotte.
Elizabeth is always running around on her own and never letting anyone know; along with not having weapons. She does it again and goes to a cemetery (the most unsafe place) and sees four horsemen in black top hats. They look a lot like the four horseman of the apocalypse that will bring the end of the world (something mentioned at the beginning of the film). But then Wickham appears and they disappear.
Okay, this was not in the book and I have no clue where this is going. Is Wickham part of this? Did he bring the zombies? Is he summoning them? Is he a zombie? Does he want to be king of the zombies? Something is definitely up here. My sister is definitely convinced that he wants to be King of the Zombies.
Zombies!
Mr. Wickham wants to take Elizabeth to a secret spot and tells her that he wants to show her something that “he was meant to always find”.
That is super creepy! Why does he keep saying it like that.
Creepy…
He takes her really far away, which is weird-no one I. Her family cares? And he takes her to a church, Saint Lazarus.
What??
They go to the church and it is packed, and it’s not a Sunday. And it turns out to be full of zombies.
The zombies act like normal people as it turns out as long as they haven’t eaten human brains they will stay that way and never fully turn. It kind of felt a little like Warm Bodies.
He’s convinced that if they keep them that way they can be parts of society and they can end the war. However, no one will listen to him. Elizabeth tells him he should come to Rosing Park as she will be there with Charlotte and Mr. Collins and perhaps she can convince Lady Catherine to listen.
They go and I can’t believe Lady Catherine let him in her house. She might not know all the particulars, but I’m sure she still knows that he is a terrible scoundrel.
So I’m not quite sure what is going on as we are completely diverting from the book. Mr. Collins mentions an antichrist who will rule the zombies and I’m like what?
Maybe Wickham is the Antichrist. Maybe he was born on 6/6/1786?
Lady Catherine doesn’t seem to want to do anything and that night Elizabeth goes strolling the grounds in her nightgown without any weapons again. She runs into Wickham who is acting weird and thinks there is a lot more in this relationship than is there. He wants her to be his Zombie Queen!
Wickham wants them to all coexist but then he goes on this tangent about hating the rich and getting rid of the aristocrats but he still wants to be in control. He gets mad at Elizabeth for not wanting to run off with his new world order and reveals that Darcy is the reason why the Bingleys left and left Jane.
The next day Darcy goes to see a very upset Elizabeth and tells her how he feels. She gets really upset and starts fighting him. I didn’t like this scene as it made me really uncomfortable. Darcy cuts off her buttons so her shift is showing, he ends up on top of her. Afterwards the room is a mess with Elizabeth crying and a torn dress. Like it looks like something unmentionable happened.
Darcy sends Elizabeth a letter but they mess that up too. Elizabeth is upset and what she has read and feels bad about it. It does drop a big bomb, Wickham killed Mr. Darcy’s dad!
Lady Catherine comes to the Bennets to see Elizabeth and the two fight for honor. Elziabetb can’t fight Lady Catherine but her 300lb proxy. Elizabeth wins of course, and gets Lady Catherine’s respect. The zombie horde is worse and Lydia has run off with Wickham. The Bennets go to Rosings for safety while Jane and Elizabeth go to track Lydia down.
They run into the army’s blockade and into Darcy and Bingley; with Jane saving Bingley. Elizabeth tells them what happened to Lydia and she tells them where he can find Wickham. Darcy believes that Wickham is the one that needs to be stopped and heads into the enemy territory. He puts human brains in the church to turn the zombies and goes to save Lydia. It turns out to have all been a trap.
Wickham saw the attraction between Elizabeth and Darcy and even if that wasn’t enough, Lydia is the same age as Georgiana; he knew Darcy would come. But the zombies have turned and start attacking which lets Darcy escape with Lydia and send her to safety.
Darcy stays behind to fight Wickham who survived the craziness of the zombies. He must be but it have done so. Maybe he hasn’t eaten human brains yet?
Hmm…?
So it does turn out that Wickham has been bit and that has pushed him to pursue the antichrist role. He almost kills Darcy but it stopped by Elizabeth who saves him and takes him to safety just as they blow the bridge. They are saved, Elizabeth and Darcy are together, Jane and Bingley are together, the Bennets are staying with Lady Catherine, and they have a double wedding…which is interrupted by Wickham and the zombie horde.
So this movie is kind of a mess. While I didn’t like the book, at least it was a conclusive story. They never fully explore the antichrist and four horsemen storyline. Like what happened to them? Did they go back to hell or were they killed in the explosion? Was Wickham the actual antichrist or just tying to be? He did survive, after all.
The acting was okay, I think Jane, Bingley, and Mr Collins were the best in this film. The fighting was choreographed well. I wouldn’t watch it again and I would not recommend it.
So that end another Horrorfest!!! I hope you all enjoyed it! Sorry the review took so long but WordPress kept glitching.
I hope you all have a fantastic and safe Halloween!
11 years of celebrating Jane Austen (and a few other things!)
11 Years! I still can’t believe that much time has past. I wasn’t even sure if I’d still be blogging all these years later when I started; but here I am still typing away.
And to celebrate, as usual, I decided to watch + review a Jane Austen film or TV show with my niece. Now I typically review them with my niece “G”, but unfortunately this year she spent half her time staying with my brother and hanging out with my other niece and had to go back earlier than usual as she had a dog sitting job.
So instead I decided to watch something with my younger niece “E” who is 6 years old. After all, you have to brainwash start them young.
The post was popular and my niece and I had a lot of fun doing it. We decided to continue the following year, but this time I had her watch Northanger Abbey (2007).
Also last year my younger six year old niece and I watched the WishboneNorthanger Abbey episode “Pup Fiction” for my Horrorfest posts. I loved Wishbone as a kid and used to watch every episode and later read the books the episodes were based on. I decided this year to have my niece watch the Pride and Prejudice Wishbone version.
I refer to my niece as “E” in this post.
For those who have never seen Wishbone, it follows the titular Jack Russell Terrier as he reads books and imagines himself as a character in the book. When Wishbone is the character all others see him as that character and not as a dog. Wishbone belongs to Joe Talbot, but he also hangs out with a lot of other kids in the neighborhood.
We start off with Joe’s school having a beach party dance that weekend. Joe and his friends David and Samantha are planning to go, but then get bullied by a mean kid, Dumont. Dumont pressures them into thinking they need to bring a date to the party to be cool. Wishbone is able to stop the Dumont by sticking his dirty paws on Dumont’s pants.
E: [Laughs]
Me: Serves him right.
At Joe’s house the kids share how they are now feeling nervous. Parties can make lots of people nervous, which is our segueway to Pride and Prejudice; starring Wishbone as Mr. Darcy.
Elizabeth (Dee Hennigan) and Jane are picking flowers when they receive an invitation to a ball! I have to say this Mrs. Bennet is the most normal, as she is still eager to have her daughters married off but she isn’t as over the top as other versions of Pride and Prejudice.
Me: Lizzy says how we behave is more important then a how you dress. Do you think that is true?
E: Yes.
At the ball Mrs. Bennet introduces Jane to Bingley and her other daughters as “other daughters”. That made me laugh really hard as it was a perfect delivery. I have to say I do think this Mrs. Bennet is one of the top ten versions.
Miss Bingley is introduced to the Bennets and acts like such a snob. Then we met Mr. Darcy, played by Wishbone, someone who is so nervous that he seems rude.
Mr. Bingley asks Jane to dance.
E: He likes Jane.
Me: He does.
While Mrs. Bennet is great, the one who really steals the scenes is Caroline Bingley (Jeanne Simpson). Not only is she outright rude to Elizabeth, but when a woman makes eyes at Darcy she trips them but makes it look like they bumped her shin and she is so over dramatic she ends up tossing her pearls in the punch bowl. She reminds me of Cornelia Bullock in My Man Godfrey.
Bingley tries to get Darcy to dance, but he’s not interested. Elizabeth overhears the exchange and is not happy.
Back in the real world, Joe is all confused and feeling self conscious. He asks his mom to buy him some new shoes so he can be cool. However, mom is not going to buy him expensive shoes to try and make people like him. Wishbone agrees as he has a ton of people like him and he only wears a collar.
The next day the friend trio (Joe, David, and Samantha) are going to the library when Joe’s friend Sam shares that she heard David is taking a date, a girl named Amanda. Sam tells David and David is confused and shares a rumor he heard that Sam asked a boy to the dance, Nathaniel. She denies this. Uh-oh.
This is our segueway back to Jane Austen as Caroline wants Mr. Darcy and spreads rumors about them being together in the hope that it will split them apart.
But the rumors have the opposite effect as Mr. Darcy starts thinking about Elizabeth in a new light. However, Elizabeth isn’t doing the same as she just met George Wickham.
Mr. Wickham takes Elizabeth on a walks around the room and shares a bunch of lies really loudly so the whole tea party hears him.
Me: He’s talking like really loud.
E: Yeah.
The next scene is at Netherfield Ball and I LOVE this Caroline Bingley. She is the best version I have ever seen. She has not one, but two footman follow her around and bring her treats when she wants to eat; basically take care of her every whim. She’s amazing and I challenge anyone to find a better version; I don’t believe you can.
Caroline tried to sling a barb at Elizabeth insulting her lack of dowry, but Elizabeth counters with Caroline’s own lack of gentility. Well done too, a shot right to her merchant background.
Sick burn.
Wishbone is so darn cute. Although I am a little sad that a dog can dance a regency dance far better than me.
Darcy fumbles during the dance trying to talk to Elizabeth but does encourage her not to believe everything she hears, or what everyone tells her about him.
Back in the real world Sam and David are angry about the rumors, blaming each other. Joe goes home and is still hung up on how Dumont called him lame. He shares what happened with his mom, and how he’s upset now that this messed up their plans for the dance and he is stuck in the middle.
Back in Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Bingley is besotted. Caroline and Darcy warn him that Jane isn’t suited to their type of society; although Bingley was about to change Darcy’s mind; however Caroline convinces them to leave. The Bennets are sad, Jane most of all.
Back in the real world Joe is trying to get to the bottom of the rumors. Amanda and Nathaniel heard other things and Joe shares them with Sam who gets really angry. Come on Sam, don’t shoot the messenger.
Back in Pride and Prejudice, Darcy and Elizabeth have met up again while Elizabeth tolerates him, Darcy has fallen for her. Elizabeth is surprised by Darcy’s proposal and is actually into Darcy in this version…that is until he starts going on about why he’s surprised he fell for her. That of course encourages her to give him a hard pass.
Back in the real world David sees Joe outside Sam’s and accuses him of taking her side. Joe tries to tell David he came to check on her and was going to do the same for David but David is not having it.
That night at the dance Joe is not having any fun. Joe brings Sam and David together to try and get them to apologize. All do and our friend group is back together.
Back in Pride and Prejudice Mr. Darcy apologizes and brings Bingley back.
Elizabeth finds out Wickham is a liar and all ends happily ever after.
Back in the real world we find out Dumont was behind the rumors. The friends have a great time and it ends happily for them as well.
At the end we have a snippet about the importance of a choreographer for this episode and what their job entails. And as always, it ends reminding you to visit your local library.
Me: What do you think? You were so quiet this time. Did you like it?
E: Yes I really liked it. I was just busy with the kitties.
The 11th anniversary is steel, jewelry, or tulips. As usual I look through the past years and try to find some posts that fit that theme. They aren’t always my favorite posts, but the first ones I could find that match the theme.
For 2014 I have a jewelry with a watch that has “HELl” scratched on the back, found around the neck of a cat; which begins our amateur sleuth’s mystery solving in That Darn Cat, from my 30 Day Challenge: Disney Edition.
On Saint Patrick’s Day, my sister and I wanted to watch As Luck Would Have It, but I needed a Hallmark subscription and signed up for the seven day trial with full intention to end it as soon as the film was over.
Even though I chose not to renew the subscription, I still had the rest of the week to use it and decided to peruse what films and TV shows were being offered. Once such film I saw was Unleashing Mr. Darcy and I figured why not take advantage and use this time to review it.
This movie was terrible! I struggled so much with watching it that I actually had to stop watching it twice as the Elizabeth depicted in this was one of the worst I have ever seen.
The hallmark film is based off a book and while Unleashing Mr. Darcy could be seen as clever; I’d rather it be called Elizabeth Bennet the Incredibly Rude Girl.
Ugh…this girl
The film starts off with Elizabeth Scott (Cindy Busby), a history teacher, being bribed by the father of one of her students who wants his son to get a passing grade so he can continue to win at lacrosse. She refuses most definitely and then decides to spend her birthday doing her favorite thing; attending a dog show with her pup.
At the dog show she spots the very handsome dog show judge, Donovan Darcy (Ryan Pavey), and is smitten. When it is her turn to be judged; Darcy is extremely professional and this upsets Elizabeth. She’s mad that he didn’t fawn over her or “at least smile” as she tells him.
Yes, she’s incredibly rude to a judge who is currently judging her dog. She’s astonishingly unprofessional and rude. She then goes to her sister and friend and talks bad about Darcy, even though he did nothing wrong.
Elizabeth wins the dog show and instead of being pleased that Darcy is a professional and judged her on her dog’s merits than her terrible rudeness, she continues to talk about how terrible he is, when he did nothing to her.
Wow!
Afterwards they go out to celebrate Elizabeth’s birthday when it just so happens Darcy is eating there too with his sister. He is polite and says hello; along with introducing his sister, Zara. Zara makes a joke about her brother being important and her being a little person and Elizabeth is incredibly rude again, to his face and in front of everyone!
Her sister and family friend all are in shock, but Elizabeth defends her rudeness claiming he had it coming and that even his sister doesn’t like him. Ugh I had to stop watching as I really wanted to smack this girl.
Seriously!
After a day I picked up the film and Elizabeth gets accused of asking the parent for a bribe (the parent lying about what really happened) and is suspended. She is later let go and without anything else to do, she takes up her friend’s offer to be a dog handler and train her dogs. She moves to New York City to stay with the family friend, and moves right across the street from Darcy.
When she sees Darcy she continues to be incredibly rude to him for absolutely no reason at all and he remains classy and polite to her; although I don’t know why as she doesn’t deserve it.
Darcy’s dog is having puppies and he invites Elizabeth to see them. She goes over but he has been called away with a work emergency (she being very rude about it) and meets Darcy’s aunt and “supposed fiancé” (his aunt’s choice). Darcy’s aunt is rude but Caroline isn’t that terrible, I would rather she date Darcy than the Elizabeth featured in this film.
I know sacrilege, but I can’t help it, this Elizabeth is terrible.
Later Elizabeth gets word that the father that accused her of bribery, is trying to sue her. She is very upset over it all and goes for a walk with her dog. She runs into Darcy who is polite, asking her about her day and again she is incredibly rude, yelling at him and accusing him of never having a hard day and having no real problems. Mr. Darcy is a gentleman and ignores the terrible behavior; and for some reason that I cannot understand falls for her.
Someone get this boy some help.
Elizabeth later finds out from her friend that Darcy’s “perfect life” (her preconceived notions/prejudices) is not so perfect after all as Darcy is an orphan and he was left in charge of his sister even though she was very young and he was barely out of high school. He really fought to have her as he didn’t want them to be separated as he didn’t want Zara to lose another person in her life. Yeah feel bad Elizabeth, feel bad.
Again I had to take a break as she was just so infuriating. It turns out Elizabeth is fantastic at dog showing and winning ribbon after ribbon. Her friend continues to try and match Darcy and Elizabeth up, constantly trying to find a way to throw them together, etc.
In the end they have their happily ever after but I hated this film. Elizabeth was rude and immature; having none of the warmth or wit that causes viewers to admire her. Darcy was perfectly fine and I didn’t understand her dislike as nothing he did merited this “disgust or frustration.” He never insulted her or did anything to deserve this ire.
The only good part of the film was the Henry and Jenna/Mr. Bingley and Jane scenes as they were adorable. The problem was there wasn’t enough of them.
janeaustenrunsmylife 