These are hard times for romance - so lose yourself in 'Lost in Austen'

These are hard times for romance

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=E5Q-FcWhEEE

Amanda Price with a copy of Pride and Prejudice in her hand
(image from fanpop)

Contrary to that truth which is universally acknowledged – Elizabeth Bennet does not end up with Fitzwilliam Darcy in this modern time traveling version of Pride and Prejudice. I’m sorry – I couldn’t resist beginning with those words! For those of you who have stumbled upon this article looking to buy Impulse body sprays I must disappoint you – you won’t find any here.

ITV’s mini-series, four parts in total, is about modern girl Amanda Price who escapes the mundaness of everyday life each night by losing herself in the world of Pride and Prejudice. By a sheer stroke of luck (and coincidence of course) she finds Elizabeth Bennet in her bathroom. A secret locked door in the bathroom is a portal to another world – and what do you know, it is the world of Pride and Prejudice. Amanda becomes trapped on the other side of the door – in the world of Elizabeth Bennet, whilst Elizabeth is in modern day England. The mini series follows Amanda Price and how her presence affects the well-known plot of Pride and Prejudice.

My rather simplified version of the plot does no justice to the series. It does not mention, for example, that Jane Bennet in a desperate attempt to save her family financially marries Mr Collins, that Caroline Bingley is actually …well, how to put this delicately – Miss Bingley prefers the company of woman, nor does it mention Lydia’s elopement with Mr Bingley.

The most obvious and striking deviation from the novel in this mini-series would have to be in the character of Wickham. I hope you’re sitting down because in Lost in Austen Wickham, the very man who attempted to seduce Darcy’s sister – is a ‘goody’, an honourable man. And not only that, dare I say it, I’ve grown quite fond of him!

However, much remains the same. The writers have wisely preserved the original character of Mrs Bennet. She is as wifty as ever and I spent a great deal of time wondering how the Bennet sisters’ repressed their matricidal urges. Pride and Prejudice meets Psycho would perhaps be a hit one day.

Darcy is as ‘insufferable’ as he is in the book and Amanda responds to him much in the same way Elizabeth does in the novel. Amanda is determined to keep the central plot of Pride and Prejudice intact – the story of Darcy and Elizabeth. However, being a hapless frustrated romantic in our modern world (these are hard times for romance) she quickly falls in love with the honourable gentleman Mr Darcy. The absence of Elizabeth means Darcy soon reciprocates Amanda’s feelings.

I loved the character of Mr Bennet played fantastically by Hugh Bonneville and I was pleased to see that he was portrayed to be as silly as Mrs Bennet, an impression I’ve always had from reading the novel.

Of course we must mention the cultural clash. For example, at Bingley’s ball Amanda drinks too much, pops outside for a fag (you breathe fire?) and ‘necks’ Mr Bingley. Oh the shame. At one point she asks for something to brush her teeth with and is provided by what looks like twigs from my local park! Perhaps the most amusing cultural clash depicted in this mini-series is when Darcy retracts his proposal to Amanda Price on the grounds that she is not a ‘maid’. That had me in fits.

But all is well that ends well. I won’t spoil the ending too much but I can tell you that somehow most of the plot of Pride and Prejudice is restored and both Elizabeth and Amanda get what they desire most.

I think there are some who have taken this mini series far too seriously. It is a bit of fun. I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it was very imaginative. Those savage critics who dug into this deeply should be wary of succumbing to the defects of Darcy and Elizabeth – in the former a propensity to hate everybody and in the latter to willfully misunderstand everybody. In the words of Jane Bennet – laugh as much you choose, but you will not laugh me out of my opinion!