Jane Austen discussion

I don't keep up-to-the-minute on films but a few things do catch my eye, like productions where I'll find some favorite actors. Look at this:

Colin Firth & The King's Speech There are both great info and interviews of Colin Firth in the upcoming movie "The King's Speech." Check it out if you love Colin and especially the early 20th century era.

Oh, I just now see that Jennifer Ehle plays a role in the film too.

The Enchanted Serenity blog itself is very good. It really is a compendium of period films, you'll want to bookmark it.

Thanks Sarah, this looks interesting!

I'll have to come back to read Colin's interview. I've read some of his previous ones, and he can be very intense (which I love!), but it means you can't just skim through.

And Helena Bonham Carter as the young Queen Mother?? I'm afraid that may be a stretch for her - not acting-wise, but regarding make-up. The Queen Mum was never thought a beauty, while Bonham Carter obviously is.

Robin, here's a lovely portrait of her from 1925. I honestly haven't seen a lot of early photos of her -- I am very behind on my history of recent royals really! I just went to Wikip. for this one just now :)

Lovely Duchess

Nevertheless, it should be a fine film experience watching Colin and Helena along with other good cast members. We'll compare notes once we've all seen it!

Yes, it is lovely of her.

However, I must comment that it is a portrait, and (imo) the artist enhanced her looks somewhat. If you Google Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, (the Queen Mum's maiden name), you'll find a lot of photos of her. They are very stylized from the 20s and 30s (I really like the styles of that era!), but she just wasn't pretty.

Should be a fun film to watch, though! :)

I will take a look at that video, I like Colin Firth as well. I am the other Robin, the bird , not the bookshelf.

lol

Robin, you and I (and the other Robin-s?) should maybe figure something out.

Although, I suppose, if they don't get us confused, why should we care? ;)

yes, we all pretty much all havegreat taste, and we know what we like. 'Nuff said. And we all have distinctive little pic. Since there are so many of us, we can even start our own thread, Jk

You Robins are funny. You could start a very exclusive reading group. I don't know if there are Robins enough to people it, but you might include people with names from nature as well. Like Heather or Rose or Summer or Blossom....what do you think? I'm sad I wouldn't qualify.

SarahC wrote: "...I'm sad I wouldn't qualify. "

Oh, we'd grant you a special dispensation. :)

Thank you, you didn't want to leave me out! Ahhh! I could come up with a nickname maybe that would qualify!

Sure, whatever name strikes your fancy, we are all inclusive.LOL

I think it's interesting how Colin Firth became a heartthrob after P&P and has had quite a career however Jennifer Ehle has been pretty much under the radar. Maybe if they had starred in P&P w/Zombies back in 1995 maybe she would have received more attention since, presumably, there would have been more men in the theatre.

Thoughts?

That is an interesting thought, but Pride & Prej. and Zombies isn't really my thing, so I can't comment really. I did see her in one film a few years ago, but am not sure what Ehle has been doing with her career.

Thanks for posting this link, Sarah! I have been anticipating this film, and the Enchanted Serenity blog is one of my faves!

I do wish Jennifer Ehle worked more, too! She had a role in Michael Clayton with George Clooney that got cut, but I hope she's in more soon!

I thought she did a terrific job as Lizzie in Pride and Prejudice with Colin. I haven't seen her in anything of late either. I wonder what their chemistry was like in the King's Speech, I will definitely see that movie.

Sarah, that really is an interesting site; I hadn't heard a thing about "The King's Speech", so now I can keep my eyes peeled for it! I, too, wish Jennifer Ehle was more available. I thought she was the perfect Elizabeth Bennet, and it would have been nice to see her career go as far as Colin Firth's. You're right, Amber, we need more men in the theaters. Maybe we should help re-name some movies. Instead of P & P, how about "Seduction and Fast Carriages"?

Would Colin Firth star is this, Karlyne?

Robin wrote: "Would Colin Firth star is this, Karlyne?"

Baby, he'd own it!! lol

Sure would Robin.LOL

We just saw The King's Speech last night and it was outstanding. Colin Firth is in nearly every scene and gives an Oscar-worthy performance. Not only does Jennifer Ehle play a small role, but there is also a funny bit with David Bamber, the Mr. Collins from the '95 Pride and Prejudice.

J. wrote: "We just saw The King's Speech last night and it was outstanding. Colin Firth is in nearly every scene and gives an Oscar-worthy performance. Not only does Jennifer Ehle play a small role, but there..."

I agree with J. I watched the film last week and loved it. Firth's performance is brilliant and also Helena Bonham-Carter and Geoffrey Rush.
I would totally recommend "A Single Man" also starring Colin Firth, released in 2009. He is simply perfect in that one.

Colin is an amazing actor, not only because he is tall, dark and handsome, but he is eminently talented, right ladies!

I recently saw a very dark independent film from the 80s starring Firth and Hart Bochner (maybe most familiar as the smarmy colleague to Bruce Willis' wife in Die Hard) - it was called "Apartment Zero" and it was a very compelling and disturbing. It had a political subplot that I think it could have done without - the relationship between Firth and Bochner was strong enough to sustain the film.
Also loved Firth in "The Girl with a Pearl Earring" - a beautiful film.

I enjoyed "Girl with a Pearl Earring" also - really wonderful film. I kept forgetting that it was Colin Firth - I just got so sucked into the story.

I saw this last night as well and loved it! I totally forgot Jennifer Ehle was in it until the credits came on. I wish they had cast her as Colin's wife instead for all of us P&P fans. That would have been a lovely thing!

Was she in this? As one of the sisters?

I also loved The King's Speech, much more than I thought I would. Jennifer Ehle plays Myrtle Logue, the wife of Geoffrey Rush's character Lionel Logue. It's only a small part, but she was good, even though her Australian accent left a bit to be desired!! She and Colin Firth share one short scene. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush were absolutely brilliant and deserve any and all acting awards they get. I saw the film on the same day that I saw Geoffrey Rush on stage in Sydney (in Diary of a Madman), so I had my very own Geoffrey Rush mini-festival!

Congratulations to Colin. A well deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainme...

Yay Colin!!

One of the linked articles also said he may receive his second Oscar nomination for The King's Speech.

Here's hoping!

We are all crossing our fingers here on this thread that he wins.

Congratulations to Colin for his Oscar nod!

I just heard that Colin Firth will be interviewed on the Piers Morgan show tonight 1/28 at 9 PM EST. I don't know the network.

For those who are looking for more Jennifer Ehle films -- she has a terrific role in POSSESSION and her lover is played by Jeremy Northam (AKA Mr. Knightley from the Gwyneth Paltrow version of EMMA). She's very good.

In THE KING'S SPEECH it was interesting to observe -- made up to look somewhat older -- how strongly she resembles her mother, Rosemary Harris. Younger moviegoers will know Harris as Aunt May in the SPIDER-MAN movies, but I have been her fan ever since I saw her play George Sand in a Masterpiece Theatre production called "Notorious Woman" in the 70s. She is a wonderful actress.

SarahC wrote: "I don't keep up-to-the-minute on films but a few things do catch my eye, like productions where I'll find some favorite actors. Look at this:

Colin Firth & The King's Speech There are both great i..."

Check out this recent interview with him in The Scotsman. And the photo with all those amazing dimples!

http://news.scotsman.com/entertainmen...

The Piers Morgan interview had been postponed due to the news from Egypt - was rescheduled for last night. I didn't know about it, and only caught part of it when I was surfing during a commercial break. Perhaps it will be up on youtube.

I just saw "What a Girl Wants" for the first time over the weekend. Colin Firth dancing in his vintage leather pants was absolutely hilarious. He is fearless as an actor and you can tell he doesn't take himself too seriously which is great.

A big round of applause for ACADEMY AWARD WINNER COLIN FIRTH!!!! So happy for him and his acceptance speech cracked me up.

HURRAY FOR COLIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:D

Colin Firth is an awesome actor. Love him in 99% of all the movies he plays in, and I'm happy he won best actor tonight (or was it yesterday?).

Very very glad for Colin Firth. Helen B-Carter was commenting over being pleased that this film was so accepted by such a wide audience also. Maybe some hope that more films like this can have a bigger future.

So extremely happy Colin Firth was finally recognized for his acting talent.

All of his fans have known for years how truly talented he is..now the rest of the world will know!

I adored his performance in the King's Speech and I also thought Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter were brilliant as well!

I have enjoyed so many of Colin's movies over the years and I look forward to more in the future!

Cheers to our Mr Darcy!

Lisa Anne wrote: "Cheers to our Mr Darcy!"

:D

I was so glad he won this year; I was really rooting for him last year (A Single Man was beautiful!) and he was incredible in The King's Speech.

I thought he was Brilliant in A Single Man. I had read the book and he was perfect in that role! Just love Colin. I think I need a Colin Firth film fest this week! :-)

I have yet to read any other novels by the late Christopher Isherwood but I am sure they will be just as brilliant. He masters the written word.


I have to admit....I love the film What a Girl Wants because of Colin. Yes, that scene where he put on his leather pants was priceless.

Really, isn't great knowing that the rest of the world knows what we all have known from the beginning....he is a fabulous talent?!!!!

Colin is the only reason to watch "What a Girl Wants"!! And yes, I've watched it ... well, let's just say more than once. :-)

Lisa Anne wrote: "I thought he was Brilliant in A Single Man. I had read the book and he was perfect in that role! Just love Colin. I think I need a Colin Firth film fest this week! :-)"

I just saw "A Single Man" over the weekend...WOW! is about all I can say. Colin was incredible, especially considering so much of his acting was done completely alone, just him and the camera.

Never saw "A Single Man", Maybe should watch that as well. Loved What a Girl Wants, Didn't get why he even liked the Kelly Preston character. They had absolutely no chemistry. Amanda Bynes was cute in that movie.

I picked up a DVD copy of Nanny McPhee at Target yesterday for $4.75. I am very excited. It has been on my wish list for a long time. Colin and Emma...what's not to love.

I forgot that he is in this one. Nanny McPhee is funny. I liked the whole premise.