“Pride & Prejudice” (2005)

Pride & Prejudice

Brief Description:

Sparks fly when spirited Elizabeth Bennet meets single, rich, and proud Mr. Darcy. But Mr. Darcy reluctantly finds himself falling in love with a woman beneath his class. Can each overcome their own pride and prejudice?

(from IMDb)

Date: 2005

Genre: drama historical fiction romance

Running time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Cast: 

Keira Knightley (Lizzy)

Matthew Macfadyen (Mr. Darcy)

Brenda Blethyn (Mrs. Bennet)

Donald Sutherland (Mr. Bennet)

Tom Hollander (Mr. Collins)

Rosamund Pike (Jane)

Carey Mulligan (Kitty)

Jena Malone (Lydia)

Talulah Riley (Mary)

Judi Dench (Lady Catherine de Bourgh)

Simon Woods (Charles Bingley)

Tamzin Merchant (Georgiana Darcy)

Claudie Blakley (Charlotte Lucas)

Kelly Reilly (Caroline Bingley)

Rupert Friend (George Wickham)

Cornelius Booth (Colonel Fitzwilliam)

Penelope Wilton (Mrs. Gardiner)

Peter Wight (Mr. Gardiner)

Meg Wynn Owen (Mrs. Reynolds)

Sinead Matthews (Betsy)

Roy Holder (Mr. Hill)

Director: Joe Wright

Production company: Universal Pictures, StudioCanal, Working Title Films, & Scion Films

Based on: Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen 

Wikipedia page

Watch on Archive

(watched on DVD)

*Note: this all refers to the American version

Setting/Aesthetic/Feel: 5/5

I’ve read Pride & Prejudice, and I love it. I’ve also known this film for a long time. I never watched it, but my mother had the soundtrack, and so of course Keira Knightley was my image for Lizzy and Matthew Macfadyen for Darcy. I was very excited to finally watch this… and I loved it. 

Okay, so setting. First off, I know the Bennetts didn’t live on a farm. That part is inaccurate, I get it. 

But Darcy’s house, y’all.

AND ALL THE NATURE SCENES. 

oh. my. heart.

The setting stole my heart. 

Characters: 5/5

I think everyone was perfect. Except Jane was a bit too stupid. And Bingley was a bit too dumb. And Wickham is definitely not handsome or charismatic enough. But everyone else is literally perfect. 

Plot: 5/5

Okay, so it only did the major book scenes. It felt like a skim/summary of the book. Unsurprising—SO MUCH HAPPENS in the book. I didn’t care, and I loved it. I felt there weren’t too many changed or added scenes. I loved seeing the scenes happen. AND THE MUSIC IS SO GOOOOOOD.

Romance: 5/5

Darcy & Lizzie 4 ever. That’s all. I grinned like a schoolgirl over them. They’re so mushy-gushy sickly-sweet adorable. 

Theme/Message/Topics: 4/5

I love how this portrayed Charlotte. They brought out the pathos in her story very well. Wish they also brought out how practical and wise it was, but I liked the pathos. 

Content: /5 

Low-necked dresses (typically Regency); a short scene shot where Jane is in her undergarments (a very low undergarment); a shot where Bingley seems to grab at Jane’s backside or something??? A scene where Darcy & Lizzie act like they’re gonna kiss, and two scenes where they do kiss (I don’t know how passionate, I didn’t look lol). Finally, a scene in Darcy’s house where they’re looking at statues and paintings and 90% of them are unclothed. It made me very uncomfortable and I barely watched so I don’t know the specifics. 

Overall: 5/5

I know it has inaccuracies. I also know I adore it and it’s one of my favourite movies and I think it got the P&P aesthetic down pat. 

“Little Women” (2019)

 Little Women

Brief Description:

Jo March reflects back and forth on her life, telling the beloved story of the March sisters—four young women, each determined to live life on her own terms.

(from IMDb)

Date: 2019

Genre: American family historical fiction romance drama

Running time: 2 hours 15 minutes 

Cast: 

Saoirse Ronan (Jo)

Emma Watson (Meg)

Florence Pugh (Amy)

Eliza Scanlen (Beth)

Laura Dern (Marmee)

Timothée Chalamet (Laurie)

Meryl Streep (Aunt March)

Tracy Letts (Mr. Dashwood)

Bob Odenkirk (Father)

James Norton (John)

Louis Garrel (Mr. Bhaer)

Chris Cooper (Mr. Laurence)

Jayne Houdyshell (Hannah)

Rafael Silva (Friedrich’s friend)

Dash Barber (Fred)

Hadley Robinson (Sallie)

Abby Quinn (Annie)

Maryann Plunkett (Mrs. Kirke)

Edward Fletcher (Mr. Laurence's servant)

Sasha Frolova (Mrs. Hummel)

Director: Greta Gerwig

Production company: Columbia Pictures, Regency Enterprises, & Pascal Pictures

Based on: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott  

Wikipedia page

Setting/Aesthetic/Feel: 5/5

I’ve known Little Women since I was a toddler, no joke. I read it probably over a hundred times. I loved LW. I came to this film knowing some friends adored it and some loathed it. 

To start with the setting, feels, and aesthetic, IT WAS PERFECT. I think this film perfectly captured the feel/aesthetic of LW. It was amazing. I loved the colours. I loved the choreography. I loved the way the flashbacks worked. I loved it. 

Characters: 5/5

I only know the 1933 Little Women film—which will always be “my” LW film—so that’s what I will compare this film to. I think Katherine Hepburn will always be Jo to me—with her strong personality and her sharp features and her dramatic acting. But I love how Saoirse Ronan presented Jo. She was much softer and younger and girlier. I loved that different perspective! 

I was not a fan of Emma Watson as Meg. I don’t think anyone can replace Frances Dee as Meg. She’s just perfect. I felt Emma’s Meg was not mature enough nor prim enough, and too modern. Also her features just weren’t Meg for me?? However, Eliza Scanlen was excellent as Beth and Florence Pugh was PERFECT as Amy. Especially grown-up Amy. She was a tad deeper and stronger than Amy in the book,

but she captured her personality SO well. Even as a child. 

At first I had big problems with Laura Dern as Marmee, because I am positive I saw that face somewhere and I had trouble seeing her as a 1865 woman and not a 2015 woman. Once I got into it, though, I really liked her portrayal of Marmee. Specially how she made Marmee pretty and stylish. Such a great take.

I love Douglass Montgomery (1933) as Laurie, but OH MY STARS Timothée Chalamet WAS LAURIE!! He captured so well the different phases of Laurie’s personality—boy Laurie, grown Laurie, Lazy Laurence, and mature Laurie. He didn’t look Laurie as well as Douglass Montgomery, except in Lazy Laurence; but he had that mix of foreign/American that Laurie had. 

Father and Aunt March were pretty good, as was Mr. Dashwood. John wasn’t great—he was too shy and not handsome at all. Mr. Laurence was also not great, and I wasn’t too fond of Hannah?? The 1933 versions of them all were better. Mrs. Kirke was good though. 

HOWEVER. Louis Garrel was TERRIBLE as Mr. Bhaer. The man is French, I swear. His accent is 100% French and 0% German. He also had ALL the French vibes and looks and NO German ones. I’m a francophone who goes to church with Swiss-Germans with heavy accent. I know what I’m talking about. I couldn’t take it. He was sooooo bad.  

EDIT: I checked. HE IS PARISIAN!!! I TOLD YOU SO!!!! 

Plot: 5/5

Yessssssss. It was so good. They did the important scenes from the book, but also did lesser-known ones. They started at the end and worked their way through. If I remember correctly, they added scenes that fit in pretty well. I have no complaints on the plot (except that Meg had a pink instead of a blue dress at the Gardiners’??) I can’t remember anything I disliked and I made no note of anything, so apparently I loved it all! This captured the “in real life” Little Women so well. Somehow made all the characters become so human and relatable. I loved how the sisterly dialogue was written… 

Also. The description of writer life WAS SO GOOD OH MY HEARTTT I LOVED IT ALLLL. 

Romance: 5/5

Really like how they handled Jo + Laurie. I don’t get why everyone thinks Jo & Laurie should have been a thing; it so obviously wouldn’t have worked!! I think they showed it well here. She’s so much more mature. Also, Meg & John’s married life was actually portrayed (THE GREATCOAT SCENE) and I loved it!

Theme/Message/Topics: 3/5

I’ve heard this film was feminist, which I think is inaccurate. It definitely talks about how women had basically no option to make money except by marriage, and how if they did marry they lost their money to their husbands. I think that theme of “how little women can do in the world” was a bit more explored but I forget the details. However, it was pretty true, and I didn’t think it was overdone. Also, it was balanced by the portrayal that marriage and homemaking was just as good and important. There was some feminism, but it wasn’t overdone or bad. 

What I didn’t like was how they took out ALL mention of God. It’s 100% unspiritual. The scene where Marmee and Jo discuss their tempers and how they control them felt SO lacking. It was all on them. All about their strength and their ability to change themselves. Which is already lacking, but when you consider how great and God-filled the book scene is… it’s just kinda sad and empty. 

I seem to recall Bhaer having good stuff to say to Jo?? Can’t remember. But anyways. Like I mentioned, the writer theme was epic. I don’t recall all of it but it was SO inspiring. 

Content: 3/5 

Scenes of girls in their undergarments; mention of a brothel; Jo’s in pants; Meg’s infamous low-necked dress; seven kisses; a scene where Laurie undoes Amy’s pinafore for her (bothered me personally). Also a declaration that “what Jo wills shall be done” in defiance to some line about “God’s will.” 

Overall: 5/5

I loved this film so much I want a copy ASAP. It’s so beautiful. I feel this movie captured the spirit and aesthetic of Little Women perfectly. <3

“Anne of Green Gables” (1985)

 Anne of Green Gables

Brief Description:

An orphan girl, sent to an elderly brother and sister by mistake, charms her new home and community with her fiery spirit and imagination.

(from IMDb)

Date: 1985

Genre: family historical fiction adventure

Running time: 3 hours 19 minutes 

Cast: 

Megan Follows (Anne Shirley)

Colleen Dewhurst (Marilla Cuthbert)

Richard Farnsworth (Matthew Cuthbert)

Patricia Hamilton (Rachel Lynde)

Marilyn Lightstone (Miss Stacy)

Schuyler Grant (Diana Barry)

Jonathan Crombie (Gilbert Blythe)

Charmion King (Aunt Josephine Barry)

Jackie Burroughs (Amelia Evans)

Rosemary Radcliffe (Mrs. Barry)

Joachim Hansen (John Sadler)

Christiane Krüger (Mrs. Allan)

Cedric Smith (Rev. Allan)

Paul Brown (Mr. Phillips)

Miranda de Pencier (Josie Pye)

Trish Nettleton (Jane Andrews)

Jennifer Inch (Ruby Gillis)

Jayne Eastwood (Mrs. Hammond)

Dawn Greenhalgh (Mrs. Cadbury)

Jack Mather (Station Master)

Samantha Langevin (Mrs. Blewett)

Vivian Reis (Mrs. Spencer)

Mag Ruffman (Alice Lawson)

Sean McCann (Dr. O’Reilly)

Roxolana Roslak (Madame Selitsky)

Robert Haley (Professor)

Robert Collins (Mr. Barry)

Morgan Chapman (Minne May Barry)

David Roberts (Tom)

Nancy Beatty (Essie)

David Hughes (Thomas Lynde)

Wendy Lyon (Prissy Andrews)

Zack Ward (Moody Spurgeon MacPherson)

Anna Ferguson (Punch Woman)

Rex Southgate (Section Head)

Julianna Saxton (Pink Woman)

Molly Thom (Lace Woman)

Jennifer Irwin (Student)

Sandra Scott (Mrs. Harrington)

Peter Sturgess (Porter)

Ray Ireland (Mr. Hammond)

Martha Maloney (Fairview Nurse)

Stuart Hamilton (Mme. Selitsky’s Accompanist)

Director: Kevin Sullivan

Production company: CBC

Based on: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Wikipedia page

Setting/Aesthetic/Feel: 5/5

So I have known and loved Anne of Green Gables my whole entire life, read the book like 100 times, and have parts of it basically memorized. I know my AOGG. 

However, this was my first time watching this film. I promise you. I’ve seen a few pictures of it, but I have never seen the film or even clips of it. I went into this with high hopes and plenty of friends and family telling me how good it was and how much they adored it. 

And the setting was PERFECT. The sunset scenes were so amazing, but all the other nature shots were lovely. And the Green Gables atmosphere was epic. 

Characters: 4/5

Okay, Megan Follows was the most perfect Anne I think anyone could be. She did really good. I wasn’t a huge fan of Diana because she was portrayed much stupider than she actually was, and also a bit too old, maybe?? Marilla and Matthew were PERFECTION (particularly Matthew!! sobs) and while Patricia Hamilton didn’t look like Mrs. Rachel, and did’t act the way I felt Mrs. Rachel would, she did a great job and I loved her relationship with Marilla. Epicness. I was SO disappointed by Marilyn Lightstone as Miss Stacy, because she’s too old and not pretty enough; but Charmion King as Miss Barry was AWESOME. Gilbert Blythe… well, he didn’t look much like Gilbert till he slicked back his hair, but he was good-looking and I understand why so many girls had a crush on him. (Before you accuse me of crushing, I didn’t. He’s really not my type. ;P But he’s definitely cute.) However… look, don’t hate me ok? but I hated how they portrayed his character. He was so not like Gilbert from the book. What I loved book-Gilbert for is his character, and they really messed him up here and took out all his honesty and straightforwardness. :(

I haven’t time to highlight everyone else, so a few spotlights: the Allans were interesting (I feel neutral about them, mostly because I had a huge shock at beholding Mr. Allan’s sideburns); Josie Pye and Mr. Phillips were awesome; and Mrs. Blewett was good.

Plot: 4/5

So, this is the part I had problems with. I expected an adaptation. I really liked how they wove everything together. I really liked how they portrayed her earlier life. I loved how it showed Marilla dressed up, lol. The dialogue was great. I enjoyed the scenes from the book, and I didn’t mind the scenes that were added or changed. Except for three things. 

1. Ruby and Jane didn’t show up enough!!!! :(

2.  The dance scene. It was so out of nowhere and not according to AOGG at all, and really threw me off.

3. WHY IS THE DRESS BLUE?! The dress was SO UGLY and SO WRONG and I AM NOT OKAY WITH IT. 

Also this is so tiny but I can’t get over changing Nancy Spencer’s name. W H Y??? I’m so confused! 

Romance: 2/5

I adore Anne & Gilbert—in the book. Here I hated how they added romantic tension WAYY before there was any in the book, and made it a misunderstanding/pining away trope. No-nopitty-nope. 

Theme/Message/Topics: 5/5

I can’t recall any quotes, but I know there were some great ones and a few good deep thoughts. 

Content: 4/5

The scene where Diana gets drunk. Also Marilla says darn twice. (THAT ALSO REALLY BOTHERED ME. MARILLA WOULD NEVER SAY THAT. REMEMBER HOW SUSAN CALLED IT SWEARING IN NINETEEN-FIFTEEN?!)

Violence: 5/5

I hated the Hammond scenes, but I appreciated seeing Anne’s earlier life. 

Overall: 4/5

I was a bit disappointed this first tine around. But I can see why people love it so much. I definitely want to watch this again and grow to love it at least a bit more. And I think they did a good job overall. It’s just hard to please me probably. ;P

“The Hoodlum” (1951)

The Hoodlum

Brief Description:

Vincent Lubeck is a hardened criminal by his early twenties. His mother begs for him to have a second chance, and against the better judgment of the prison warden, Vincent is paroled. His family does everything they can to set him back on his feet. Will Vincent choose to change, or to return to his crimes?

(possibly written by me, possibly taken from Tubi, IMDb, or Wikipedia and edited by me. I forget)

Date: 1951

Genre: American film noir crime drama

Running time: 1 hour 

Cast: 

Lawrence Tierney (Vincent Lubeck)

Allene Roberts (Rosa)

Marjorie Riordan (Eileen)

Lisa Golm (Mrs. Lubeck)

Edward Tierney (Johnny Lubeck)

Stuart Randall (Police Lt. Burdick)

Angela Stevens (Christie Lang)

John De Simone (Marty Connell)

Tom Hubbard (Police Sgt. Schmidt)

Eddie Foster (Mickey Sessions)

O.Z. Whitehead (Mr. Breckenridge)

Richard Barron (Eddie Bright)

Rudy Rama (Harry Hill)

Raymond Bond (Old Man)

James Conaty (Parole Officer W.D. Allen)

Bill Coontz (Gang Member)

Russell Custer (Police Officer)

Rudy Germane (Guard)

William H. O'Brien (Morgue Attendant)

Gene Roth (Prison Warden Stevens)

Director: Max Nosseck

Production company: Jack Schwarz Productions

Wikipedia page

Watch on Archive

(watched on Tubi, where the CCs are wildly inaccurate, by the way!)

Setting/Aesthetic/Feel: 3/5

I haven’t watched many 1950s New York style crime films, so I enjoyed this one. It was also more domestic and focussed on ex-cons, which was a new setting for me. 

Characters: 2/5

The only one I liked was Mama. Poor Mrs. Lubeck! I felt her broken heart. I may or may not have cried during her passionate outburst at the end. Also the Warden. He was very interesting and human. 

John was too harsh with Vincent, and he snapped at the end. I liked Rosa, until she went stupid. Eileen, same. And Vincent I HATED. Oh, I rooted so hard for him at the beginning!! But he just utterly destroyed everyone around him. He was selfish and hateful. He was horrid!!! 

Plot: 2/5

Like I mentioned above, I appreciated the part that it focussed on ex-cons. I was hoping for a big character showdown where the MC finally triumphed even if he went bad a few times. Nope. Instead he broke his mother’s heart, destroyed his brother, and murdered the woman who carried his baby. Indirectly, perhaps, but still 100% his fault. There was no sad, somber note to carry away. I was just frustrated. To be honest, I’m writing this weeks after watching the film, so I may have forgotten some stuff, but I doubt anything could make me feel different about this. 

However, I really liked the themes of the film. Rosa’s and Vincent’s rooftop conversation = food for thought. And it was rife with subtle messages about Vincent and his reasons for being a criminal. Also, Mrs. Lubeck had some great lines, and the scene ranting about the city dump was SO good. And the death scene was epic though. If that had happened sooner, I think Vincent’s life might have been turned around… 

Romance: 1/5

I hate romance triangles. I hate how Vincent led on Rosa and Eileen at the same time. I hate how Rosa fell for him. I don’t understand how Eileen fell for him. WHY do girls always chose to give their hearts to red-flag men who carry their red flags like semaphores??? 

Theme/Message/Topics: 3/5

This was the only part of the film I actually liked. 

A) The theme of how hard it is to come back and rebuild your life after prison or conviction. Even if Vincent had tried—which he did, for like 2 days—he was, as he truthfully pointed out, treated badly. He was always suspected, he was spoken of in very unkind ways, he was shunned… He had a point about how unforgiving society was towards him. 

B) Very subtle but I appreciated how they showed why Vincent was a criminal. Lack of confidence. Seeking self-assurance. Again circling back to how he was treated.

Also, B.2, it was shown how Rosa’s platitudes were so useless.

C) How Forgiveness must be tempered with Justice. And how you can’t save everyone, and must protect others sometimes from people who prove to be bad over and over until they evidence change.

D) How easy it is to be seduced and drawn into paths of evil. 

Content: 1/5 

At least one kiss (stolen, by the way), maybe more. Also a scene with at least one woman in a low-necked dress. Can’t remember anything else, but the main problem of the film is that Vincent decides to steal his brother’s fiancée. That’s the stolen kiss. It continues for most of the movie—she fell for him early on—and eventually she gets pregnant and begs him to marry her. He tells her plainly he had no intention to from the beginning and she means nothing to him. She suicides. Also in the end John tries to kill Vincent, although he loses his nerve finally. 

Violence: 3/5

I remember a shootout where several officers die, and there’s probably other mild violence. 

Overall: 2/5

I’m not sorry I watched it, and it made me think about a lot of stuff. But I can’t really recommend it…

Favourite Quotes:

Stevens: The only extenuating circumstances in Vincent Lubeck’s case is that he has not killed anybody… Yet. 

Rosa: Is it so… so difficult to adjust yourself, Vincent? 

Vincent: I came out just like I went in, only smarter. I learned a few things. 

Rosa: It’s better to forget those things. Start with new plans.

Vincent: Forget what? That I was behind there when I’d get out? Life wouldn’t be planned for me and I’d go walking around just like anybody else? When you get out they won’t let you forget. They’re still pointing a finger at you, ‘something different.’ 

Rosa: Why don’t you stop yelling, ‘I’m an ex-con, what are you gonna do about it?’? The only finger pointing at you is your own.

Vincent: Don’t hand me that. Make a mistake once and you’re dead. The cops are always after you, people don’t want you around, everybody wants to play warden. ‘Keep them locked up, keep them penned in, don’t let them free!’