“Matthew Macfadyen finds a human dimension in the taciturn landowner Fitzwilliam Darcy that was missing in earlier, more conventionally heroic portrayals. Mr. Macfadyen’s portrayal of the character as a shy, awkward suitor whose seeming arrogance camouflages insecurity and deep sensitivity is more realistic.”
“Mr. Darcy began to feel the danger of paying Elizabeth too much attention.”
(“Pride & prejudice”, Chapter 11)
The big walking out of the mist scene in Pride & Prejudice had Matthew following a red flag held by director Joe Wright and trying not to fall over as he has very bad eyesight!
“My object then,” replied Darcy, “was to show you, by every civility in my power, that I was not so mean as to resent the past; and I hoped to obtain your forgiveness, to lessen your ill opinion, by letting you see that your reproofs had been attended to. How soon any other wishes introduced themselves I can hardly tell, but I believe in about half an hour after I had seen you.”
(“Pride and prejudice”, Chapter 58)
In keeping with the fun and frolics of the upper classes at that time, the lead cast were all expected to dance, and we don’t mean throwing some shapes on a dance floor Saturday night stylee. We’re talking ball gowns and waltzes and major concentration. Keira found it ‘really, really, really difficult. Matthew actually did find it really easy, it was really depressing. I’m usually quite quick at picking things like that up but actually I found it impossible and he’d just do it in about five seconds.’
“I have been a selfish being all my life, in practice, though not in principle.”
(“Pride and prejudice”, Chapter 58)
“The most difficult was the scene with Darcy where it’s talking and dancing at the same time, and you know, you do it once, and it’s difficult enough to remember the steps, and then they do it and they take the music away, so that you’ve got to say the lines, so you can get the lines, you’re trying to remember what the music is and say the lines, and you’re trying to work out when you can say the lines, because wait a minute now I move away over here, and you’re over there.”
(Keira Knightley)
