Colin Firth was nearly rejected as Mr Darcy in Pride And Prejudice for being 'too GINGER' [tr]

UK Daily Mail ^ | September 22, 2016 | Unity Blott

[C19fan]

Colin Firth almost missed out on the role that launched his acting career because his hair was thought to be too 'ginger', it has been revealed.

The British actor, 56, became something of an overnight heartthrob thanks to his portrayal of Fitzwilliam Darcy in the 1995 BBC adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

But screenwriter Andrew Davies has now revealed he was initially unsure about the star - until he was convinced to darken his hair.

[freedomlover]

When I hear that DVD going in the player I know I have three hours of peace in the garage.

[Larry Lucido]

[all the best]

Just about every frame of the 2005 movie is a work of art. A treasure.

[originalbuckeye]

Never have associated the word ‘ginger’ with the gay community. Gay men are usually referred to as ‘poofters’ in Britain.

[A_perfect_lady]

I can’t stand the 2005 version. All the girls giggle and squeal like 12 year olds. There’s no decorum at all... the whole family comes across as trashy. There’s nothing in the novel to suggest the poverty and decay the settings suggest. They aren’t desperate to marry because they are poor; they aren’t. They’re simply going to lose it all when the father dies because the estate is entailed. But all this giggling and squealing and running around in the mud and rain business... it’s like they took Jane Austen and tried to turn her into Charlotte Bronte.

[katana]

Really superb actor. Was great in Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy as Bill Haydon. But as usual this fellow as Control stole every scene they allowed him in. Best Caligula and Alien incubator of all time.

[Sans-Culotte]

Long before Pride and Prejudice, I remember seeing Firth in Milos Forman's film Valmont, and he had dark hair in that. I doubt that the P & P director was the first to suggest a different hair color for him. Actors change things about themselves all the time. Peter O'Toole dyed his hair blonde to play T.E. Lawrence.

[georgiegirl]

David Rintoul who was Darcy in the 1980 BBC Series, was more like Jane Austin's Mr. Darcy. I could not see Firth in that role after seeing Rintoul. Firth lacked that artistocratic hautuer that was the essence of Austin's Darcy and propelled the plot in the novel. (BTW, Austin's Darcy never jumped in the lake!)

[georgiegirl]

David Rintoul who was Darcy in the 1980 BBC Series, was more like Jane Austin's Mr. Darcy. I could not see Firth in that role after seeing Rintoul. Firth lacks that artistocratic hautuer that was the essence of Austin's Darcy and drove the plot in the novel. (BTW, Austin's Darcy never jumped in the lake!)

[Sans-Culotte]

David Rintoul who was Darcy in the 1980 BBC Series, was more like Jane Austin's Mr. Darcy. I could not see Firth in that role after seeing Rintoul. Firth lacks that artistocratic hautuer that was the essence of Austin's Darcy and drove the plot in the novel. (BTW, Austin's Darcy never jumped in the lake!)

I like that earlier version of the story, too. My wife is a Jane Austen freak and re-reads the novel periodically. She regards that earlier verion as the most faithful (though she enjoyed the Firth version, too). One thing I did not like at all about the Firth/Ehle version was the actress who played Jane. She was supposed to be the prettiest of the sisters, but the blonde actress in the Firth version was simply unattractive (in our opinions). The dark-haired Jane in the Rintoul version and Rosamund Pike in the 2005 film were perfect.

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

I haven’t seen this version. I will have to check it out. :-)

[georgiegirl]

I’m a Jane Austen nut myself, and you’d think I’d know how to spell it correctly after reading each of her novels at least 5 times. I’m glad your wife liked the Rintoul version best. I thought the casting was almost perfect. The only defect (and my little boy at that time noticed this) was that the actress that played Eliza in the Rintoul version had a bit of a lazy eye, in some of the scenes. But she captured Eliza perfectly, and the chemistry with Darcy was spot on.

[Only1choice____Freedom]

Monty Python Bruces sketch:

Rule #1:No poofters.
Rule #2: No member of the faculty is to maltreat the “Abos” in any way whatsoever—if there’s anyone watching.
Rule #3:No poofters.
Rule #4:I don’t want to catch anyone not drinking in their room after lights out.
Rule#5:No poofters.
Rule #6:There is no rule six.
Rule #7:No poofters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgKUHtcZEXc

[1_Rain_Drop]

I love this version of P&P! My favorite. I have all versions.
David Rintoul was superb as Darcy. Superb.
Love that scene with the dog coming around the bushes and when Darcy walks away in that field.
It took me a while to get used to Colin Firth as Darcy. He seemed too frumpy to be Darcy. After a while, I got used to him. He brought something else to the character.

[1_Rain_Drop]

"I like that earlier version of the story, too. My wife is a Jane Austen freak and re-reads the novel periodically. She regards that earlier verion as the most faithful "

I saw that version a gazillion times before I read the book. I was shocked that I knew the words as I was reading it. That version of P&P is very loyal to the book.

[georgiegirl]

He seemed too frumpy to be Darcy.

I thought the exact same thing. I haven't seen Firth's version very often, so I'm still not used to him as Darcy. Olivier is another one I can't get used to, against Greer Garson. Much as I love Garson, she was just too old to play Elizabeth. For any of Austen's movies, the love interests have to be cast perfectly, otherwise they are disappointing.

[all the best]

“They’re simply going to lose it all when the father dies because the estate is entailed”

That was made perfectly clear. Have no idea how you can think otherwise. I did not read the novel so the issue of being faithful to the written work is not an issue with me. It stands on its own merit. Absolutely exquisite. What you see as “trashy” and “poor” I see as earthy.
And as I said, virtually every frame is a painting. I am more of an appreciator than a critic. The secret to my success.

[GreenLanternCorps]

I'm rather partial to this version...

[Albion Wilde]

My fairly extensive knowledge of British TV/films...particularly Britcoms...has taught me that in Britain the word “ginger” can mean light hair/fair skin *or* fag.

No, "ginger" does not mean "fag" to a Brit. "Ginger" means whomever Americans would call "redhead" or "red haired," from light strawberry blonde to dark auburn. In Britspeak, "fag" means "cigarette"; gay men are "fairies" or "poofters."

[Gay State Conservative]

Yes,fag in Britain means cigarette.I used it in its American meaning.And yes,"ginger" does mean redhead/pale skin color,etc.But it also means "queer" and comes from Cockney Rhyming Slang--> "ginger beer:queer"

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/153800.html