Clash of the Darcys
He is tall, dark and handsome. And he has been known to sport a wet, clinging, seethrough shirt. For many women, Mr Darcy, who this year celebrated his 200th birthday, is the ultimate heart-throb.
Portraying such a character is a fearsome task for any actor, and yet since his creation two centuries ago by Jane Austen in her novel Pride And Prejudice, this literary figure has enjoyed dozens of incarnations on stage and on screen.
The latest actor to rise to the challenge is Cardiffborn Matthew Rhys, star of ITV’s The Americans, who is currently filming for the BBC spin-off, based on the PD James novel, Death Comes To Pemberley.
‘Laurence Olivier played him, Colin Firth nailed it, as did Matthew Macfadyen, so there are instant comparisons to be drawn,’ he says.
Well, Matthew, if you insist. So here we consider the men who have brought the romantic hero to life…
Year 1937
Performance points Before becoming one of the biggest Hollywood stars of his generation, Mason appeared as Darcy on stage at Dublin’s Gate Theatre, in a play adapted by Christine Longford. It is said that the brooding quality for which he became known was honed during his brief stage career, and was particularly apparent in his portrayal of Longford’s enigmatic Darcy.
Darcy rating 3
Year 1940
Performance points Before Colin Firth, there was Olivier. The MGM adaptation was the first Pride And Prejudice film to be made, and it engendered a resurgence of interest in the novel in the 20th century. Devastatingly handsome, Olivier’s Darcy is also the most dramatic and theatrical version of the character to be captured on screen.
Darcy rating 4
Year 1952
Performance points More famous for playing another British literary figure – Sherlock Holmes – Cushing’s Darcy is dashing and reserved, making the most of his arresting eyes. Actress Daphne Slater played his Elizabeth Bennet. A popular series at the time of its broadcast, it is believed that all six episodes of the series are now lost.
Darcy rating 3
Year 1980
Performance points The series was the BBC’s fifth production of the much-loved story, adapted by novelist Fay Weldon, who stayed faithful to Austen’s dialogue. Rintoul’s Darcy is stiffer than starch, exhibiting a very British reserve, even when he wins the object of his desire, Elizabeth Garvie’s effervescent Elizabeth.
Darcy rating 3
Year 1995
Performance points For many, Firth is the definitive Darcy. His quiet yet haughty manner, which gradually softens under the charm of Jennifer Ehle’s Elizabeth, captivated an audience of millions, as did the unforgettable wet-shirt scene. It has proved a career-defining role for Firth: he went on to play Mark Darcy (Helen Fielding’s 20th-century version of the character) in both Bridget Jones films.
Darcy rating 5
Year 2004
Performance points The tale received a Bollywood twist, with Henderson playing William Darcy, a wealthy American businessman who falls for Aishwarya Rai’s beautiful Lalita. The same story plays out but in settings in India and America, frequently interspersed by Bollywood musical numbers. True to character, Darcy abstains from the dancing.
Darcy rating 3
Year 2005
Performance points Macfadyen’s Darcy is burlier and surlier than many previous portrayals. He abstains from diving into lakes during the twohour feature film, but there is a Firth-rivalling scene in which he walks through the mist, shirt tantalisingly unbuttoned as Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) looks on. ‘I hadn’t seen the BBC version, so I didn’t really worry about it,’ Macfadyen said of the inevitable comparisons.
Darcy rating 4
Year Currently filming
Performance points PD James’s novel is set six years after Darcy and Elizabeth have married. All is well at Pemberley until Elizabeth’s younger sister Lydia arrives with some shocking news. ‘It’s several years on and he’s a very different Darcy,’ explains Matthew Rhys. Those who have read the book will know that Darcy has been mellowed by fatherhood, and displays a much warmer personality.
Darcy rating TBC
Which Darcy do you prefer? Let us know at the usual address, or via email at letters@lady.co.uk
{acepolls 57}
Portraying such a character is a fearsome task for any actor, and yet since his creation two centuries ago by Jane Austen in her novel Pride And Prejudice, this literary figure has enjoyed dozens of incarnations on stage and on screen.
The latest actor to rise to the challenge is Cardiffborn Matthew Rhys, star of ITV’s The Americans, who is currently filming for the BBC spin-off, based on the PD James novel, Death Comes To Pemberley.
‘Laurence Olivier played him, Colin Firth nailed it, as did Matthew Macfadyen, so there are instant comparisons to be drawn,’ he says.
Well, Matthew, if you insist. So here we consider the men who have brought the romantic hero to life…
JAMES MASON
Production Pride And Prejudice, on stageYear 1937
Performance points Before becoming one of the biggest Hollywood stars of his generation, Mason appeared as Darcy on stage at Dublin’s Gate Theatre, in a play adapted by Christine Longford. It is said that the brooding quality for which he became known was honed during his brief stage career, and was particularly apparent in his portrayal of Longford’s enigmatic Darcy.
Darcy rating 3
LAURENCE OLIVIER
Production Pride And Prejudice, filmYear 1940
Performance points Before Colin Firth, there was Olivier. The MGM adaptation was the first Pride And Prejudice film to be made, and it engendered a resurgence of interest in the novel in the 20th century. Devastatingly handsome, Olivier’s Darcy is also the most dramatic and theatrical version of the character to be captured on screen.
Darcy rating 4
PETER CUSHING
Production Pride And Prejudice, BBC seriesYear 1952
Performance points More famous for playing another British literary figure – Sherlock Holmes – Cushing’s Darcy is dashing and reserved, making the most of his arresting eyes. Actress Daphne Slater played his Elizabeth Bennet. A popular series at the time of its broadcast, it is believed that all six episodes of the series are now lost.
Darcy rating 3
DAVID RINTOUL
Production Pride And Prejudice, BBC seriesYear 1980
Performance points The series was the BBC’s fifth production of the much-loved story, adapted by novelist Fay Weldon, who stayed faithful to Austen’s dialogue. Rintoul’s Darcy is stiffer than starch, exhibiting a very British reserve, even when he wins the object of his desire, Elizabeth Garvie’s effervescent Elizabeth.
Darcy rating 3
COLIN FIRTH
Production Pride And Prejudice, BBC seriesYear 1995
Performance points For many, Firth is the definitive Darcy. His quiet yet haughty manner, which gradually softens under the charm of Jennifer Ehle’s Elizabeth, captivated an audience of millions, as did the unforgettable wet-shirt scene. It has proved a career-defining role for Firth: he went on to play Mark Darcy (Helen Fielding’s 20th-century version of the character) in both Bridget Jones films.
Darcy rating 5
MARTIN HENDERSON
Production Bride And Prejudice, filmYear 2004
Performance points The tale received a Bollywood twist, with Henderson playing William Darcy, a wealthy American businessman who falls for Aishwarya Rai’s beautiful Lalita. The same story plays out but in settings in India and America, frequently interspersed by Bollywood musical numbers. True to character, Darcy abstains from the dancing.
Darcy rating 3
MATTHEW MACFADYEN
Production Pride And Prejudice, filmYear 2005
Performance points Macfadyen’s Darcy is burlier and surlier than many previous portrayals. He abstains from diving into lakes during the twohour feature film, but there is a Firth-rivalling scene in which he walks through the mist, shirt tantalisingly unbuttoned as Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) looks on. ‘I hadn’t seen the BBC version, so I didn’t really worry about it,’ Macfadyen said of the inevitable comparisons.
Darcy rating 4
MATTHEW RHYS
Production Death Comes To Pemberley, BBC seriesYear Currently filming
Performance points PD James’s novel is set six years after Darcy and Elizabeth have married. All is well at Pemberley until Elizabeth’s younger sister Lydia arrives with some shocking news. ‘It’s several years on and he’s a very different Darcy,’ explains Matthew Rhys. Those who have read the book will know that Darcy has been mellowed by fatherhood, and displays a much warmer personality.
Darcy rating TBC
Which Darcy do you prefer? Let us know at the usual address, or via email at letters@lady.co.uk
{acepolls 57}