I thought Elizabeth as a happy, clever girl. Keira's happy personality seemed fake in some parts. Jennifer seemed to have a sweetness that Keira lacked.
Are you kidding me? Keira Knightly was awful. She played the role the same way she does all her other "girl power" characters. Ehle brought intelligence, grace, and a respectability to Elizabeth Bennet that Knightly could not hope to achieve.
Keira Knightly might look attractive by modern standards--I mean, did you see how much of the trailer was made up of her batting her eyelashes? In those days she'd have been thought to be too skinny and tanned. It seemed as though she was only there to add some interest for people who weren't really interested in the story, she wasn't even portraying her personality. Jennifer Ehle was amazing.
Keira all the way. She brought a little life into the character of Lizzy, which seemed very stiff the way Jennifer acted it. Besides (in my opinion) Jennifer looked ugly as sin.
i cannot believe that keria knightly is winning at this! in the days when the story is set women were brought up to be respectable whihc is what keria fans must be confusing with stiff, jennifer acted her brilliantly keria was nower near as good as standard as her the only reason she probabaly been picked is because shes a top hollywood actress i cant see any other reason as to why someone would have voted for her on this poll oh and i also agree with kapow and tweenacat
Jennifer was in no way "stiff". In those times, restraint was everything. They didn't go shouting at each other back then. There are other ways to portray anger and hurt than to get in the other person's face. Keira had no sublety, no sophistication, as Jennifer did. She didn't leave any of Lizzy's emotions to speculation, as Jane Austen intended. Also, Jennifer had a playfulness to her that disarmed her insults towards Darcy, but Keira seemed just plain rude towards poor Matthew. I can't see why his Darcy fell in love with her Lizzy after that sort of treatment.
I remember no rudeness at all. Just clever flirting. Jennifer was stiffer. I imagine Lizzy as a slightly rebellious free spirit, and Keira really captured that.
Alright, I was a bit too defensive. I'm too shy to voice my thoughts in real life so I get harsh on the Web :P After seeing the movie again I realize that Keira wasn't that bad, though I still think that she's over-rated and didn't quite deserve an Oscar nomination. I'm mostly just miffed that the screenwriters changed Lizzy's lines, and transformed her into a feisty little tomboy when I'm sure that wasn't what Jane Austen intended.
I agree with you people, Keira was bad... I mean hey the film is great just because of the other characters! Keira trys to play the intelligent, strong lady and she fails I think.
the film adaptation was horrible and much too different to the book....it was not how jane austen described it!! i was totally disappointed in how lizzy was portrayed and keira knightley in my opinion was an awful choice for the character!!!!
How is this possible that keira is winning? like i like her and all but Jennifer Ehle is the perfect lizzie.....i cant believe this is even a debate....i wont repeat what others have said....but i just think the whole cast of 1995 was better that 2005....
but its not about our fav actress oo_jason......its about who played the better lizzie, and within that kept to austen's writing......so therefore Jennifer Ehle comes out trumps.
well elixabeth wasn't supposed to be that beautiful or anything. wasn't her sister supposed to be the prettiest? i think that jennifer ehle was better, though I really like Keira as an actress! I think is has to do with the fact that i just like the old version better.
Definetly Jennifer!! Keira was way too bouncy and immature. it was really annoying, and she played the part like she does in ALL her other movies. I love Jennifer though!
Lizzie was NOT supposed to be the pretty one, the popular one or the upbeat excites one. Lizzie was smart and rebellious in her intelligence, she was supposed to be plain, that was her character and why her romance was soo shocking, she was not the attractive arm candy most wealthy men could afford. It adds to the drama and deeper understanding of Darcy's character as well, that it didn't matter that she wasn't the prettiest or well liked or sought after, he was attracted to her because of her mind and quick wit. JENNIFER IS LIZZY! The end. Not to say that Keira wasn't fun...but seriously, just the fact that she was cast as Lizzie is kinda a disgrace to the original characters and to the author who wrote Lizzie a specific way for a reason. This also could explain why they had to deviate from the book, the movie was practically a different story all together, they had to make it all "hollywood" and cast Keira, so they deviated to atone for her and a few more. Basically, Jennifer was Lizzie from the book, whom I love. Keira portrayed a Jane Austin character spin-off, hollywood-style. They gave the audience what they thought it wanted. And really, they weren't wrong.
runtateer, I must say that I (respectfully) disagree completely.
The book isn't truly specific on the looks of all the sisters. All we know is that Jane is the prettiest and Mary the least so.
That doesn't mean that none of the other girls can be pretty, they're just overshadowed by Jane.
This is something that the 1995 version failed on. I actually think Jennifer Ehle is prettier than Susannah Harker, so that wasn't really very true to the book.
Also, I'm not sure where you're getting the "popular" and "guys buy her/arm candy" arguments, but those certainly didn't exist in the 2005 version. If you're talking about Keira being a popular actress, I'm not sure the fact that she is a well-liked, beautiful, popular actress should play an influence in your decision. If that's not where you got that from, then please enlighten me :)
Of course I agree with you that some of the attractiveness of Lizzy's romance is how unappealing her character would usually be to most suitors. But I think Keira captures her rebellious, outspoken, clever, free spirit better than any other Lizzy I've ever seen :)
As you can probably tell, I don't see how casting her is a disgrace to the book. Yes, the 2005 was not exactly the book. But it was not supposed to be. The 1995 mini series was supposed to be the book. Period. Everything was accurate. Which is nice, of course. I adore the book.
However, I am not so closed-minded as to feel that you need to follow the book exactly to be a good version. The 2005 movie was beautifully made. The cinamatography, costumes, chemistry between characters were much better than the 1995 mini series.
The 1995 miniseries was no risk. First of all, it was not expected to be as popular as it is. Also, anyone who likes the book is almost guarunteed to enjoy this series, which, don't get me wrong, I *do* adore :)
The director and screenwriter of the 2005 took creative risks! They put themselves out on the line! And, in my opinion, the opinion of the vast majority of critics, and the opinion of the MPAA (who gave Keira the Oscar Nomination), it turned out beautifully.
Jennifer was a great Lizzy in portraying her sweet character and her sarcastic side as well, but she failed in portraying her love for Darcy. I never felt that she cared much for Darcy, or was attracted to him at all--the scene where she showed the most attraction was where she's looking at Darcy's house. Perhaps this is because she and Colin Firth were breaking up during the filming? I thought I heard that somewhere.
Keira was sweet, sarcastic, and you definitely could see that she fell in love with Darcy. She was about 90% of the perfect Lizzy I have in my head. Jennifer was about 70%, at the most.
I just think playing Lizzy must be very hard because neither of them pull it off outstandingly. They are both very good, but not compared with the book!
Although I love the '05 movie and I think Keira did a great job, I really think that Jennifer Ehle did a better job of portraying the character. Keira seemed immature, which is not how I picture the Elizabeth. But that said, I still think that she was great in the movie, which I like not because it's exactly like the book (because it's definitely NOT), but because it's a beautiful and romantic movie on its own. The miniseries captures the book much much better, but it lacks the subtle sensuality of the movie. So I love both for their own merits.
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... jen all the way
she was a PERFECT lizzy
i mean keira was gud... she did portay it well.. but.. i still see jen as liz
I'm shocked that this is even a debate.
sorry grls
The book isn't truly specific on the looks of all the sisters. All we know is that Jane is the prettiest and Mary the least so.
That doesn't mean that none of the other girls can be pretty, they're just overshadowed by Jane.
This is something that the 1995 version failed on. I actually think Jennifer Ehle is prettier than Susannah Harker, so that wasn't really very true to the book.
Also, I'm not sure where you're getting the "popular" and "guys buy her/arm candy" arguments, but those certainly didn't exist in the 2005 version. If you're talking about Keira being a popular actress, I'm not sure the fact that she is a well-liked, beautiful, popular actress should play an influence in your decision. If that's not where you got that from, then please enlighten me :)
Of course I agree with you that some of the attractiveness of Lizzy's romance is how unappealing her character would usually be to most suitors. But I think Keira captures her rebellious, outspoken, clever, free spirit better than any other Lizzy I've ever seen :)
As you can probably tell, I don't see how casting her is a disgrace to the book. Yes, the 2005 was not exactly the book. But it was not supposed to be. The 1995 mini series was supposed to be the book. Period. Everything was accurate. Which is nice, of course. I adore the book.
However, I am not so closed-minded as to feel that you need to follow the book exactly to be a good version. The 2005 movie was beautifully made. The cinamatography, costumes, chemistry between characters were much better than the 1995 mini series.
The 1995 miniseries was no risk. First of all, it was not expected to be as popular as it is. Also, anyone who likes the book is almost guarunteed to enjoy this series, which, don't get me wrong, I *do* adore :)
The director and screenwriter of the 2005 took creative risks! They put themselves out on the line! And, in my opinion, the opinion of the vast majority of critics, and the opinion of the MPAA (who gave Keira the Oscar Nomination), it turned out beautifully.
Keira was sweet, sarcastic, and you definitely could see that she fell in love with Darcy. She was about 90% of the perfect Lizzy I have in my head. Jennifer was about 70%, at the most.
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