Monday, September 19, 2011

Monday at the Movies: Coveting Colin Firth

Let's take a moment to revel in the handsomeness of Colin Firth.

********

He is wonderful, isn't he?  I was inspired to write this post because my daughter has lately taken to period movies.  She was talking about how much she loved the Kiera Knightley version of "Pride and Prejudice", and I told her "Oh, no no my child.  You must behold the Colin Firth version.  You haven't lived until you see him in his white shirt.  You will never know a Mr. Darcy quite like this one."

For anyone who hasn't seen the BBC version of this movie, made in 1995, you absolutely must.  It is a time commitment for sure, with it running about five hours, but you will sit there and love it and wish there were more.  The acting is phenomenal beyond that of Firth.  Lizzy (played by Jennifer Ehle, who by the way played Lionel Logue's wife in "The King's Speech") is smart, warm and beautiful, and the support characters playing Lydia and Mrs. Bennet are priceless.  The highlight however, is one scene where Mr. Darcy dives into the river to retrieve something and comes out all wet and soaked to the skin in his white shirt.  Lord give me strength.

Firth is one of those actors that has appeared in everything, and only once you start digging through IMDb do you realize how pervasive he really is.  And how many of his movies I HAVEN'T seen yet. 

Of course, his shining moment (besides the white shirt moment) was his portrayal of the stuttering King George VI in "The King's Speech".  It pleases me to see him getting the recognition he has always deserved.  It was a phenomenal movie, one that my kids loved as well.  

 















But he was also precious in the Bridget Jones movies, as one of the possible daddies in "Mamma Mia", or even the spurned husband in "The English Patient". When my husband was flipping through the channels the other night, he yelled "I didn't remember that Colin Firth was in Nanny McFee!".  Yes indeed he was.

If I were going to make Firth my next cinematic project, which is sounding more and more like a great idea, I would line up my Netflix Q as follows:

1.  A Single Man (2009)
2.  Girl With a Pearl Earring (2003)
3.  The Turn of the Screw (1999)
4.  Love Actually (2003)

Also, for the to do list, he has a movie coming out in December called
"Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" in which he co-stars with the also much-loved Gary Oldman (Harry Potters, The Dark Knight, Immortal Beloved, Dracula) and Tom Hardy (Inception, Warrior).  This movie is based on the novel of the same name, and is a Cold War thriller.  I almost can't stand the waiting. 

So help me out here.  What other movies are a must for my Firth-a-thon?

    

18 comments:

Beth F said...

Sigh. Ahhh. . . . . Oh, was there text?

I didn't know that Firth was in Turn of the Screw. Must rent that one soon.

BTW: We don't own too many DVDs but I do have P&P in *BluRay* -- the Colin Firth addition, of course. Hummm, time to drive Mr. BFR crazy and watch it again.

Meghan said...

Colin Firth is amazing in so many ways and like you, I'm thrilled to see him getting the recognition he deserves. I'm really looking forward to Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy - I saw a trailer the other day and it looked great.

Jo-Jo said...

I haven't seen the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice but it is on my list! Maybe I will get a chance to watch that this winter. Firth is an amazing man!

rhapsodyinbooks said...

Totally with Candace's first sentence!

Alyce said...

Well I had to check IMDB to see which I had seen - only five of the movies, and I have to admit I haven't seen him in P&P either. I've got some catching up to do.

ds said...

Sign me up for the Firth-a-thon (was he really in The English Patient?!!!). The King's Speech is on my list of all-time favorites, which is becoming quite long.
Sigh...

Anonymous said...

Additional must see Firth films:
- A Single Man
- Genova
- The Advocate
- Lost Empires, young Colin in 7 part BBC series, just released on DVD
- Wings of Fame with Peter O'Toole
- Master of the Moors

Meg @ write meg! said...

"Bridget Jones" was actually on TV over the weekend -- and I had to watch, of course! Firth is definitely a talented actor... and quite easy on the eyes. Seeing the BBC version of "P&P" in high school was practically a religious experience for me!

Heidenkind said...

Firth was awesome in Valmont, which is another movie based on Liasons Dangereuses (made before the John Malkovich version) and is really good. I also liked him in What a Girl Wants, which is a weirdly likable movie.

Carrie K. said...

What a perfect post to see on a Monday! He's just yummy, isn't he? Sigh. And have you seen What a Girl Wants? He dances in leather pants. :)

Bybee said...

Colin struggles valiantly but doesn't quite make it as an American midwesterner in A Thousand Acres. I love him anyway!

Melissas Eclectic Bookshelf said...

I'm hoping to borrow this version from a friend at my book club meeting tonight!! Love love love Colin Firth!!

♥ Melissa @ Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

He's just the best. He will always be my "Mr. Darcy." I love him in almost everything else as well, but Love Actually has to be one of my favorite roles of his.

Jenners said...

You listed all the ones that I know. I've always thought he was a thinking woman's sex symbol.

Zibilee said...

I think he is such a handsome guy and a great actor, and I have seen him in quite a few things, but never in Pride and Prejudice, which by the look of things is THE Colin Firth movie to see. He has such range and depth as an actor, really, and I can only imagine how excited I would get over the white shirt scene. I might recommend A Single Man to you. It was a little depressing, but very good.

patebooks said...

Hard to beat P&P, but I love Love, Actually. He was he another fav film, Shakespeare in Love, but the rejected suitor!
Looking forward to Tinker, Tailor, altho it will be hard to match the original Brit version or the book (the best). Also have fond memories of Lost Empires and want to check that out again.

natalie @ book, line, and sinker said...

oh my...i just watched the bbc version last week because i needed my fill of firth after renting bridget jones from the library. lol. guess we're on the same wavelength. the man can do no wrong. i love watching clips of him on youtube from the Ellen show...he's TOO much. makes me swoon...

Kathleen said...

I've definitely been crushing on him ever since I saw him in Pride and Prejudice!