Pride & Prejudice

I watched the famous BBC version of "Pride and Prejudice" this week. I'm a big Jane Austen fan, but I think I like "Mansfield Park" and "Emma" better than "P&P". At least in this version, I have a hard time understanding Mr. Darcy's character. I think the shift between obnoxious and rude to kind and down-to-earth doesn't make sense. His coldness and pride during the early scenes (at the country dance, etc.) are not excused by his later acts of generosity and kindness in rescuing Lydia (and, by extension, the Bennets) and admitting his deception (re: Jane) to Bingley, as well as his friendliness to the Gardners.

So I find "P&P" less satisfying than "MP" and "Emma", because the heroes of the latter two are so clearly excellent characters from the beginning. I didn't feel this way when I read the book "P&P", so maybe it's just something about how Colin Firth portrays Darcy?? I guess we're just supposed to believe he was transformed by his love for Elizabeth. Or perhaps that he is just painfully shy and awkward around anyone he doesn't know. But yikes! He is even rude when talking to his friend about Elizabeth at the country dance.

I can't believe I'm saying this, because my dh had the same complaint about the movie "French Kiss" - the hero has been supposedly transformed by his love for the heroine, but what about his track record? How do we know he is truly reformed? When Steven complained about "French Kiss", I accused him of being utterly unromantic, that he just didn't get it! Now I'm making a similar complaint about "P&P". Maybe I just think Kevin Kline is cuter than Colin Firth. Am I that shallow?