Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)Director: Sharon Maguire
Based on book: Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
-Pride and Prejudice theme
Rating: 5
Inspiration: Everything Austen Challenge hosted by Stephanie's Written Word
Description from imdb:
Can a single woman over 30, who smokes too much, drinks too much, and has a tendency to say whatever comes into her mind, find her place in the world... and a man? Bridget Jones is an assistant at a London book publisher, feeling time pass her by. When Daniel Cleaver, her boss, starts flirting with her in a vulgar way, she plunges straight in. An affair ensues and she's head over heels. She also keeps running into Mark Darcy, a reserved even stiff barrister who has known her since she was a child young enough to frolic naked in his wading pool, seems to look down his nose at her, and hates Cleaver (truth is, Daniel may be a bit of a bounder).
Tagline: Health Warning: Adopting Bridget's lifestyle could seriously damage your health.Lots of fun trivia from imdb:
-Renée Zellweger actually worked at a British publishing company for a month in preparation for the role. She adopted an alias as well as her posh accent and was apparently not recognized.
-Aside from bearing a resemblance to Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice", the film also features a number of veterans of Austen film adaptations. Writer Andrew Davies wrote the screenplay for "Pride and Prejudice" (1995), which starred Colin Firth and Crispin Bonham-Carter. Hugh Grant and Gemma Jones both appeared in Sense and Sensibility (1995). Embeth Davidtz can be seen in Mansfield Park (1999).
-When Helen Fielding wrote the novel "Bridget Jones's Diary", she based the character of Mark Darcy on Colin Firth's depiction of Mr. Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice" (1995). In addition to the inside-joke casting of Colin Firth as Mark Darcy, there are several other allusions to Jane Austen's story: Mark disparages Bridget to his mother within earshot of Bridget. In "Pride and Prejudice", Mr. Darcy disparages Elizabeth to his friend Mr. Bingley within earshot of Elizabeth. Daniel Cleaver lies to Bridget about a dispute between him and Mark, claiming Mark stole his fiancée; in fact, it was the other way around. In "Pride and Prejudice", it's a dispute between Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy, and Wickham lies about who's at fault. The Darcy in both stories fails to disabuse the heroine's misinformed notion until it's almost too late. Bridget works at Pemberley Press; Mr. Darcy lives at Pemberley estate. Crispin Bonham-Carter was in both productions (his scenes were cut out of the film, although he can still be seen in the job-quitting scene and can also be seen at the Kafka book launch where Bridget asks Salman Rushdie where the toilets are - he is seen as the man on the left in the conversation).
-Director Sharon Maguire was the real-life inspiration for the character of Shazza in the novel. A friend of Helen Fielding's, her name also appears on the acknowledgements page of the book.
-While preparing for the role of Bridget, Renée Zellweger worked in a London office. On her desk in this office she kept a framed picture of then boyfriend Jim Carrey. Other office workers, who did not recognize her, found this to be odd, but never mentioned it to her for fear of embarrassing her.
Awards: Nominated for Oscar. Another 8 wins & 29 nominations.
Wet moment: Cleaver accidentally falls into the pond while trying to go from his canoe onto Bridget's. He come up wet with a soggy cigarette in his mouth.
My favorite memorable quote:
Mark Darcy: All right Cleaver, outside.
Daniel Cleaver: [half laughing] I'm sorry? Outside? Should I bring my dueling pistols or my sword?
My favorite Bridget moment:
My thoughts:
In-a-word(s): jolly good
Re-watch: 2nd time
It made me laugh - Firehouse interview segment.
It made me swoon - The kiss at the end (of course).
And, Darcy cooks - what more can a woman want?
A very fun film to watch - just as enjoyable as the book it was adapted from. There are P&P tie-ins here and there but still its own story altogether about a singleton in modern times looking for love.
Hubby's rating: 4
His thoughts: Very entertaining. Renee was just right with her performance as Bridget - a "real" woman.
Harry Potter connections:
Gemma Jones - Bridget's Mom - Madame Pomfrey
Jim Broadbent - Bridget's Dad - Horace Slughorn
Shirley Henderson - Jude, Bridget's friend - Moaning Myrtle
-funny to see her first scene crying in a bathroom
Ray Donn - Journalist - Ministry of Magic's Panel Member
Campbell Graham - Hamish - Ministry Wizard
James Faulkner - Uncle - voice of Severus Snape
-on HP and the Half-Blood Prince video game
Battlestar Galactica connection:
(one of my all-time fave tv shows)
James Callis - Tom, Bridget's friend - Gaius Baltar
Chef! connection:
(another fave tv show - hilarious)
Claire Skinner - Magda, Bridget's friend - Lucinda
-also in Sense & Sensibility 2008 as Fanny Dashwood
