Colin Firth or Matthew Macfadyen? There Should Be Room in “Pride & Prejudice” Fans’ Hearts For Both Mr. Darcys

It’s an argument any Pride and Prejudice fan has gotten sucked into: which is better, the 1995 BBC miniseries or the 2005 film? And which Mr. Darcy is better, Colin Firth in the miniseries, or Matthew Macfadyen in the movie? As the BBC series celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and the movie celebrates its 20th, it’s time for fans to settle this argument and find common ground.

Firth, now 65, of course, has the upper hand. His series had a 10-year head start, helping settle his interpretation as indelible in the minds of many. His performance was so iconic, in fact, that it helped make him a star — and he sort of reprised his role in the Bridget Jones’ Diary series, where his character Mark Darcy was based on his portrayal of Darcy in the miniseries. 

Firth’s performance is excellent. He has wonderful chemistry with Jennifer Ehle’s Elizabeth Bennet, and the way he opens up, showing new sides of himself, after he proposes to (and is rejected by) her, is wonderful.

But Macfadyen, 51, is no less wonderful. The 2005 film, directed by Joe Wright, limits its viewpoint to Elizabeth (played wonderfully by Keira Knightley), which means we only see him when Elizabeth does. Firth’s Darcy comes off a little meaner and ruder; Macfadyen’s comes across as awkward and nervous. They’re different interpretations, but no less thoughtful, moving and (of course) swoon-worthy. 

A frequent criticism levied at the movie is that it’s too romantic and over-the-top, in contrast to the more faithful adaptation done by the miniseries. In the movie, when Darcy proposes for the first time, he meets Elizabeth in the rain. In the book (as in the miniseries), Darcy comes to Charlotte Lucas and Mr. Collins’ house, where she’s staying. In the movie, Darcy also proposes the second time in the middle of a field at dawn, instead of during a walk at a more normal hour of the day. And, of course, in “real life,” Darcy and Elizabeth could not kiss before marriage, but very much do in the movie. In the miniseries, they save the kiss for one moment of wedded bliss at the very end.

But ultimately, Wright had different intentions with his adaptation than miniseries writer Andrew Davies and director Simon Langton did. Wright’s is a movie that contracts the novel into just over 2 hours. The miniseries is over twice as long and places a bigger focus on the social forces that manipulate events (and the necessary comedy and pain that flows from it). 

The miniseries is also not without its own over-the-top flourishes — namely, when Firth’s Darcy strips to go swimming at Pemberley and meets Elizabeth again with his shirt soaking wet. Would Jane Austen approve of any of this? It’s impossible to know, and pointless to care. Adaptation necessarily changes stories, and we’re lucky to have both.

Macfadyen and Firth, coincidentally, ended up starring together in the 2022 film Operation Mincemeat and later discussed how their own interpretations differed from each other’s. 

Firth, speaking to Vanity Fair, was extremely complimentary to Macfadyen. “It’s much more challenging to do it as a feature film. Because if you do a six-parter, you’ve got six hours to put it all in and let it unfold at a pace which is closer to that of a book,” he said. “I think what was masterful about Matthew’s interpretation was that he did manage to tell that whole story in a more condensed form.”

He added that it was “very difficult” in a movie, because the love story is “so dependent on a slow reveal” of Darcy and Elizabeth’s changing feelings. “I think it was a huge achievement that that story was told [in that short time], and that Matthew managed to span the arc of that character,” he said. Darcy’s transformation from prideful and prejudiced (and Elizabeth’s in turn) is why the love story works, and why fans love it so.

Macfadyen said of his portrayal, “I played him like a sort of grumpy adolescent, probably because I felt quite grumpy because I was scared.” They both agreed that Darcy’s standoffish behavior was “fear-based.” 

Both the film and miniseries are full of delightful performances, which are all the more textured because they’re not trying to mimic each other. David Bamber’s Mr. Collins in the miniseries gets so much screentime to be obsequious and hilarious, but Tom Hollander’s Mr. Collins manages to make a meal of his limited scenes. 

Macfadyen does have one point in his favor that Firth truly cannot match: the hand flex. Has one gesture ever meant so much? If forced to choose between the hand flex and the wet shirt, the former would win for me every time.

If the miniseries and movie fans can finally come together and make peace, don’t worry — a new argument is likely on the horizon. This summer, Netflix began filming its own six-part miniseries adaptation, with Emma Corrin as Elizabeth and Jack Lowden as Darcy. And as he tries to put his own spin on the beloved romantic hero, I wish him much luck and advise him to never read the comments.

Pride and Prejudice the miniseries is available to stream on Tubi, while the 2005 film is available to stream on HBO Max.