De vier dochters Bennet (The Four Bennet Daughters) is a Dutch adaptation of Pride and Prejudice that was originally televised in the Netherlands from 1961-1962. It's a six-part miniseries, and each episode is about 45 minutes long. The entire series is available with subtitles on YouTube.
What's different
You may have noticed that this adaptation is called The Four Bennet Daughters, not the five. Poor Kitty is gone, and Mary has assumed many of her lines and personality traits. It's a bit weird to see Mary annoying everyone with her harpsichord playing one minute and traipsing after Lydia the next, but this adaptation is otherwise very faithful to the book. Pretty much every major plot point and event is included, and the story progresses at just a slightly quicker pace.
Of the changes that are present, many are just different ways of conveying the same information. For example, this adaptation is very against letters for some reason. Almost everything that was conveyed by a letter in the book is acted out in this miniseries. Caroline tells Jane to her face that Charles is hot for Georgiana; we witness Caroline visiting Jane and being super fucking rude in London; and there is no post-proposal letter from Darcy.
The Bennet ladies are surprisingly prescient in this adaptation. After the Meryton ball, Mrs. Bennet is talking about Darcy calling Elizabeth ugly, and her reaction is basically, "If he spent more time with her, he'd think differently. I wonder when I can invite him over for dinner..." Pretty sure in the book she was 100% on board with Elizabeth's plan to never speak to Darcy ever again, for any reason, ever. Another example is when dear cousin Collins is about to arrive. Elizabeth announces that her spidey sense is tingling, and she's sure Mr. Collins has a specific purpose in mind for this visit. Mrs. Bennet picks up the thread from there and deduces that Mr. Collins must be intending to marry one of her daughters. Thirdly, Elizabeth logics out herself what Darcy must have done for Lydia and Wickham, based only on the little that Lydia let slip. This example actually pulls double duty because it also eliminates the need for a letter from Aunt Gardiner explaining it all. The Dutch sure do hate mail.
Another general change in this adaptation is the tendency to put more people in the room and say things more explicitly. Wickham comes over to tell Mrs. Bennet, Lydia, and Mary that the regiment is being moved to Brighton, and he's still there when Lydia gets the letter inviting her to tag along to Brighton. An even bigger example comes after Lydia and Wickham have run off together: we actually see Darcy visit the Gardiners in London and explain how he discovered the couple. We also see Darcy negotiate with Wickham to get him to marry Lydia.
There might be some nitty-gritty differences or some treasonous dialog changes, but it's honestly hard to tell with the subtitles sometimes. I'm not complaining, but...
Of the changes that are present, many are just different ways of conveying the same information. For example, this adaptation is very against letters for some reason. Almost everything that was conveyed by a letter in the book is acted out in this miniseries. Caroline tells Jane to her face that Charles is hot for Georgiana; we witness Caroline visiting Jane and being super fucking rude in London; and there is no post-proposal letter from Darcy.
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| "CHARLES IS TAKEN! I REPEAT, CHARLES IS TAKEN!" |
The Bennet ladies are surprisingly prescient in this adaptation. After the Meryton ball, Mrs. Bennet is talking about Darcy calling Elizabeth ugly, and her reaction is basically, "If he spent more time with her, he'd think differently. I wonder when I can invite him over for dinner..." Pretty sure in the book she was 100% on board with Elizabeth's plan to never speak to Darcy ever again, for any reason, ever. Another example is when dear cousin Collins is about to arrive. Elizabeth announces that her spidey sense is tingling, and she's sure Mr. Collins has a specific purpose in mind for this visit. Mrs. Bennet picks up the thread from there and deduces that Mr. Collins must be intending to marry one of her daughters. Thirdly, Elizabeth logics out herself what Darcy must have done for Lydia and Wickham, based only on the little that Lydia let slip. This example actually pulls double duty because it also eliminates the need for a letter from Aunt Gardiner explaining it all. The Dutch sure do hate mail.
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| And when a letter is unavoidable, they at least spice it up by including a floating head. |
Another general change in this adaptation is the tendency to put more people in the room and say things more explicitly. Wickham comes over to tell Mrs. Bennet, Lydia, and Mary that the regiment is being moved to Brighton, and he's still there when Lydia gets the letter inviting her to tag along to Brighton. An even bigger example comes after Lydia and Wickham have run off together: we actually see Darcy visit the Gardiners in London and explain how he discovered the couple. We also see Darcy negotiate with Wickham to get him to marry Lydia.
There might be some nitty-gritty differences or some treasonous dialog changes, but it's honestly hard to tell with the subtitles sometimes. I'm not complaining, but...
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| ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ |
What I liked
Since I just mentioned that we get to witness Darcy and Wickham negotiating, I'll first say that I like the added emphasis on Wickham's predatory nature. While reading the book, my impression of Wickham was that he's a lying, cheating, good-for-nothing leech. In this adaptation, he's a huge fucking creep and almost even a sociopath. When Darcy explains what Wickham did to Georgiana, he says Wickham's motivation was at least partly revenge; by choosing Georgiana, he was hitting Darcy where it hurt. The revenge angle is called to mind again when Lydia gets permission to go to Brighton with the regiment. Elizabeth has a conversation with Wickham in which she basically lets him know that Darcy told her everything and she thinks he's a lowlife now. When Lydia comes back into the room, she asks Wickham, "You will take care of me, won't you, Mr. Wickham?" Wickham is at first lost in thought, but then he's clearly struck with an idea and turns to smile deviously at Lydia.
The implication is that he concocts the plan of seducing Lydia before they ever leave for Brighton, perhaps as a means of getting revenge on Elizabeth for siding with Darcy. He certainly seems like a predator in this moment.
On a more positive note, I really enjoyed the romantic bits of this romantic comedy. Darcy's character was not wholly satisfactory (see below), but he sure can bring the charm! A big part of the enjoyment we get from watching Pride and Prejudice adaptations depends on the romance being well-executed, and this Darcy delivers. Every time he expresses his feelings to Elizabeth, he does it with so much tenderness and smoldering, and it just gives me all the feels.
Some of the comedy parts of this romantic comedy were also good. I particularly enjoyed a weird extended bit about Mr. Collins's beans, which was not from the book. First, he brags to Charlotte Lucas about the enormous beans he grows in his garden (this counts as flirting, apparently). When Elizabeth visits them after they're married, Collins brags to her about the beans. For some reason, though, Charlotte refuses to ever serve the beans for dinner; I feel like there's a joke here that was lost in the subtitles. The real kicker, though, comes that evening at Rosings. Lady Catherine gives Mr. Collins a lecture about how his giant beans are overstepping the bounds of his social station.
She's all concern that the beans are going to his head; a clergyman should not be prideful, after all. Mr. Collins is all deference, as usual, and says that if Rosings intends to enter the next horticultural contest, then he would of course withdraw his beans from the judging. But no, says Lady Catherine, no need to withdraw from the competition! As long as his beans' size does not exceed what's proper for his social class, Lady Catherine will happily award him second prize.
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| *scheming* |
The implication is that he concocts the plan of seducing Lydia before they ever leave for Brighton, perhaps as a means of getting revenge on Elizabeth for siding with Darcy. He certainly seems like a predator in this moment.
On a more positive note, I really enjoyed the romantic bits of this romantic comedy. Darcy's character was not wholly satisfactory (see below), but he sure can bring the charm! A big part of the enjoyment we get from watching Pride and Prejudice adaptations depends on the romance being well-executed, and this Darcy delivers. Every time he expresses his feelings to Elizabeth, he does it with so much tenderness and smoldering, and it just gives me all the feels.
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| *smoldering* |
Some of the comedy parts of this romantic comedy were also good. I particularly enjoyed a weird extended bit about Mr. Collins's beans, which was not from the book. First, he brags to Charlotte Lucas about the enormous beans he grows in his garden (this counts as flirting, apparently). When Elizabeth visits them after they're married, Collins brags to her about the beans. For some reason, though, Charlotte refuses to ever serve the beans for dinner; I feel like there's a joke here that was lost in the subtitles. The real kicker, though, comes that evening at Rosings. Lady Catherine gives Mr. Collins a lecture about how his giant beans are overstepping the bounds of his social station.
She's all concern that the beans are going to his head; a clergyman should not be prideful, after all. Mr. Collins is all deference, as usual, and says that if Rosings intends to enter the next horticultural contest, then he would of course withdraw his beans from the judging. But no, says Lady Catherine, no need to withdraw from the competition! As long as his beans' size does not exceed what's proper for his social class, Lady Catherine will happily award him second prize.
It's just so petty and absurd, I think it's hilarious. And it perfectly suits Lady Catherine. In the book, she's obsessed with micromanaging the Collinses household affairs, and she's obscenely proud and vain. It makes total sense that she could not abide Mr. Collins growing bigger beans than hers.
What I disliked
I've got a couple of big beefs with this adaptation, and they're both about Darcy. Big beef #1: for the first half of the miniseries, Darcy is barely there, and his character is underdeveloped. Like in the 1940 movie, the ball at Meryton and the later party at Lucas Lodge are combined, so it appears that Darcy's feelings for Elizabeth develop way too quickly. For the first few episodes, these feelings primarily manifest as a slightly obsessive attention. He doesn't say much, but he seeks out opportunities to cross paths with Elizabeth and kind of hovers nearby whenever he can.
Because he doesn't say much in these episodes, there's really nothing to promote his image as an asshole. After the ball at Meryton, he never verbally clashes with Elizabeth, and he doesn't make any snide comments. The missing conversations with Elizabeth also means we don't get to see WHY he likes her or how his love grows. The same conversations would show Elizabeth interpreting his words negatively and using these encounters to fuel her grudge against him.
There is competing evidence regarding whether or not Darcy starts out as an asshole who needs to change his attitude. After Darcy has explained to Elizabeth about Wickham, Wickham says to her that he doesn't think Darcy is capable of change. Elizabeth agrees but says she isn't sure that Darcy NEEDS to change, implying that Darcy has done nothing to offend her outside of the Wickham and Jane misunderstandings. However, after Elizabeth runs into Darcy at Pemberley, she gushes to Jane about how different he was. She says he was no longer cold and arrogant but instead warm and friendly. This is in line with the book, but in conflict with the Darcy that was portrayed earlier in the series. This inconsistency really bothered me, as you can tell.
Big beef #2: after Elizabeth rejects Darcy's first marriage proposal, he sticks around and explains his actions toward Wickham and Jane right then and there. This seems okay, on the surface, but it presents a couple of annoying problems. When faced with a reasonable explanation, Elizabeth realizes she was wrong, but it rings a little false here. In the book, the news comes in a letter from Darcy, and she's able to ponder it for a while, turning it over in her mind and reviewing everything she heard before from Wickham and saw with Jane and Bingley. Without this time to think, it's just Darcy's word against Wickham's, and the fact that Elizabeth gives in to the new explanation of events so readily makes her appear easily swayed.
The second annoying problem is that after Darcy has explained himself and changed Elizabeth's mind, he fucking leaves! Elizabeth is all confused, she's ready to think better of Darcy, and all her reasons for hating him and refusing his proposal have been swept away. It's his chance to hang around for a while, let her warm up to him, and he leaves. Why even?? The heat of the moment has passed, he certainly isn't storming out in anger or shame. She even looks sad to see him go! How could he not see that this was his chance? Elizabeth may appear easily swayed, but Darcy looks fucking stupid.
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| "Don't mind me, I'll just lean ominously over you." |
Because he doesn't say much in these episodes, there's really nothing to promote his image as an asshole. After the ball at Meryton, he never verbally clashes with Elizabeth, and he doesn't make any snide comments. The missing conversations with Elizabeth also means we don't get to see WHY he likes her or how his love grows. The same conversations would show Elizabeth interpreting his words negatively and using these encounters to fuel her grudge against him.
There is competing evidence regarding whether or not Darcy starts out as an asshole who needs to change his attitude. After Darcy has explained to Elizabeth about Wickham, Wickham says to her that he doesn't think Darcy is capable of change. Elizabeth agrees but says she isn't sure that Darcy NEEDS to change, implying that Darcy has done nothing to offend her outside of the Wickham and Jane misunderstandings. However, after Elizabeth runs into Darcy at Pemberley, she gushes to Jane about how different he was. She says he was no longer cold and arrogant but instead warm and friendly. This is in line with the book, but in conflict with the Darcy that was portrayed earlier in the series. This inconsistency really bothered me, as you can tell.
 |
| Behold my beef, for it is large. |
Big beef #2: after Elizabeth rejects Darcy's first marriage proposal, he sticks around and explains his actions toward Wickham and Jane right then and there. This seems okay, on the surface, but it presents a couple of annoying problems. When faced with a reasonable explanation, Elizabeth realizes she was wrong, but it rings a little false here. In the book, the news comes in a letter from Darcy, and she's able to ponder it for a while, turning it over in her mind and reviewing everything she heard before from Wickham and saw with Jane and Bingley. Without this time to think, it's just Darcy's word against Wickham's, and the fact that Elizabeth gives in to the new explanation of events so readily makes her appear easily swayed.
The second annoying problem is that after Darcy has explained himself and changed Elizabeth's mind, he fucking leaves! Elizabeth is all confused, she's ready to think better of Darcy, and all her reasons for hating him and refusing his proposal have been swept away. It's his chance to hang around for a while, let her warm up to him, and he leaves. Why even?? The heat of the moment has passed, he certainly isn't storming out in anger or shame. She even looks sad to see him go! How could he not see that this was his chance? Elizabeth may appear easily swayed, but Darcy looks fucking stupid.
Adaptation wish list
- Is Elizabeth sassy? — No.
- Is Elizabeth silly? — Yes.
- Does Darcy undergo real and significant change after being rejected? — Maybe? Not clear.
- Are Darcy and Elizabeth each guilty of both pride and prejudice? — No. Darcy is only ever accused of pride, and Elizabeth is only ever accused of prejudice.
It doesn't stand up to my wish list very well, but I liked this miniseries anyway. It's on the long side, and it drags a little in some places, but that's forgivable in an adaptation that stays so faithful to the book. Those subtitles are are a real trial, though!
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