A few days ago I injured my right foot (majorly my big toe) running around the house being the classy-clutzy gal I am. I haven't been able to walk at all, much less to leave the house this weekend. (Doctors orders to stay in and stay off the feet! Xrays say no broken bones. Phew!) But I've been in pain and my big toe is badly bruised and my entire foot is swollen. So what's a girl to do? Like good comfort food for the soul, I've been doing a marathon of watching those lovely British movies I adore. It started with "Howards End" and "Emma", (took a breather in between with Issac Mizrahi's "Unzipped"), and continued on with "Pride and Prejudice" (the Kiera version), "The Golden Bowl" (I didn't like it - should have rented "Mansfield Park" again), and "Sense and Sensibility". I love being transported away to another time where women await their butler to bring them the morning mail filled with invitations to upcoming parties and balls. Ah, if only life could be so sweet.
For a long time growing up, I wanted to be like Helena Bonham Carter with her proper English and her beautiful dresses walking in some English countryside garden with a lace parasol. I couldn't get enough of Helena back in the 80's and 90's.
Here are my all time top 5 favorite British period movies:
1. Emma
2. A Room with a View
3. Pride and Prejudice (1940 MGM - Greer Garson/Laurence Olivier, then BBC Colin Firth version)
4. Sense and Sensibility
5. Howards End
Emma had some of the most beautiful fabrics of colors and textures. I love the look of the shawl and the simple empire waist dress.
I would love to sit outside in a garden with a tent overhead to protect my delicate skin as I sip tea and embroider all afternoon. Toni Collette embroidering next to me would be an added bonus.
There's nothing like old Hollywood's interpretation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice with the MGM style ornate gowns. Greer Garson is the perfect Lizzy and Laurence Olivier is the perfect Mr. Darcy.
What's next to watch? Impromptu with Hugh Grant as Chopin and Judy Davis as George Sand...
