The Jane Austen and Brontes Newsletter Issue #5 Recapping "Paging Mr. Darcy"
tl;dr It's fine. Nothing to write home about.
*cracks knuckles* Here we go.
For those not in the know, the Hallmark channel is releasing four Austen inspired movies this month to celebrate Loveuary. Three are contemporary pastiches and the last is a period appropriate (SO THEY SAY) retelling of “Sense & Sensibility.” Each movie comes on Saturdays at 8 p.m. EST on the Hallmark channel. There is a repeat showing in the middle of the week. I’m going to guess Thursdays at 8 p.m. for the repeats since that’s when I saw “Paging Mr. Darcy.” Check your local listings for details.
“Paging Mr Darcy” tells the story of Eloise Cavendish (Mallory Jansen), an Austen scholar attending the JALA (Jane Austen League of America) annual conference to suck up to Dr. Victoria Jennings, tenured professor at Princeton. Eloise is gunning for a job at Princeton and hopes that by buttering up Jennings, she will get the job.
We meet Eloise on the plane where she’s reading Pride and Prejudice. An averagely handsome man comments that she must be a romantic since she’s reading Austen. Eloise spends the rest of the flight arguing a more scholarly pursuit of Austen’s work and Austen was not just a romantic. Eloise is a serious scholar and doesn’t do the dress up, dancing, or anything Regency related don'tchaknow.
Note: I rolled my eyes at this. Every serious Austen scholar I’m familiar with, like Devoney Looser, adore attending JASNA’s yearly AGM in period dress and really getting into the period with the Regency era dancing and accountermounts. Heck, my JASNA local group used to host the largest Austen festival in North America outside of the AGM. Vendors and booths selling everything from bonnets and garb to quills and paper. If it was Austen related, it was sold, danced to, or consumed. Most of the attendees are in Regency wear. So yeah, Eloise, I don’t believe you.
Upon Eloise’s arrival, she is greeted by Sam Lee (Will Kemp) dressed in Regency inspired garb. Eloise is shocked and annoyed by his introduction as her conference liasion, where he’s hired every year as the go to Mr. Darcy, when he insists on taking her to his “carriage” where she haughtily tells him she has a rideshare. Eventually they compromise and are whisked away by Uber to the conference grounds.
Just as she’s getting out of the car with Sam leaping in front of her at the hotel, a SUV pulls up and Eloise’s sister, Mia, comes screeching out of the car sobbing. Eloise questions Mia’s boyfriend what’s going on, he says he doesn’t know, and leaves after handing Eloise a box of Kleenex. Concerned, Eloise follows Mia into the hotel where we properly meet Mia while she’s draped in a chair wearing yoga pants and hoodie.
Note: I get that Mia’s character is supposed to be the irritating, annoying, and melodramatic little sister but after our introduction to her, I wanted to throw things at her. Also, if Eloise flew to the conference, how is Mia joining her via car? And so quickly??
Eloise and Mia head to their hotel room where between sobs and hiccups, Mia tells her she’s broken up with her boyfriend, Rob. Why? Because Rob proposed over coffee in their kitchen. Mia is a romantic and wanted the proposal to be in a grand romantic style ala Austen. Mia sulks in the hotel room while Eloise goes and looks for Sam in his Darcy inspired wardrobe.
Note: Mia is watching “Unleashing Mr. Darcy” while laying in bed which is meta even for Hallmark. Kudos to them.
Eloise finds Sam talking to Kelsey, a whiz of a seamstress. Sam is convinced that Eloise needs to lighten up and get in the spirit of the conference, where Eloise is giving the keynote on something or another, and dress up as well as attend the ball. Eloise balks at this idea while Kelsey is measuring her to fit her with a costume she just happens to have handy. Imagine that!
Eloise opts for a bonnet instead and they leave a disheartened Kelsey to her booth.
Now, here’s the funny part, I intently watched the movie but after that scene my memory goes right blank. I can pick up bits and pieces but it may not be in order. Do with that information what you will.
When Eloise and Sam enter the grand tea room, we learn that Jennings is Sam’s aunt. Sam is concerned that an Austen acolyte, Crispin Crane, is angling for the job Eloise desperately wants. Sam and Eloise make a pact: if Eloise runs interferance against Crispin, who Sam is not a fan of for some reason, Sam will do everything in his power to get Eloise the job.
After this agreement, Eloise notices Jennings is picking out tea cakes so she darts next to Jennings side, makes a comment, and they introduce each other. After a few moments of chit chat, Jennings opines that she’s not a fan of Austen serious scholars as she finds them “boring and dismal snobs.” Eloise is, of course, taken back by this statement since that’s exactly what she is so she decides to show Jennings she’s a playful and fun creature.
This is the first 30 minutes of the movie.
The next 45 minutes or so are of Sam coaxing Eloise into having fun at the concerence while Eloise attempts to remain stoic about her involvmenet. Oh! We also learn that Sam is incredibly rich since he invented software of some kind of another. I guess this is the nod to Mr. Darcy?
Mia, during this time, remains heartbroken. At a game of bowls at a golf course, Mia’s ex, Rob, comes bearing roses and says he will do anything for her. Mia rejects this proposal because he is not being sincere and that he doesn’t understand her love for grand gestures. Rob leaves in a huff. A golfer bro (that is really how he is described on IMDB) recognizes Sam and comments about the work he is doing. Not sure why this is integral to the story, but there you go.
Also, Mia and Eloise keep exchanging the bonnet Eloise bought earlier in the movie.
During the downtime between Eloise and Sam, we watch them grow heavily into each other. At some point, Sam changes out of his Regency garb into basic mensware.
Sometime later, as Eloise is talking to Jennings, Mia shows up and proclaims that Eloise is only at the conference to get the job at Princeton, she’s a serious scholar, and knows everything about literature. Jennings leaves flustered. Eloise is shocked by her sister’s tirad and they get into a squabble that Mia is overdramatic and Eloise is always picking up the pieces and that Mia has no idea that her “help” was not very helpful. Mia argues back that she doesn’t need Eloise to pick up the pieces and Eloise has a retort of which I forget. Eloise stalks off.
The next part is hazy.
I’m going to assume that Sam finds Eloise and convinces her that not all is lost. Eloise gets over herself and decides to get into the spirit of the conference and changes into Regency garb which Kelsey just happens to have handy. Eloise gives her keynote, Rob does his grand gesture proposal which Mia, of course, accepts. Jennings reaches out to Eloise and tells her that she’s very impressed by Eloise’s behaviour and that it’s very brave for Eloise to conquer her fears (??) and that Eloise has the Princeton job.
Shock and awe.
At some point, Sam waltzes into the ballroom (not literally) in his basic mensware while everyone around him is in period dress.
Sam, Crispin, and Eloise have a conversation where we find out that Crispin is actually retiring from academia so he’s not looking to get the Princeton job. Sam asks why his aunt is referring to Crispin as a colleague and it turns out that Crispin is there to sweep Jennings off her feet and Jennings is being demure about it. I guess Crispin and Jennings are one true pairing.
So, to sum:
Rob proposes to Mia in a grand gesture and Mia accepts
Eloise gets her coveted job
Sam and Eloise have their HEA
Crispin and Jennings have their HEA
And poor Kelsey is probably still trying to sell her wares.
Final thoughts: I did not go into this movie thinking it was Oscar worthy production levels. I watch Hallmark Christmas movies every year just like everyone else so I know what I’m getting. Production level C+.
While this takes place over two days at an Austen conference, I didn’t really get an Austen vibe. It could have been any historical author and their conference complete with period dress. Heck, this could even be a Bronte conference though it would be a bit more gothic and atmospheric. Nevertheless, I was hoping for some kind of spin off of an Austen novel and the trailer hinted at a Pride and Prejudice retelling but I just don’t see it. What I do see is a popular romance trope, grumpy vs sunshine. If you’re not familiar with this trope, it’s a spin on opposites attract and in this case the grumpy is Eloise and the sunshine is Sam. This is the tame version of enemies to lovers which is more Darcy and Elizabeth. (Though heaven forbid Hallmark allude to people having a sex life.) Plot B-.
I didn’t feel that Eloise and Sam had chemistry even with their sniping. Mia, of course, I wanted to throw things at and Rob was just there. Crispin spent his time wearing cravats with his suits which charmed me for being on the nose. This movie is not a real stretch of acting potential. If Sam seems familiar, Kemp is a popular Hallmark feature hero. Chemistry C.
And yes, Sam is actually British though Eloise calling him out on it as he does sound fake. Interestingly, Eloise is Australian-British and raised in Australia so her America accent is not half bad.
Overall, it’s a fine movie. Austen related movies are always my catnip so even if I had this knowledge going in, I probably still would have watched it.
Overall rating C.