Firth's smouldering Darcy still lights fires

Colin Firth (left) beats Matthew MacFadyen, say readers.

Colin Firth's "smouldering handsome looks" and "lovely voice" still win out over newcomer Matthew MacFadyen in the battle for the title of sexiest Mr Darcy.

But while most Herald readers who voted in our poll favoured Firth, a handful were firmly of the view that MacFadyen won "hands down" after seeing the latest screen version of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

" ... when the Colin Firth version was made 10 years ago, Firth was labelled the 'thinking woman's crumpet' but I think the title has passed on now to Matthew MacFadyen," wrote one reader.

The latest screen version of the classic novel opened last week with MacFadyen (In My Father's Den) playing the aloof and upper-class Darcy to Keira (Bend it like Beckham) Knightley's Elizabeth.

One reader found it hard to choose between the hunks and decreed that MacFadyen "hands down wins sexiest Mr Darcy but Colin Firth is still the best Darcy".

Kathy, a "huge Pride and Prejudice fan", was forthright in favouring MacFadyen and her dislike for his predecessor.

" ... unlike Cardboard Colin , Matthew brings a realistic portrayal of what Mr Darcy would be like".

Still, when it came to the crunch, Firth had the numbers with his "brooding magnetism".

"Colin burns the screen in this characterisation. Even today Colin has never been able to shake the Darcy image, which is a credit to his performance," said one reader.

Phoebe said it was "no contest".

"Look at the bedroom eyes and watch how he smoulders. My grand-daughters say they don't know what smoulder means - I say they haven't lived yet. Colin Firth all the way."

Firth, said another Phoebe, would never have any competition. "The eyes, the hair, the body, the voice and, of course, the smouldering. Even though MacFadyen is closer to my age, this does not sway me at all. "No one can ever come close to Firth - he is Mr Darcy."