In preparation for the FanstRAganza 3 I've been looking into a number of aspects to do with location, story, sets, props and costume and how Richard Armitage uses all of these to create his characters.
Thanks to Bccmee at Richard Armitage Vids & Graphics for banner.
In the process of looking at JT's costume in North & South, I unearthed all of my old screencaps featuring the John Thornton cravat-ed and cravat-less scenes with period white drama shirt. For the most part, the men in period dramas (at least, the ones I watch), are seen fully dressed in cravats and coats and only in a few scenes do they lose that formality. North & South is no exception. There are only two scenes where the cravat comes off John Thornton:
1. The scene where he is debriefing about Margaret to his mother after a long and very trying day. I have to say that he removes that cravat with finesse. (ATTN journalists interviewing Richard Armitage. Instead of asking him about the fans, can you please ask him how long it took to perfect the removal of the cravat?? With thanks!)
and
2. The train station scene when he meets Margaret again and throws formality to the wind by:
a) Not only having his shirt open at the neck, (was the cravat in his pocket?), but ..
b) Kissing Margaret in a very public place. John Thornton clearly forgot the Rules of Etiquette, but we are all so glad that he did!
In many period dramas the hero is seen to have won over the heroine when he has discarded his coat and cravat and the plain white shirt with open neck, dropped sleeves and wrist cuffs is revealed. What is that appeal? Is it the open neck with a hint of chest? Is it the billowing sleeves? Or is it just the look in the hero's face when he feels passionate about the woman he is with?
I could say all of the above, except that I encountered a few John Thornton white shirt scenes with no Margaret. The sleeves are rolled up, the cravat is on with waistcoat, and it still appeals. Maybe it just has something to do with the character wearing the white shirt ......
Following are a few of John Thornton's period drama colleagues wearing their white shirts ...
Rupert Penry-Jones as Captain Wentworth in Persuasion
Matthew Macfayden as Darcy - P&P 2005 (Has discarded his cravat but not his coat. I finally watched this version of P&P. I quite liked it).
Timothy Dalton as Rochester in Jane Eyre 1983. I must see if Michael Fassbender has a white shirt in the recent Jane Eyre.
Last but not least ....
Colin Firth as Darcy in P&P 1995
... and as an extra indulgence here are two heroes at their desks in shirtsleeves ....