Posted: 11/13/2005

Pride and Prejudice

(2005)

by Erin Paulson

If you are at all familiar with the work of Jane Austen, then you are probably established with her novel Pride and Prejudice. If not, it centers around Ms. Lizzie Bennett, and her four sisters, all of which are out in society and single. Her older sister Jane seems to be the only of the four with beauty that surpasses Lizzie, and sense that equals her, but none of them match her in passion or spirit. When Lizzie meets the anti-social Mr. Darcy, there seems to be dislike on both their parts, but slowly, despite situations that almost prove otherwise, affections towards each other grow. I don’t believe I am alone in saying that Pride and Prejudice is one of the greatest love stories ever written.

The most well known of the film adaptations was a BBC mini-series from 1995 (a quintessential chick flick), starring Colin Firth as the incredibly reserved and arrogant Mr. Darcy, and Jennifer Ehle as the witty and forceful Lizzie Bennett. Until now, we had to depend on this rather tedious version for our Pride and Prejudice fix. Although Firth and Ehle made near-perfect interpretations of their characters, and their chemistry together was superb, they could do little to save the rest of the film from mediocrity.

Fortunately that is not the case with the new version, Pride & Prejudice, directed by Joe Wright. This is the exemplary adaptation for which we have all been waiting. Keira Knightley (whom I admit I adore fervently) played the character of Lizzie to perfection. One of my fears in this retelling was that Matthew MacFadyen’s Mr. Darcy simply would not be up to par with Colin Firth’s performance. I’m pleased to report however, that he did a fine job. He brought something new to the role, a vulnerability which takes us further than the performance that Firth delivered. And Donald Sutherland as Mr. Bennett… what can I say that will do his performance justice? Finally there was an appropriate casting for Lizzie’s sister Jane—Rosamund Pike was subtle, and beautiful, and reserved, just as any proper Jane should be. Jena Malone made me hate the character of Lydia Bennett even more ardently (if that’s possible), and Judi Dench was as always, elegant.

Deborah Moggach wrote the screenplay with much more than sufficiency. All of the main points of the story are present, none getting lost or muddled, and yet she was able to bypass the smaller details that managed to make the mini-series a five hour process. I felt no stabs of annoyance caused by missing story elements, just relief that we didn’t have to sit through them.

Although the aesthetics of the film are far more idealized than some would prefer, no one can deny that it is beautifully shot. There is a scene that takes place at sunrise, the timing of which must have been a total headache that I can scarcely imagine. The overall warmth that the film creates is comforting, but not distracting.

I loved every minute of this movie, and it elicited much more emotion in me than I thought the story was capable. I’ve seen it twice already, and I plan on seeing it a dozen more times. You should, too.

Erin Paulson is a photographer and writer who lives in Chicago.

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