My Favourite Movies: Pride and Prejudice

I very vividly remember seeing this when it came out in 2005. I’m not exactly sure why the guys didn’t see it with us but I ended up going just with CQ. Maybe it was because it was a costume drama? Maybe it was because it was billed as a major ‘chick-flick’? Maybe it was because it was Jane Austen?

Anyway, we arrived early fully expecting to have to fight our way through the crowds only to discover no long line of people patiently waiting. Momentarily perplexed we realised that the Multiplex had decided to show the film on one of its two largest screens seating around 300 people. That explains it we thought. Wrong! When we got into the screen itself it was packed and we struggled to get two decent seats together. The audience was probably 97% women all eagerly chatting about the treat ahead. I’m struggling to remember if I read the book before or after I saw the movie. I have a feeling it was afterwards. Not that I needed any additional pre-knowledge of the plot. It is, after all, a classic of English Literature. Originally published in 1813 the story is an often acerbic critique of the society Austen was born into and especially the very constrained place of women within it. Central to the story is Miss Elizabeth Bennet (played as if the role was written for her by Keira Knightley – pictured above). She is the 2nd eldest of five Bennet girls all who need to be married off if their family are not to lose the estate they have grown up on. The eldest daughter Jane is considered the beauty of the family and the local area who, it is assumed, will marry very well indeed. Lizzie is the family cynic and thinker - always with her nose in a book. I fell in love with her in the film (and not just because she is played by the pretty and oh so serious Ms Knightley), the BBC series and in the book. She is most definitely my kind of woman!

The rather complicated plot revolves around a series of misunderstandings. At a ball held in the local hall we are introduced to several visiting members of the landed gentry – Mr Bingley played by Simon Woods (with a reported income of 10 thousand a year) and Mr Darcy played by a rather disappointing Matthew Macfadyen (with an even larger income of 20 thousand a year). Mr Bingley falls head over heels with Jane Bennet and there is a definite spark between Mr Darcey and Lizzie. However, because of both pride and prejudice on both sides their relationship is a very challenging one indeed. Although incredibly romantic – I lost count of the number of heartfelt sighs emanating from the entire audience – this film is also incredibly funny. Austen’s writing is well observed and very witty indeed. The book, which is one of my all time favourites, is, if anything, even funnier. I found myself chuckling along to Austen’s insightful comments and dialogue that oozed some of the deepest most cutting sarcasm I have ever read. A great deal of this made it – sometimes word for word – into the movie. The sparring dialogue, especially between Lizzie and Darcy, is like watching an expert martial arts contest – using only words and whit. It is quite simply brilliant. I found myself, again to an even greater degree in the book, simply speechless at the genius of the writing. Coupled with this the cinematography throughout the film is impeccable. I loved it from the opening few minutes. The camera glides through scenes in a way that often defies description. Just watching the way scenes are filmed is a delight in itself and adds, if any addition was required, to the overall feel of this movie as a work of art. As you can tell by now I loved this film. With a superb supporting cast – special mention must be made of Donald Sutherland and Brenda Blethyn as Mr and Mrs Bennet – this was a delight to watch from start to finish. All that is left is to find my own Lizzie. After all, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife……