I approach this blog almost timidly, feeling the weight of the task upon my shoulders. How can I possibly, through mere words, explain to you everything that this movie is? It’s like trying to describe the Grand Canyon in one sentence. But I shall do my best.
“Pride and Prejudice” first began as a novel, written by Jane Austen. Over the years, it has been adapted into film on a couple of occasions, first as an old black and white starring Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson, which was a nice try but no cigar. It was impossible to fit the entire scope of the story into such a short film, so they cut and trimmed and plucked until it was left in shreds, which they then pieced together haphazardly. It was not until the BBC presented their version, starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, that we really got to see this movie in its full glory. Although this film is sometimes criticized for being five hours long, that is part of its beauty and charm – you get insights into each of the characters, and you aren’t rushed from thing to thing. You get to immerse yourself in it like a hot bubble bath.
Our main characters are the Bennets. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are the parents of five daughters: Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. Mrs. Bennet has the shrill voice of a hyena and employs it liberally. Mr. Bennet is kind and tolerant but often absent, preferring to read in his study than listen to his high-pitched wife and giggling daughters. Kitty and Lydia are far too immature for their ages and spend their time chasing the officers stationed nearby. Mary is far too devoted to her books and refuses to enjoy life at all. The only two well-balanced girls in the family are Jane and Lizzie, and while the movie involves all the family, we focus most on these two.
It seems that an old mansion, Netherfield Park, which has long stood empty, has finally been rented out. And not just by anyone – no, but by a rich young man named Mr. Bingley, who has five thousand pounds a year. Mrs. Bennet is practically salivating at the thought. Surely this young man will want to be introduced to her daughters, and out of five, surely he’ll want to marry one of them. She asks Mr. Bennet if he will go pay a call, but Mr. Bennet can’t see the point. Why not just send the girls over, and then the young man can have his choice?
Mr. Bingley does have his choice; he chooses Jane. But before anything can come of it, he is whisked away by his handsome but disagreeable friend, Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth and Darcy disliked each other on sight, and as soon as she finds out that he has taken Mr. Bingley back to London and away from Jane, her opinion of him lessens even more. It takes a great deal of time and a tragedy in Lizzie’s family to bring the two together in the end, their misunderstandings put to the side and forgotten.
There are some marvelous actors in this film: David Bamber plays the oily and obnoxious Mr. Collins to the hilt. Julia Sawalha conquers the role of the flighty youngest sister Lydia. Barbara Leigh-Hunt shines as the cranky and disagreeable Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Every character in every role was superb.
I must take a moment to mention the remake recently done starring Keira Knightly. I have seen it and I must say that while all involved did a credible job, the BBC version remains far superior. If you did not know the story of “Pride and Prejudice,” and were seeing the new version for the first time you wouldn’t know the half of what was going on. Of necessity, so much was left out. The backstory, the characterization – and we don’t even know why she hates Collins so much. If you want to truly know the story and appreciate it for what it is, you need that backstory and the BBC version is the one to give it to you.
This movie is ultimately my favorite on the whole planet. Your heart will be touched, you will thrill to every glance, and … get this … my husband will even sit down and watch it with me. It just doesn’t get any better than that. And besides, it’s Colin Firth.
Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.
Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth.
The BBC version was filmed in 1995.
The version with Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson wasn’t very close to the book, but that doesn’t keep Larry from being mighty charming.
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