The latest on-screen reprise of Jane Austen's eternal classic, 'Pride and Prejudice', wastes no time in thrusting you squarely into the unromantic part of the late 18th/early 19th century English countryside, replete with free-ranging poultry and livestock, muddy roads and paths to soil the ladies' hems, inartistic creases in the clothes, and no makeup on the actors' faces (or so it seems). This insistent realism is not unheard of in the genre of filmed literary classics (witness the obsessive attention to grimy details in the Boston-based 'Masterpiece Theatre' programs that feature Charles Dickens's works, for instance - done by the BBC, Thames Television, etc.), but to have a palpable, joyful aliveness - or rowdiness, as in the case of the younger Bennet sisters - also in the mix is almost a novelty. Such gritty backdrops usually figure in more heavily dramatic fare, but in this new, naturalistic re-creation of Austen's world they only enhance the mood and ambience of the film.
This well-loved story of Mr and Mrs Bennet and their five daughters who live in Hartfordshire opens expectantly, with a crescendo of chirping birds and a marvellous, stirring piano piece greeting the misty early dawn, as the camera moves from the exteriors with farm animals puttering in the mud and laundry hanging on the lines, directly into the humble Bennet home. Here the camera glides smoothly from room to room, finally settling on the dining area. Breakfast at the Bennets here is a lively event, lacking any air of aristocratic stuffiness and filled instead with a genuinely human messiness and chaos typical of larger families. We are later shown in contrast the spare, silent and rigid formality of the mansions of the two most desirable (and wealthy) bachelors who've inadvertently stirred things up by their arrival in town, Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy.
The local public ball is a boisterous and sweaty
affair with modest surroundings that do little to suppress the gaiety of its participants. The ladies and gentlemen dance to light, bouncy music provided by a live band of players and from the way the scenes were shot, it looks pretty darn crowded on that dance floor! Elizabeth's mother, Mrs Bennet, seems to be the most enthusiastic of all, presenting herself and her unmarried daughters to the attention of the eligible good gentlemen, and perhaps enjoying a spot of alcohol every now and then.
Dario Marianelli's lush musical score quickly captures your ear, and French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet provides the brilliant readings. With explicit borrowings from Frederic Chopin, Robert Schumann, even a touch of Gabriel Fauré [note added 11/27/05: on closer listening, the music reflects more the early *Beethoven* sonatas, which a friend has so rightly and perceptively suggested! ], these hauntingly romantic pieces couldn't be more apt for this gentle comedy of love and manners in turn-of-the 19th century England. The music was love on first hearing. And in keeping with the overall realistic look of the film, cinematographer Roman Osin fills the screen with rural colours of dark and muddy browns, blues and greens in the actors' dress, in the interiors and exteriors, and skin tones are rendered in a more natural-looking state. Interestingly, a lot of close-up shots are used, which serve to draw the viewer into the picture in a most physical way!
And about the performances? In a word (or three), utterly, totally delightful! The young Kiera Knightley taps into a core of intelligence, wit and budding sophistication as the smart, spirited and strong-willed Elizabeth Bennet. Ms Knightley first came to notice in last year's summer hit, 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. Here she belies her late teens with a mature portrayal of the close-in-age Elizabeth Bennet, who will not settle for a match that leaves love out of the equation. At first strongly opinionated, the later softening of Lizzie's own pride and prejudice is a change made credible by Ms Knightley's well-tuned performance.
While Colin Firth (from the BBC television mini-series made ten years ago) seemed heretofore to be *the* definitive Mr Darcy, Matthew McFadyen is no slouch, either. He quickly stole my (foolishly romantic) heart away the moment he appeared next to the grinning Mr Bingley at the ball, all unsmiling, taciturn and with furrowed brow. That serious look and mien I find awfully attractive and intriguing, but then again, I confess to a weirdness, too. Mr McFadyen is handsome but not in the boring, conventional way (ugh, who wants that?), and gives Mr Firth a serious run for his money. Of course that charge of electricity between the leads that could light up the neon signs in Times Square doesn't hurt the film one bit. The repressed sexuality and erotic undercurrents racing through Mr Darcy and Elizabeth generate an intense cinematic ardour of the kind one sees more often in British and other European films.
The rest of the inspired casting works swimmingly. Brenda Blethyn's Mrs Bennet seems excessively pushy in her bid to get her daughters married off to wealthy gentlemen - she borders on caricature - but one sympathises with her when taken in the context of the novel's social milieu. At one point, she responds to Elizabeth's chastisement by telling her, 'When you have five daughters, tell me what else will preoccupy your mind and perhaps you'll understand.' The amiable and diffident Mr Bennet is played by Donald Sutherland, who tries with little success to conceal his favouritism for Elizabeth. Jane (Rosamund Pike), Lizzie's eldest sister, radiates a quiet shyness that balances out the boundless energy of her closest sibling-confidant, Elizabeth. Offering moments of droll humour is eager-to-please, shy and good-natured Mr Bingley, played by Simon Woods who sports far too many frozen, outsized smiles and a hilariously pouffy pile of red hair!
Finally, there's Dame Judi Dench. One of the finest actresses alive today - she can sit mute and motionless in a scene and still outshine everyone else within miles - Ms Dench takes up the role of the wealthy and landed Lady Catherine de Burgh. Since her Lady Catherine is a most intimidating woman ('I am not to be trifled with!' she warns), Elizabeth's defiance of her ladyship's wishes becomes all the more impressive.
Deborah Moggach's enjoyable screenplay is romantic, touching, hilarious and witty. There's a bounding pulse in the film that makes every scene throb with life. The brisk pace never slackens, and few dull scenes are to be endured, thanks to crisp editing by Paul Tothill. At our theatre, audience reaction ranged from hushed giggles to peals of hearty laughter, with some uninhibited comments addressed to one character or another, or to no one in particular. One fellow moviegoer exclaimed, 'There is one!', in response to Jane Bennet as she wishes that there were a man who would make Elizabeth as happy as she is with Mr Bingley. Everyone in the theatre felt deeply involved in the film and connected to these fictional characters who seemed so alive and real to us all, appearing to inhale the same air we were breathing in at that very moment. 'Pride and Prejudice' so satisfied one's hopes so much and on so many levels - the acting, direction, screenplay, visuals, editing and music - and really, there isn't much more you could ask for in a film, is there?
As for the question that plagues every picture adapted from a novel, I'm afraid I am totally unfit to address the matter of the film's fidelity to the book. I happen to be one of the six remaining beings in the English-speaking world not to have read this particular Austen novel (oh, horrors!). But! Rest assured that *that* gaping hole in my sorry education shall be fixed very soon! I will say this, though, about the film we saw: the final scene ('Mrs Darcy…Mrs Darcy…') should have been tossed out directly. Without it, this 'Pride and Prejudice' is perfect! I've heard that this ending was tacked on just to please US audiences; the European cut doesn't have it. Bully for them! Ah, well, it's just a mild annoyance, and insufficient to merit a lost star in my rating. So it's a full five sparkling stars for this lovely, enjoyable film!
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Drama - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring: Ian McShane, Dudley Sutton, Phyllis Logan, Chris Jury, Malcolm Tierney
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Rightly winning wide acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic, this latest take on Jane ... more
Austens classicPride&Prejudiceis a real, all-round triumph. The age-old story still holds real resonance, and it follows the tale of five sisters dealing with love, an...
Postage & Packaging: Check Site. Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Rightly winning wide acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic, this latest take on Jane ... more
Austens classicPride&Prejudiceis a real, all-round triumph. The age-old story still holds real resonance, and it follows the tale of five sisters dealing with love, an...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 6 to 11 days...
The five Bennet sisters have all been raised by their mother with one purpose in life - ... more
finding a husband. However, the second eldest Lizzie can think of 100 reasons not to marry.When Mrs Bennet hears the exciting news that a wealthy bachelor and his c...
A romance ahead of its time... The five Bennet sisters - Elizabeth or Lizzie (Keira ... more
Knightley) Jane (Rosamund Pike) Lydia (Jena Malone) Mary (Talulah Riley) and Kitty (Carey Mulligan) - have been raised well aware of their mother's (Brenda Blethyn...
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Advantages: VERY TRUE TO JANE AUSTEN'S ORIGINAL - Natural and Unpretentious - Glorious Scenery and very "Down-to-Earth" Disadvantages: It stopped before Jane Austen stopped, and I wanted MORE!
![Pride&Prejudice - 2005 [DVD]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78508070.jpg "Pride&Prejudice - 2005 [DVD]")
Nov 25th, 2005
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