Pride and Prejudice: The Movie! (Miniseries)

I first saw this version of Pride and Prejudice over ten years ago. In fact, my family used to own it on VHS- how quaint! I saw the DVD in a store about five years ago, and I quickly snapped it up. They recently re-aired it on PBS, as part of the Masterpiece homage to Jane Austen, and I had a nice time rewatching it- even though I already own it!

Watching this miniseries is quite a project- it is five hours long! But the story is told faithfully, and almost nothing from the book has been changed and omitted.

Pride and Prejudice is the story of Elizabeth Bennett, a young woman in Regency England. She is the second of five girls, and at this point in her life, Lizzie’s mother is preoccupied with finding suitable (read: wealthy) husbands for the five daughters. This need is especially urgent because the family home is entailed and Mrs. Bennett and the girls will be unable to inherit the house. And since there are no Bennett sons, the house will pass into the hands of the closest male relatives. We are treated to a visit from this male relative- he is quite the bore!

There are several sources of excitement for the Bennetts- a party that includes two unmarried men moves into a nearby manor house. The first man, the amicable Mr. Bingley, takes an immediate liking to Lizzie’s older sister, Jane. The other man, Mr. Darcy, is handsome, but very arrogant. He makes scornful comments about country life, and Lizzie takes an immediate dislike to him.

But try as she might, Mr. Darcy seems unavoidable. And as the story progresses, the two fall in love. In between, there are all sorts of parties, dances, surprise proposals, unexpected visitors, and even some big scandals. This is truly a delightful story!

This is an amazing production of Pride and Prejudice. An amazing amount of thought and detail went into every aspect. The shooting locations are beautiful and breathtaking and the costumes are beautiful- you’ve got to love those Empire-waist dresses and those handsome young men in their red army coats.

The acting is superb. Colin Firth embodies Mr. Darcy perfectly, with his curt manner of speaking and his dark and handsome good looks. Jennifer Ehle, as Lizzie, is a nice complement to Firth’s Darcy. She remains good-natured, even when being offered unwanted wedding proposals. She is, however, quickly to defend her family, even if some of them drive her crazy.

While the primary characters are superb, the rest of the cast is just as splendid. There is not one single character who seems miscast. The actors are very devoted to their roles and their mannerisms were exactly as I pictured them while reading the book. Mrs. Bennett is perfectly meddlesome and prone to (unnecessary) hysterics, Mr. Collins is just as odious as I thought he would be, Lydia is flighty and superficial, and Wickham is charming- but there is something not quite right about him. I could go on- but even minor characters (like Mary the bookish Bennett sibling) are just perfect.

There are a couple of extras in this edition. But really, the five hour mini-series is the main event. Also, don’t be intimidated by the five hours- the mini-series is broken up into six chapters that are easily digestible chunks. This makes the viewing much more manageable- no need to block off an entire afternoon.

If you have read and enjoyed Pride and Prejudice, this is a must-see. I do not condone watching the movie in lieu of reading the book, but if you are studying Pride and Prejudice in school, this movie is extremely faithful to the book. Again, I am not condoning not reading the book, but some people are visual learners and watching this might provide a better understanding of the book.

I highly recommend the Pride and Prejudice mini-series on DVD. This is a wonderful movie- the story offers something for everyone, the acting is amazing, and the locations and costumes are delightful. This is definitely a must-see.