"Pride and Prejudice" (2005)
Let it be known that no one could replace Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. That said, there is still much to recommend the latest adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, arguably Jane Austen's best novel (and undisputedly her most popular). The story is, approximately, thus: rich man meets poor woman, man insults woman, man falls in love with woman, man must then change woman's mind. Can there be any doubt as to the ending?
It is difficult to review this without resorting merely to comparisons with the 5-hour BBC mini-series starring the aforementioned Colin Firth, but I shall try (except in the case of Matthew MacFadyen). MacFadyen is a slightly scruffier, probably handsomer Darcy than Colin Firth, and if he lacks the range of facial expression of the former, well, at least his few expressions are all equally handsome. Keira Knightley is a perfectly credible Elizabeth Bennett, and both she and MacFadyen put unexpected passion into roles bound by such strict confines of etiquette as English society imposed at the time (over which the movie does not trespass too much until the very end).
The opinions of those of us who watched the movie together were divided as to which roles were better or worse cast in the new version compared to the other (though it is always a pleasure to watch Dame Judi Dench play imperious). We did agree that the costuming was woefully inconsistent as regards authenticity, and the few outfits that did manage to accurately represent the era in which Jane Austen lived and wrote were of such hideous nature as to cause Knightley's figure, displayed to such voluptuous effect in Pirates, to disappear entirely. (On the other hand, perhaps we ought to be congratulating the costumers of Pirates for finding so much voluptuousness in such a trim figure. God bless the corset.)
I was most pleased about the fact that the movie didn't feel too short. To be sure, much of the non-Elizabeth-and-Darcy plotline was pared out, but I had feared it would be a worse excising than it was. Overall, I felt the movie put in a lot more emotion -- with beautiful cinematography and an excellent, piano-rich score -- than the BBC version. This was a more deeply felt edition, though only the viewers who prefer overt, as opposed to restrained, passion shared this opinion. It could never replace a version so faithful as to be nearly word-for-word, but it offered its share of squeal, squinch and giggle moments -- enough to please any girl looking for a sweet evening's diversion.
12 Comments:
Wait, when did you watch the BBC version?
And how could someone lack the range of facial exprssion of Colin Firth as Darcy? He smiled at the end. That's the only time he changed facial expressions!
But, glad you liked it. Maybe my wife will have to see it some time (as if there was a question, she's seen 3 other versions of it, two of them too many times to count).
Has she seen the old Greer Garson version? I think we have that around here someplace. I ought to watch that before I leave.
Hello Abigail. I am really interested in Pride and Prejudice. I just watched Pride and Prejudice yesterday in Japan. And I watched the 5-hour BBC mini-series before.
Overall, I really agree with you because the BBC version is actually a little bit less of beautiful cinematography, nature and an pretty excellent piano like movie version, although the cast of the BBC version is pretty good. (I like Colin Firth as Mr Darcy very much.)
This summer, I went to London, where I found a movie poster of Pride and Prejudice. I was really pleased about the fact I could watch this so nice movie, however I had to wait watching until Janualy 15 because I live in Japan.
Kawigi: I just saw the BBC version, and then we went right out to see the new one. I am still open to having another viewing with Mrs. Kawigi, or else going with her when she wants to see the new one.
No no, see, most people think Colin Firth had no facial expression, but it was the little smirks and narrowing of the eyebrows that conveyed so much! The smile at the end was the payoff!
Mike: No, I haven't. I tend not to like old movies, not enough dynamic variation in the sound. (I know it's not their fault they had bad equipment.)
Kayo: I'm glad you were able to watch both! The new one is good enough that I don't mind that they made it. :)
I was referring to Mrs. Kawigi, but that's illuminating. Sound quality? That's your reason? Hmm.
"Mrs. Kawigi" saw one on TV once that was in B/W and normal movie length. I don't know for sure if it was the one with Greer Garrison, as far as I'm concerned, it could have been nearly any of the 9 IMDB entries for "Pride and Prejudice." I saw a few minutes of it, but like Abigail, old movies aren't really my thing in general, because the lack of audio/visual quality is distracting, even if it's otherwise good (my wife, on the other hand, will watch stuff like "I Love Lucy" and "Perry Mason" any time).
A question. Kiera Knightley's performance might have been "perfectly credible," and I have no reason to doubt that. But was it Oscar-worthy? Because you must have noticed she's been nominated.
Now I don't know. I saw some production stills today, and I think she might have been too pretty to play Elizabeth. I dunno. I can't really judge, since I haven't seen the movie.
Perhaps the convincing nature of her performance, where nothing seemed jolted or out of key, is impressive enough to be Oscar-nomination-worthy. Because it was convincing -- so much so that I didn't even find it remarkable, and maybe that's the most remarkable feat of all? Of course it galls me that she's only 20. What have I done with my life to show for being 24, eh? Must write faster...
Everybody has to work for a living. Except for the really exceptionally good-looking. Not so much for them. I should have eaten better when I was younger.
And "Perry Mason" is awesome. They have it on Hallmark all the time -- or, at least, they used to. We don't have cable anymore, so I can't check.
A choppy, miscast, unenjoyable movie in general, if you ask me. Any enjoyment I gained out of it was from my reading of the book and my viewing of the BBC production. I would have had no damn idea what was going on if I'd never read the book or seen the movie. My neck nearly got broken in some of those jump cuts.
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