The 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley, is the latest in a long string of attempts to bring Jane Austen's 1811 classic love story to the screen. Charles Dickens may well have been reviewing this movie when he wrote, "It was the best of times; It was the worst of times." This is a very fine movie with much to recommend it, and yet it falls far short of the potential of both the plot and the characters that Jane Austen created, and leaves several talented cast members woefully underutilized.

The story, as many will know, concerns the Bennet family, a less affluent country family with five unwed daughters of marriageable age. By tradition, the estate will pass to the nearest male heir on the father's death leaving the women penniless, so finding the brood suitable mates is a high priority. Add to this the strictures of a class-based society, the follies of human nature, and Miss Austen's considerable wit, and you have one of the best novels written in the English language.

In a little over two hours, no movie could do this novel justice. To achieve its goal, many plot lines are abandoned, and others whittled down to a stub. Only the central pair of themes remain: the love between Jane Bennet (Rosamund Pike) and Mr. Bingley (Simon Woods); and the apparent antipathy between Jane's sister, Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Bennet (Keira Knightley) and Bingley's close friend, Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen).

This script may not please the fans. Even the most ardent Austen purist must realize that some pruning was necessary. However, this paring was a little ham handed. Several scenes were presented that were not essential to the story, while the characters of Mr. Wickham (Rupert Friend), Mr. Collins (Tom Hollander) and Lady Catherine de Bourg (Judi Dench) do not receive enough screen time for their true nature to be portrayed. This does weaken, I think, the depth and meaning of the events that are presented. Had Joe Wright been a more experienced director, I doubt these deficiencies would have been tolerated.

However, despite these flaws, the movie does much that is exceedingly good. The costumes, scenery and score are first class. The story that is presented is amusing and enjoyable. The casting is, for the most part, exemplary. The Bennet sisters -- Jane, Lizzie, Mary (Talulah Riley), Kitty (Carey Mulligan) and Lydia (Jena Malone) -- who in the novel range from 22 to 15, are for the first time portrayed by actresses of about the right age. (In the 1940 version, Greer Garson was 36 when she played the 20-year-old Lizzie. Keira Knightley had just turned 20.)

There are many fine performances. Rosamund Pike is absolutely perfect for Jane, and Keira Knightley is delightful as Lizzie, wielding a rapier wit rather than a cutlass. Donald Sutherland does a great job of playing their father in a minimal amount of screen time. Alas, Matthew Macfadyen as Darcy was a little too wooden for my taste and lacks the pirate charisma of Orlando Bloom or Johnny Depp. Brenda Blethyn is too nice a person. Her take on Mrs. Bennet falls too far short of loathsome.

This 2005 version of Pride & Prejudice is an excellent introduction to Jane Austen -- Jane Austen Lite, if you like. It is enjoyable and portrays much of her vision of Georgian England, and the fine cast provides many wonderful moments. It is probably the best film version of the story yet presented, and despite the script flaws, Keira Knightley is my favorite Lizzie. However, with 5 hours to tell the story, the BBC TV version from 1995 with Colin Firth & Jennifer Ehle remains, I believe, the definitive one.

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Rating:

Nothing untoward happens, not even a kiss. The ages of the ladies when certain events take place would be scandalous if not illegal in our times. However, your kids are going to get this book on their required reading list from school, so you may as well go with the flow. Let them watch.

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DVD:

The DVD is a fine quality transfer of the movie. It has all the usual how-we-made-it stuff, but for some reason, it has no deleted scenes or bloopers.

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Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Directed by Joe Wright

Novel by Jane Austen
Screenplay by Deborah Moggach
Additional dialogue by Emma Thompson

Cast:
Keira Knightley - Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Bennet
Talulah Riley - Mary Bennet
Rosamund Pike - Jane Bennet
Jena Malone - Lydia Bennet
Carey Mulligan - Kitty Bennet

Donald Sutherland - Mr. Bennet
Brenda Blethyn - Mrs. Bennet

Claudie Blakley - Charlotte Lucas
Simon Woods - Mr. Bingley
Kelly Reilly - Caroline Bingley
Matthew Macfadyen - Mr. Darcy
Rupert Friend - Mr. Wickham
Tom Hollander - Mr. Collins
Judi Dench - Lady Catherine de Bourg

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Recommended: Yes

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