Pride and Prejudice Movie Review

In an effort to show my sophomores how to use the 5-paragraph essay form as a media review, I hastily threw together this rather formulaic (on purpose) analysis of one of my favorite movies. Hopefully they are understanding the point of topic sentences and using specific examples: the main focus of this particular assignment. Enjoy!


Jane Austen's well-loved novel Pride and Prejudice was first published in 1813, but today its readers still find relevance in its social commentary and love stories. In the two hundred years since it first appeared, scholars and readers alike have devoured the book, enjoying Austen's well-drawn characters and sharp wit. The story of the five Bennet sisters, all searching for love and husbands with money (since their home will be taken over by their nearest male cousin), is unquestionably a classic tale of family problems interfering with social mobility. Several movie adaptations have been made, including the BBC's six-hour long critically acclaimed mini-series. But Focus Features got involved in 2005, producing a two-hour, greatly abridged version of the famous story. Although some critics were appalled at the important events which were neglected in this shorter retelling, the 2005 film virtually shimmers with romance and humor, creating a version that I believe Jane Austen would have greatly enjoyed. Its dramatic cinematography, brilliant casting, and stirring musical score combine to give Pride and Prejudice a place on my list of all-time favorite movies.

Instead of being shot in close quartered, small houses (like the narrative of Austen's book), the cinematic choices in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice are sweeping and broad, providing a beautiful backdrop for one of the most powerful love stories of all time. Elizabeth Bennet, the fresh-faced Keira Knightley, strides through the muddy countryside, stands in the rain, and absorbs the wind atop a high cliff in a few of the gorgeous outdoor scenes in this film. The colors are vibrant, the houses divine, and the balls are whirring spectacles: all filmed in a way that draws you in and makes you feel that you are truly there, witnessing early-nineteenth-century Britain. This version dramatically contrasts the still, claustrophobic BBC version. Although some Austen enthusiasts find the BBC version to be more in line with the limited descriptions of the outdoors found in the book, I think this newer version more closely captures the spirit of Austen's story: one of interior dramas set within a beautiful backdrop.

The cast sparkles in this film, making it a true gem. Matthew MacFayden, relatively unknown outside of Britain, was an inspired choice to play the brooding Mr. Darcy, and he rarely allows a glimpse into the character's churning thoughts until the end when his stuttered confession of love to Elizabeth reveals the depth of his feeling; masterfully played by MacFayden. Knightley in turn plays Elizabeth Bennet with all the spunk and courage Austen has given the character. Their on-screen chemistry is palpable, and they are perfectly matched. Mrs. Bennet, played by Brenda Blethyn, and Jane Bennet, played by Rosamund Pike, are both ideally portrayed; I even prefer them to their critically acclaimed BBC counterparts. The casting director made some surprising choices, but ultimately each character was played to such perfection that I fell in love with the film.

All of these great decisions, however, would have meant little without the heart-stopping musical score written and engineered by Jean-Yves Thibaudet. His sweepingly beautiful music, whether played with full orchestra or gracelessly pounded out on the pianoforte by Mary Bennet, stirs the soul and pulls together the romance and beauty of the picture. A particularly moving piece, "Your Hands Are Cold," functions as the climax of the story as Elizabeth and Darcy meet in a dew-misted field as the sun rises behind them. The touch of the music is perfection, and Thibaudet certainly made his mark on film history with this must-have score.

Jane Austen must receive the proper credit for a brilliant story, written two hundred years ago; but the producers and director (Joe Wright) brought it to life in this magical adaptation. Picturing the characters out in nature, as they should be, selecting the right actors for the roles, and pulling it together with the most graceful score of the year were all decisions that led to many awards for this film. Pride and Prejudice remains one of my favorite movies of all time, and it is bound to top the list of modern classics.