I recently saw the newest version of Pride and Prejudice. Based on Jane Austen's novel and according to IMDB at least the 10th adaption of some form to be made. I have never read the novel or any Jane Austen in fact (I know forshame on me) and in truth went with very doubtful belief that I would enjoy the film. But it was something to do to fill one evening of my life. It was a well chosen film. I enjoyed it more than anything else I saw in the last month.
It was even more enjoyable by contrast to Shopgirl (2005) which I had seen the night before with such disappointment. Pride and Prejudice had my favorite character type of all as the lead role: The witty intelligent beautiful obstinate woman. Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley) plays this role well. And of course I fell completely in love with her. I was rooting for her from almost her first words and she has a fantastic verbal contest with Mr. Darcy.
That she will, of course, fall in love with Darcy despite his stubbornness is foreseeable and that there will be some sort of misunderstanding and/or obstacle to their romance is a given. But the manor in which the actors approach this plot is done with aplomb. Darcy (Matthew MacFayden) is of course a fantastic match for Elizabeth (setting myself aside for obvious reasons) and the advancement to the inevitable conclusion is delightful.
The film is at times comic and serious. The are moments of joy and anger. There is a father's love for his daughter and putting that love above convention. In fact the whole movie is filled with all the classic (or cliched) themes you might be searching for and all done very well. I smiled for most of the movie and I've put the book on my list of things to read. That a movie inspired me to read the book might be shameful but I don't care.
The book really is very remarkable. Even though I agree that the movie was well-made, the book is 10 times better. I hope you will make the effort to read it, even if the style of the writing isn't at first easy to adjust to.
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