Too grim

Rating: 3/10 (9 December 2005)

I didn't like the dark, dirty, grim aspect of the movie. The mud, the dreary dresses on the Bennett girls, the mumbling, unshaven Mr. Bennett, the general frowziness of it all. And that scene of the boar being herded into the house/shed...what in the world was that all about? I accept the Bennett family as less wealthy than Darcy, but NOT grabbing for food at the table and walking barefoot in the mud. It seemed more a film set in the backwoods of Kentucky in the 1800s. And who would like that Bingley with his strange hair and bumbling ways? However, Judi Dench did a wonderful portrayal of Lady Catherine. I appreciated Brenda Blethyn's Mrs. Bennett, fluttery but not screechy. And the episode of Lydia running off with Wickham was touched on so lightly as to be a mystery, if I hadn't already seen this film in about 5 other versions, plus the book. I fear the average movie-goer, who had not seen or read the story would be puzzled by many parts of it. For me, there was too much dirt, and not enough character development. Alas, there's always a next time.