They tried their best!

Rating: 5/10 (13 February 2006)

It would have been impossible to condense P&P into 2 hrs adequately so the unfair comparisons between this film and the 1995 version, are just that, unfair. I was however, disappointed by the liberties the scriptwriters and director took with the manners and customs of the time which are so clearly observed in the novel(e.g. Darcy would never have entered Elizabeth's bedroom to deliver a letter - even if this was a symbolic visit it was confusing) The costumes were interesting on the whole even if a little scruffy and it was valid to set the piece at a slightly earlier date than the novel's publication since there are references in the book which suggests this as a possibility. Judy Dench however, as Lady Catherine was sporting a bright orange sun tan worthy of a daytime TV presenter, which would not have been the antithesis of the custom of the day and this for me was a distraction. I was also disappointed by the pace of the dialogue, particularly the scene with Elizabeth and Lady Catherine - It was run at the pace of and express train without pause. The whole point of Austen and why it works as both novel and drama, is that it is of its time - the stories, unlike Shakespeare's, are not about universal themes they are particular to that period of time and that small world. Muck about with these fundamentals, and the whole piece degenerates into a "chick flick" and Pride and Prejudice should be much more than that. The actors did their best with what they were given.I found Kiera Knightly although unquestionably beautiful, was unconvincing as Elizabeth - she only seemed to have three expressions one of those was an all too wide grin which seemed to serve her for all manner of emotions and yes, I now know she has wonderfully white teeth. Brenda Blethyn was superb and a much better Mrs Bennet than in other versions I have seen, but Donald Sutherland appeared to have come to Hertfordshire via New Hampshire - his English accent was unsteady which was a contrast to the younger American actresses who had beautiful accents. Too little was made of Matthew McFadyen's Darcy who had the most difficult job of all (Making it his own in competition with Colin Firth's three outings in the role). His acting was far more subtle and superior to Ms Knightly's. And the least said about the US alternative ending, the better! In the end the weakness of this film was the script(a mix of pure Jane Austen and contemporary slush) and the direction. The moral of the tale is next time you want to do a perfect film adaptation of a Jane Austen novel, get Emma Thompson to write the script and Ang Lee to direct it - Sense and Sensibility knocked spots off this one.