gets the plot details right but misses out on some of the humor

Rating: 7/10 (26 June 2006)

It seems like every time we turn around these days some filmmaker has been hard at work producing yet another adaptation of Jane Austen's most beloved novel "Pride and Prejudice." And even though some of the versions have been quite good actually, we can still wonder if this glut is really all that necessary. The book's two most recent incarnations came in the form of miniseries produced by the BBC, the first in 1980 and the second in 1995. However, since 1940, there has not been a "straight" (i.e. set in the proper time period) version of "Pride and Prejudice" designed specifically for the big screen. Well, now we have one, written by Deborah Moggach, directed by Joe Wright and starring Keira Knightley in the lead role.
This latest version is distinguished from the earlier efforts primarily by its grittier, grimier and grungier depiction of life in early 19th Century rural England. With its peeling paint and dusty furnishings, the film certainly has a less prettified and more lived-in look than we are accustomed to seeing in movies based on Austen works. Yet, perhaps because we have been spoiled by the marathon lengths of those earlier miniseries, this film, at a mere two hours and seven minutes, feels hurried and rushed as it attempts to cope with Austen's complex tale of the five Bennett sisters and their mother's frantic efforts to marry them off. We are moved so quickly through the story that some of the more subtle details of character and theme get lost along the way. Still, it's quite remarkable just how much of the plot Moggach is able to cram into a little over two hours, so that even the staunchest of Austen purists will have little to complain about on that score.
What they may have reason to complain about is the fact that the film fails to capture much of the unique humor that distinguishes the novel. For the most part, the scenes are played much too seriously and "straight," particularly those involving the odious Mr. Collins and the insufferably condescending Lady Catherine de Bourg, who together supply some of Austen's most bitingly witty commentary on the superficiality of England's class-conscious society. Tom Hollander gives a spiritless, leaden performance as the sycophantic minister, and Judi Dench plays Lady Catherine as if she were taking a stab at Lady MacBeth instead. The same goes for Donald Sutherland as Mr. Bennett, whose pivotal role as the droll, dry commentator on the absurd Mrs. Bennett's matrimonial obsessions seems to have been lost on the actor. Matthew Macfadyen fails to make an impact as the haute Mr. Darcy, although Brenda Blethyn hits the right notes as the grating mother driven to despair at the prospect of her daughters ending up old maids.
In the coveted role of the high-minded, strong willed and extremely judgmental Elizabeth Bennett - certainly the most brilliant and fully realized of all Austen's creations - Knightley clearly means well but doesn't seem quite up to the task. Her annoying giggle and epicene expression make her far too silly and modern to successfully portray the rational but often misguided 19th Century heroine Austen intended Elizabeth to be.
Yet, despite all these weaknesses, "Pride and Prejudice" makes for a reasonably entertaining film, thanks, primarily, to the strength of the original source material and the liveliness of Wright's direction (the ball scenes are exceptionally well done). The film moves quickly and does a decent job telling its story. Perhaps if we didn't have better versions to compare it to, this "Pride and Prejudice" would stand up better on its own. It's far from a failure, but watching this condensed version instead of the two BBC miniseries is a bit like reading the Cliff's Notes instead of the actual novel. You may be able to get the general gist of the thing, but not that wonderful flavoring that makes the original so special.