Jane Austin's most appealing book does not fare well in this limited adaptation

Rating: 3/10 (9 April 2006)

I was quite disappointed with the latest adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. First of all, Jane Austin was not Henry Fielding, and making the film sets so Fieldingesque--country bumpkin, burly squire, pigs and chicken--did not suit the delicate story Jane Austin wove of the "marriage mart," and the plot was not very well developed. Time--two hours--is a factor here, and the principals, Elizabeth and Darcy, did very little to make us believe the "love dual" between them. Keira Knightley was sprightly but Matthew McFayden's emotional range was on a scale of 1 to 2. Mr. Bingley was rather a cypher, though Mr. Collins (Tom Hollander) had merit, it was rather lost in the all over plot.
Considering there are plenty of models, illustrations and such, of what the dress of the early 1800's to be easily found to give ideas for the costumes, I was disappointed at the drab costumes used in the film, especially those of Elizabeth. Half the time, she appeared to be in a man's overcoat, and it wasn't flattering. And the dull dark dresses she wore were also not very becoming. I understand she had cut her hair for another role, but just the same, all I was aware of was scragged back untidy frontal hair with unbecoming rolls at the back; better wigs could have been found.
Even the ball scene, where Elizabeth wore the most becoming of all her outfits, I was surprised to see Caroline Bingley in that anachronistic spaghetti strap dress--not Regency! She would have been more authentic had she been wearing a wetted down gauze dress clinging to her person if the idea was that Caroline was in a higher style than the Bennetts. And where was Mrs. Bennett's cap? No lady of her age would have been bareheaded; she would not have danced country dances with five daughters to put forward, and for the ball she would have had at least some kind of lacy or feathery concoction, and all the ladies and gentlemen would have worn glove.
The acting of the older members of the cast was good, better than that of the younger ones, but in such a shortened version, let's face it, Judy Dench was wasted as Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
The shots of real scenery were lovely, and the golden sun motif was striking, but the ending of the film was pure Harlequin Romance. I am sure Jane Austin would have had a laugh.