The BBC and A&E got it right in 1995...what's to redo?

Rating: 5/10 (10 March 2006)

Doesn't hold a candle to the A&E/BBC collaborative mini series that came out in 1995 which was so wonderfully faithful to the book, had an outstanding cast and was seriously hilarious to watch. David Bamber of "ROME" was such a fantastic ass as Mr Collins, Alison Steadman was brilliant as the ditsy Mrs. Bennet...not to mention Colin Firth...who just may have portrayed the quintessential Mr Darcy...certainly one to emulate.
First, 127 min isn't enough time to devote to such a big story. Also Judi Dench was so lackluster it seemed as if she was forced by contract to act in this movie. Donald Sutherland was embarrassingly miscast. It seemed to me that Keira Knightley (how did she ever get an Oscar nomination for this role?) and Matthew Macfadyen were so one dimensional...nowhere was the vivacious humor and intellectual sparring that rocks the book? Too very dull for Jane Austin...rent or buy the BBC version...it's still so much better!