Breathtaking Beauty

Rating: 10/10 (29 January 2007)

This rendition of Pride and Prejudice is a sheer delight for not only the mind by bringing a beloved Jane Austen book to the screen again, but is the most visually splendid film I have seen in a long time. The colors used in every single scene give the eye spots to highlight on without a sharp contrast unless superbly useful for the impact of the dialogue or event occurring at the time. The gowns each of the ladies wore for the ball scenes vary in color to give an idea of what might have been seen at the time, but also are subtle enough in texture to differentiate the singleness of each person in a crowd. The color of the rooms in each of the respective houses gave credence to the personality of the inhabitants. The farm-ish spread of the Bennett house with the browns and 'working blues' and on to the stark royal colors of Rosings Park signifying wealth and lavish embellishments. Mr. Bingly's house is a temporary type hotel feel with no homey trinkets, but just enough color to show the wealth of the inhabitants but not the feel of permanence. The main colors are tans and whites with gold accents, with Darcy, of course, contrasting starkly in his black suit. The humble abode of the clergyman and his new wife give the feel of a subservient man with just enough to have what he needs without flash but giving rise to his position. My favorite two scenes are with Lizzie by herself for the most part. The first one is of course the one used in the opener on the DVD with her standing on the rocks with the vast land spread out behind her in rich gold's and subtle gray and her skirt billowing in the wind behind her. The other is her in the small rotunda in the rain with the vivid green grass surrounding her just soaking up the rain's sustenance and the shimmering black pond in front of her contrasting with the gray stone of the rotunda.