There, but for the superb acting of Miss Keira Knightly.....

Rating: 2/10 (14 May 2006)

I had not seen this film prior to ordering my copy of the DVD over the Net. If I had, I would not have bothered buying the DVD.
This particular story is a favourite both of my wife and myself: with the BBC's 1995 version on both tape and DVD, and at least the Greer Garson black & white film version on tape in our possession. Against the BBC's 1995 version, this latest travesty doesn't stand up. I fully appreciate that I am comparing a feature film of 2 hours duration with a serialisation of almost 3 times that length; but the actual production of this latest version leaves so much to be desired. It is disjointed, devoid of some of the main features and speeches, the majority of the cast seemed to have no ides of the story or of what they were supposed to be doing with it, and quite frankly, I considered the film a total disappointment: giving it only 2 marks out of 10 - both of those for the simply superb acting of Miss Keira Knightley.
Miss Keira Knightley, who plays Elizabeth Bennett in the movie, was nominated for an Oscar for her role here. I can well understand why. Apart from Miss Knightley's superb acting, and that of Dame Judi Dench as Lady Catherine DeBourg, the film would, in my opinion, have been a total disaster. I doubt I shall bother running my DVD again before passing it to the same charity as Miss Knightley passed her Oscar Dress to.
To vote on all 3 versions now in our collection, using the name of the Elizabeth Bennett Actress to name the version, I give marks out of 10 as under:
For her part as Miss Elizabeth Benett: Greer Garson 10, Jennifer Ehle 10, Keira Knightley 10.
For the Production as a whole: Grear Garson Version 10, Jennifer Ehle Version 10, Keira Nightley Version 0 (plus the 2 I give it for Miss Knightley's work.).
R.P.Q.