Pride & Prejudice

Rated PG; Starring Keira Knightley, Matthew MacFadyen, Brenda Blethyn, Donald Sutherland and Judi Dench

Directed by Joe Wright

Adapting a classic novel to the big screen does not always result in a timeless film, which Demi Moore proved with her 1995 adaptation of “The Scarlet Letter.” Fortunately, for every “Scarlet Letter,” there’s a “Pride and Prejudice” – a film that captures the elegance and romance of the story on which it’s based.

“Pride and Prejudice,” one of the year’s finest romantic comedies, is a faithful and entertaining adaptation of Jane Austin’s classic novel that still warms the hearts of readers today.

The film stars Keira Knightley (“Pirates of the Caribbean”) as Elizabeth, the second daughter of a poor lowerclass family that consists of five daughters. Their mother, Mrs. Bennet (Brenda Blethyn), has a life goal of seeing her daughters get married to wealthy aristocrats, which begins to seem possible when Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy come to town.

Jane (Rosamund Pike), the oldest Bennet daughter, catches the eye of Mr. Bingley at a private ball. Meanwhile, Elizabeth attempts to win Darcy’s heart, only with moderate success. During the ball, Elizabeth hears Darcy explain to his friend that he would never go out with a lowerclass girl like her.

Yet the relationship between Jane and Bingley keeps Elizabeth and Darcy in contact. When Jane receives an invitation to a meal at Bingley’s home, her mother insists that she goes on horseback, knowing that it will rain and her daughter will have to spend the night.

Love comes easy for Jane; she’s the oldest and often considered the family beauty. For Elizabeth, however, love isn’t so simple. Her mother insists that she marries Reverand Collins, a man who has the structure of a dynamite stick, which is only half the problem: he also is about as much fun to hang around as a dynamite stick.

From the very start, we know that Elizabeth is meant to be with Darcy, a shy but passionate noble with the manners of a king.

Mr. Darcy is played by Matthew MacFadyen, in a breakout role, as he steals hearts of girls everywhere. His performance is notable, although not showy enough to receive much award consideration.

Knightley, however, does give one of the finest performances of 2005 – a year that has lacked solid performances from lead actresses. She will undoubtedly receive plenty of deserving award nominations within the next couple months.

“Pride and Prejudice” will likely also receive award consideration for its lavishly styled costumes and engaging musical score, both which add to the feel and beauty of the movie.

First-time director Joe Wright also deserves credit for capturing the look and feel of the 18^th century. He keeps the tale moving along and never exaggerates or expands the story, which is good since it sometimes drags on too long. Rather, Wright sits back and allows Jane Austin to do the work – which is a fine strategy to take.

Grade: B+

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