Part I
Pride and Prejudice adaptations
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a decade can hardly pass by without having at least one new Pride and Prejudice adaptation. Seriously, they are still making P&P adaptations and the fun part is that those movies and TV mini series still do quite well (if not very well). For me, I must confess that I would watch any new adaptations of Austen’s works, regardless of their quality, for I want to know how others, specifically moviemakers, feel about what Austen wrote.
For the longest time, P&P has always received more attention than any other Austen novel. There have been adaptations in English, Dutch, Indian and more. BBC alone has made three TV adaptations of P&P in the later half of the 20th century. Here are a few adaptations I strongly recommend
BBC Pride and Prejudice miniseries (1995) starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth
For me, BBC tends to always have the best adaptations of Austen’s works. So, in general, If you want to try out a TV adaptation of any novel by Austen, you should look for a BBC version of it. However, this 1995 P&P miniseries is exceptionally special. This version isn’t just the most critically and commercially successful Austen adaptation, it’s period drama at its best.
Unlike many previous versions, this miniseries sheds light on the feelings and actions of Mr. Darcy. It gives him more screen time, adding scenes of him on horseback, at his fencing class and even in the shower. This is a slight shift from the original text, for the novel left most of Mr. Darcy’s life unseen. However, this isn’t done at the expense of the novel’s overall storyline and atmosphere. The music, the picturesque landscapes and the characters all stay true to the novel’s vibe and era. Had Austen been alive to see it, she would have been proud.
The casting is superb. It feels as if the characters has just walked out of the book and gone straight into the screen. Jennifer portrays a perfect Elizabeth, witty, sharp and lively while Colin Firth literally becomes the pride, shy and aloof Mr. Darcy. The supporting cast are brilliant as well, especially Alison Steadman as Mrs. Bennet. Her character is terribly awful, shameless and petty, which is exactly how Mrs. Bennet should be.
All in all, this is a must watch. Please check it out when you have the time. You can find it on Amazon and a few other streaming services (not on Netflix though).
Pride and Prejudice (2005) starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Mcfadyen
Though this isn’t a very faithful adaptation, it’s a lovely film and a good Austen introduction for modern movie-goers. The director, Joe Wright, makes some bold changes to the text in terms of theme and character development. Keira Knightley plays a tomboyish version of Lizzie while Matthew Mcfayden depicts an over- romanticized Fitzwilliam Darcy. The movie doesn’t cover everything in the book, which could hardly be done given its length of only two hours. Nevertheless, the storyline is smooth and includes all the important characters and events. The background and music are dreamy and otherworldly.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable watch, even if it’s a bit too romantic and sentimental to be considered true to the spirit of Austen. Deep down, I secretly like this film a lot. It makes my heart flutter. By far, It’s the only film that I downloaded on Netflix.
BBC Pride and Prejudice miniseries (1980) starring Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul
Though this older BBC miniseries can be harder to find than other newer and more popular versions, it’s a gem. The female characters were well-presented, especially Lizzie, with most of their lines coming straight out of the book. At multiple points of different episodes, voice-over is utilized to channel Lizzie’s inner thoughts and secret opinions of important events and people. This is in line with Austen’s use of free indirect speech while writing the novel, in which Lizzie’s thoughts are sometimes merged with the lines of the story-teller. However, the emphasis on female characters also resulted in poor execution on the male character side. We see little of Mr. Darcy and couldn’t form a strong connection with him. Though David Rintoul succeeds at delivering a pride and aristocratic Fitzwilliam Darcy, he couldn’t portray the shy and reserve part of this male lead.
Many beautiful scenes are depicted in the series, though not as grand and ambitious as the later adaptations. Interestingly, this is the only version that includes Lizzie’s piano performance at Lucas Lodge, which captivates the haughty Mr. Darcy.
In summary, though the BBC 1980 adaptation isn’t as necessary as enticing as the 1995 one, it’s a good addition to your movie and TV list if you can find the full miniseries.
Bridget Jones’ Diary (2001) starring Renee Zellweger and Colin Firth
Had Austen been born in modern times, Pride and Prejudice would probably have been somewhat like this film (or the novel of the same name). Though this is an adaptation of a novel loosely based on P&P and not a P&P adaptation, it’s a wonderful film and the perfect love letter to Jane Austen. This time, I would like to talk about the film version only. The book, which is an incredible work itself, will be discussed in better details another time.
The film perfectly adheres to the character development and the vibe of the novel. The structure of the film is identical to that of P&P, but the details and events are familiar to our contemporary lives. It’s sarcastic, indescribably funny and surprisingly relatable. The lines are well crafted and vaguely resemble the Austen’s style. The characters are all well-written and well-depicted. We have Renee Zellweger as Bridget Jones, the modern day Elizabeth Bennet and Conlin Firth as Mark Darcy, her lover and most outspoken critic. In the film, Renee speaks such a flawless British accent, hardly anyone can believe that she is an American. The moviemakers also pay great attention to the music in this film, adding many iconic songs, one of which is All by myself by Celine Dion.
To recap, Bridget Jones’ Diary has become the standard for reinterpretations of classic novels. Next time you log in to the internet, consider trying this film.
A sleepy conscience 