Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia were raised by their mother with a sole purpose: to marry a rich gentleman who can support their family after their father dies and his estate is inherited by a male cousin. When two young, wealthy bachelors visit their neighborhood, Jane finds herself falling for the good-natured Mr. Bingley, while Elizabeth vows to loathe the handsome but seemingly snobbish Mr. Darcy forever. Feelings and opinions change as the four are faced with issues of society, family, and love in this wonderful romantic film. The movie is titled “Pride & Prejudice” because many characters are either prideful, prejudicial, or both in some way. Elizabeth, for example, was prejudiced when she let Mr. Darcy’s initial bad manners convince her that he was a rude person. Keira Knightley played Elizabeth Bennet, Matthew Macfayden played Mr. Darcy, Rosamund Pike played Jane Bennet, and Simon Woods played Mr. Bingley. The film was directed by Joe Wright, written by Deborah Moggach, and produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, and Paul Webster.


“Pride & Prejudice” was filmed on location at seven different estates throughout England. The movie was set in the late 18th century, so many of the sites had to be redecorated in order to be suitable for filming. Some special effects were used to help create a more accurate setting, but they were very subtle, such as removing gravel driveways and electrical cords and enhancing the gold plating on window frames. The costume design was very well thought-out and historically accurate, and it was refreshing to see actresses in something other than the edgy, low-cut dresses and strappy high heels they usually wear today. The costumes also helped in distinguishing rank; Mr. Bingley’s wealthy sister wore an empire dress, which would have been very expensive and fashionable at the time, while the Bennet sisters wore plain, simple, worn-down dresses throughout the film. Additionally, the costumes helped to define each character’s personality; Mary, who is studious and antisocial, always wore black, while Lydia and Kitty, who are young and flirty, were always dressed in bright colors and frilly bonnets. The film’s original score, which was nominated for an Academy Award, was written by Italian composer Dario Marianelli and played by pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the English Chamber Orchestra. The soundtrack was absolutely beautiful and complimented the movie perfectly. There were a wide variety of sounds, from the upbeat dance number “Meryton Townhall” to the cheerful, uplifting “Georgiana”. However, the track that was by far my favorite was the film’s main theme, “Dawn”, which showcased Thibaudet’s talent and captured the feel of the movie flawlessly.


The actors and actresses in a film can make or break the movie. It doesn’t matter how amazing your special effects are or how creative your story is, if you had bad actors, there’s no way the movie will do well. The cast of “Pride & Prejudice” proved just how vital good talent is to the success of a film, and this gifted group of actors definitely made the movie. Keira Knightley, who played Elizabeth, did an incredible job portraying the lively young woman. Knightley clearly showed all aspects of Elizabeth’s personality and opinions, and also brought the right mix of poise, beauty, and tom boyishness to the character. She also had fabulous chemistry with Matthew Macfayden, who played Mr. Darcy and also fit his role perfectly. Both Knightley and Macfayden showed wonderful character growth throughout the film, and brought great depth to the plot. The supporting actors were also fantastic, and all contributed to the complexity of the story. Rosamund Pike and Simon Woods, who played Jane and Mr. Bingley, were wonderful as the shy, quiet beauty and her slightly awkward, but still likeable love interest. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, played by Donald Sutherland and Brenda Blethyn, also brought several comedic and heartfelt moments to the screen, and Dame Judi Dench was perfect as Darcy’s rude, insensitive aunt. Mary, Kitty, and Lydia, played by Talulah Riley, Carey Mulligan, and Jena Malone, respectively, also did well as the younger, more immature Bennet sisters, and Tom Hollander, who played Mr. Collins, was practically born to portray the Bennets’ socially awkward cousin. Overall, the cast worked together brilliantly, and was definitely deserving of all of the accolades it was nominated for and won.


Jane Austen wrote “Pride & Prejudice” in 1813, while the movie adaptation was released in 2005, nearly 200 years later. Although Deborah Moggach, the writer for the film, kept most of the main characters and storylines from the movie true to the book, she did cut out several smaller roles and changed a lot of the dialogue, so the movie was not entirely true to the book. For example, in the book, Mr. Bingley has two sisters and a brother-in-law, Caroline, Louisa, and Mr. Hurst, while in the movie, Caroline is his only sister. Elizabeth’s personality also differs between the film and the book; she is occasionally rude and moody and doesn’t play the piano very well in the movie, while she is described as a sweet girl who is talented at both the piano and singing in the novel. The story also takes place in the late 18th century in the film adaptation, instead of occurring in 1813, which is how the setting is described in the book. Although some people dislike this version of “Pride & Prejudice” because it’s not entirely accurate, I don’t believe the differences between the book and the movie are that consequential to the overall story, characters, and themes.


“Pride & Prejudice” is one of my all-time favorite movies; I’ve watched it so many times that I can quote parts of it! I believe that everyone – boy or girl, young or old – would enjoy this film. Many boys probably dismiss it as another sappy romance movie, but I believe that if they watched it, they would be surprised to find that they really enjoyed it. “Pride & Prejudice” is a love story, but there are also traces of comedy and drama throughout the plot, as well as many underlying themes and valuable life lessons. You can’t help but like and connect with the characters, and the beautiful filming locations, costumes, and music make you feel like you’re really in 18th century England. All in all, this is truly a wonderful film that I highly recommend to anybody looking to watch a classic and timeless love story.