“I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine.”- Elizabeth Bennet
The classic enemies to lovers story returns to theaters on April 20th in honor of the film’s 20th anniversary. The Jane Austen tale narrates the love story between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. It’s one of my favorite novels, but also films. Here are some comparisons between the two and why this is one of the best book adaptations of its time.
One of the hardest things book lovers endure is when their favorite story is turned into a movie. Usually the two hour long adaptations don’t show the small details that makes the book alluring, but the overall picture of the novel. Pride and Prejudice 2005 does a great job with the soundtrack, scenery, costumes, and dialogue. I would give a spoiler warning, but this movie has been out since 2005, so consider this your warning.
Before I begin describing the various elements of the film, here’s a ‘brief’ synopsis. Pride and Prejudice takes place in the beautiful English countryside. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet have four daughters; Jane, Elizabeth, Kitty, Mary, and Lydia. The eligible bachelors Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy arrives in Hertfordshire. Mrs. Bennet wishes all her daughters to be married off. At the town’s ball the men are introduced to the ton and get a glimpse of potential suitors. Jane catches Mr. Bingley’s attention and dances with her. Mr. Darcy on the other hand makes negative remarks on the social scene, causing Elizabeth to make retaliatory remarks. The following days, Jane is invited to join Mr. Bingley at Netherfield Park. Unfortunately, Jane becomes ill and the dinner invitation is extended. Elizabeth visits her in hopes of keeping Jane company, but learns more about Mr. Darcy. Once the sisters have returned to Hertfordshire, an estranged uncle pays them a visit in hopes of marrying one of the girls. He sets his eye on Jane, but Mrs. Bennet has told him she is promised to Mr. Bingley. However, said uncle is the heir of Hertfordshire and if the family wants the property to remain in the family one of the daughters must marry him. He asks for Elizabeth’s hand but her rebellious nature causes her to run away. Mr. Bennet gives her an ultimatum, “from this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do”. (What an amazing father). Soon after Jane is off to London with hopes of running into Mr. Bingley since he had left so abruptly. Simultaneously, Elizabeth finds out that her best friend Charlotte is engaged with Mr. Collins and would like for her to visit. During this visit, Elizabeth encounters an unexpected guest, Mr. Darcy. (How could this have happened? Especially after he insulted her during first impressions.) Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy get to know each other, and the character’s development starts to unfold. On a rainy afternoon, Mr. Darcy asks for Elizabeth’s hand. She rejects him after all the damage he has caused her and her family. She then receives a letter that details Mr. Darcy’s true self and intentions. They continue to find each other as if they were attached by an invisible string. When Elizabeth adventures out with her aunt and uncle, they visit Mr. Darcy’s home, Pemberley. This magnificent building is filler with painting and sculptures, and one of Mr. Darcy’s face. Unexpectedly, Mr. Darcy is at home with his younger sister Georgiana and greets Elizabeth. They all have dinner together, when it is said that Lydia has run off with a soldier, ruining the family’s reputation. Mr. Darcy finds them and fixes it all, as well as rekindles Jane and Mr. Bingley. In the end, Mr. Darcy asks once again for Elizabeth’s hand and they end up together. (Many details were left out on purpose).
Hopefully this brings some clarity to the film.
- Soundtrack
The album is composed by Dario Marianelli. The opening scene begins with “Dawn” which gently places the viewer into the time period. The songs heighten the emotions of romance and tension between the characters. One of my favorite scenes is towards the end when Elizabeth can’t sleep and heads outside into the fields, and Mr. Darcy is walking towards her direction from afar. The song “Liz on Top of the World” is playing and it perfectly shows the climax of the plot. It’s an amazing transition to the next scene in which they confess their feelings for each other.
- Scenery
Scenes of grand landscapes must be shown to capture the beauty and passionate period drama. The little pockets of silence where there’s only instrumental and panning out shots of the characters elevate the film. The movie perfectly captures the setting of the story.
- Costumes
I’ve seen many videos criticizing the costumes and I agree, they aren’t historically accurate. The costumes are more regency era than the actual timeline Jane Austen wrote it in. However, they do add to the period drama look. Unlike Bridgerton, the actor’s makeup is very natural and the color schemes are earthy. I personally don’t watch Pride and Prejudice for historical context, more for the plot. Nonetheless, it adds to the theatrics and the film’s aesthetic.
- Dialogue
The utmost important element of any book adaptation is the dialogue between characters. Scratch every other category, if we don’t have the exact words that lured in the reader, then you have lost an entire audience. The soundtrack and set add a lot to the movie, but nothing is the same as keeping the context. Obviously for entertainment purposes they have to make everything more ‘extra’, but including word for word on certain quotes goes a long way. I believe it’s easy to tell when the director and script writer read the book or not. Pride and Prejudice does a phenomenal job with staying true to the story. One of my favorite quotes from the novel and the film is, “if your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever”. You don’t see these kind of confessions on love is blind or TikTok.
This movie is amazing and I am so excited for its return. Tickets are on sale for AMC theaters nearby; showings begin April 21st. I highly recommend watching Pride and Prejudice. Despite it not being a very ‘period’ drama, it conveys a classic love story beautifully.