Reviews

I wish it were within my power to say something astounding regarding this wonderful new version of Pride & Prejudice, "something that will amaze...

and be handed down to posterity with all the eclat of a proverb," as the enduring Ms. Austen had Lizzie say to the haughty Mr. Darcy. Alas, it is my poor fate to merely echo the sentiments of many others when I say that I was almost outraged to hear there was to be another version of this wonderful novel. How, when the pinnacle of perfection had been attained by the 1995 miniseries, could anyone hope, or dare, to attempt another. My outrage was further increased upon learning that Keira Knightley was to attempt the role of Ms. Elizabeth Bennett, the beloved heroine of this tale. I hold no dislike of Ms.

Knightley, but she was far from my image of Lizzie, a lightweight, to me, in more ways than merely her slender frame. I was therefore not tempted to see it in the theater, for I feared it could be no more than "barely tolerable," and, at worst, a desecration of one of the most beloved novels of all times.

I was subsequently receiving little dribs and drabs from a variety of sources that, nay, this movie was quite good and enjoyable, even in the opinion of the reviewer to whom I turn most often for intelligence of this sort, the estimable Mr. Roger Ebert, who, though occasionally wrong in his facts, is seldom wrong in his criticism. Therefore, by the time the DVD was to be released, I had worked myself into a fair degree of anticipation and hope and, thus, made it my mission to obtain viewing rights upon the first opportunity.

Gentle Reader, I cannot honestly say that my approbation was achieved upon the first viewing... for this telling seemed so dreadfully rushed as to be sometimes incoherent. I fear I might have been quite lost had I not been fortunate enough to have a thorough grounding in this story by the previous reading of the novel (at least thrice) and the enjoyment of the 1995 miniseries (at least twice), and even the former viewing of the 1940 execrable version, which one can only recommend for the pleasures of the wonderful Ms. Greer Garson (sadly, too old for the role), but completely ruined by someone's decision to turn the odious Lady Catherine de Bourgh into a matchmaker, all simpering approval of Lizzie's becoming her nephew's bride.

Anyone who wants to talk about a movie version being abhorrent to Ms. Austen would have a challenge to find a more disturbing example of the misrepresentation of a major plot point.

Ah, but there WAS something about this new and very youthful telling of the classic story, so I found that it must be seen again, and then a third time, followed by a feverish reading of almost all of the external reviews on IMDb, followed by a reading of many user reviews on IMDb, followed by a rereading of the novel, followed by a first time viewing of the 1980 BBC miniseries, followed by a reviewing of the 1995 classic miniseries.

Was I obsessed with Pride and Prejudice? Gentle Reader, I confess that I was... and am. I was loathe to leave the story behind and only by all of these myriad contacts could I continue to live within the confines of this experience.

I am, indeed, grateful for the many wonderful reviews that I read, that taught me to understand why, ultimately, this "Pride and Prejudice" was so compelling to me. At last, a version that touched my heart, where before it was only my mind that had been satisfied. Despite all the naysayers who compared it to a Boon & Mills romance (upon research, translated to the American: Harlequin Romance), who complained of its lack of historical accuracy (in some cases they were entirely justified criticisms), still I cannot deny that this version won me over with its fidelity to the spirit of Ms. Austen's intentions and that ultimately I found it to have "bewitched me, body and soul."

I've come to the conclusion that movies either grab you or they don't and oftentimes it's because of experiences you've had in your own life. I was an unwed mother at one point in my life, so I have great affection for the idea of some wonderful man coming along to love you even though you're big as a house.

This movie used to air on Lifetime all the time... and then it vanished. I waited for years for it to show up somewhere so I could tape it, but it just never did. So this year when I thought about it, I located it on Half.com and bought it for about $7, S&H included. I watched it with a friend, we both enjoyed it. What more can you ask of a movie? Yes, I know that it won't grab most viewers, but since it keys into one of my personal unfulfilled longings, works for me!

While it's not pleasant, it definitely sinks its hooks into you and stays for a while. This movie would be easy to dismiss as a Southern Gothic mess, but there is a fable quality that makes it hard to forget.

The performances are all very strong and the setting is excellent. In a way it's all about how our dreams possess us and motivate us, while simultaneously coming into collision with those dreamers around us. The frustration of the husband in trying to control his wife makes it easy to believe how far he's willing to go, and, therefore, how desperately she plots and conspires to be free.

You won't admire anybody's morals here, that's for sure, but you can't help empathizing with how strongly each person struggles for the vision of existence they wish to achieve.

Throughout this movie I had to keep reminding myself that the era being portraying was only 50 years ago, so changed is the world we now live in. For anybody who likes to wax nostalgic about the '50s, this movie is a magnificent reminder of how hard that era was for anybody who failed the audition for a "Leave It To Beaver" kind of existence. Let's just say it wasn't a period that embraced diversity.

Sometimes I felt like I couldn't breathe because the husband and wife and her black friend, the gardener, were caught in a cruel vice of socially acceptable behaviors. And if for a moment you felt that they needed to be just a little braver and true to themselves, you were quickly reminded by the consequences to their children of just exactly who was going to pay for their bravery. Truly, this made me realize that our changing society was paid for by a relatively small number of people who had to be willing to lose everything in order to live a "truthful" existence. I can honestly say that I hated almost every moment of this magnificent film... and that's a compliment, by the way!

It will be a long time before I forget how this girl finally defends her behavior in being an "easy prey" to her abducter by explaining how invisible she has felt. This movie does a pretty good job of explaining the reason why girls become victims and the reason why serial rapists/killers are compelled to play out their awful scenarios over and over again. In the end he tells her he's "through with her," but looking at her face and knowing what he's put her through, I doubt she'll ever be free again.

I'm surprised that any of the other reviewers actually watched the whole movie, given their extreme dislike of it. I found it perfectly in keeping with the general style of such movies. Yes, there IS a lot of emphasis on sentimentality in the face of danger, but that's exactly what people look for in a Lifetime movie and, don't forget, this actually happened to real people, so I doubt it was completely unrealistic. What impressed me was the spirit of the bus driver in the face of extreme stress. There is no parent alive who would not wish for someone of her character and strength to be the one to protect their child in such an ordeal, were they not there to do it for themselves.

I don't know whether I have awesome taste or just really unusual taste, but almost without exception, when I go to look for a movie I love, I find that it was never transferred to VHS or DVD. Luckily, I was able to transfer my VHS home recorded version onto a digital recording, so at least I have this film. It's not a very good copy, but I love it so much that it almost doesn't matter. This is one of those films in which you so strongly identify with the main character that her hopes and joys are your own... except I don't really think I could ever be as efficient as Miss Mole was. Also, it was a long time before I found out that this was based on a novel by E.H. Young called "Miss Mole." So now I have the happy ability to read the book once a year and watch the movie once a year. Oh, bliss.

BBC did an immaculate job of transferring this novel to film... the casting, sets, everything are perfect! This note, the cute youngest blond daughter is Patsy Kensit, who grew up to be in one of the Lethal Weapon movies.

This is a movie that I've watched at intervals over the last 20 years, always with a smile. Just today I had three women friends over for coffee and introduced it to them... and all three laughed, smiled and had a good time! What more could you ask of a romantic movie than that?