The Other Movie Event of the Month

from Ben's mom

Yes, it is true. C.S. Lewis shares the theatre with Jane Austen this month as the new Pride and Prejudice plays to the December movie-going crowd. I indulged in a night out with a friend.

Overall, I liked it. Does it match the BBC's 6-hour version? Really, now. How do you pack Pride and Prejudice into 2 hours and 7 minutes and manage to give every character and subject its due? The lengthier production just covers the material better. But I have to hand it to the producers of the new version. They did a very good job. They cut a few things but unless you know the story, you wouldn't notice.

The film makes good use of artistic imagery. In one scene, Darcy and Lizzie are dancing in a crowded room. They are engaging in conversation and for a brief couple of seconds they are alone in the room. Then the scene cuts and they are surrounded by other dancers again. The scenery, the film angles and the editing make this eye candy, and much more visually appealing than the BBC version. And you see the worn-down house, the dirt and mud and the filthy animals (dogs and pigs) traipsing in the house and grounds. This helps you understand why a good marriage was so important. They really were poor and there was uncertainty as to how the girls would be provided for should they be left unmarried.

The casting was a mixed bag. The family was cast perfectly. Donald Sutherland and Blenda Blethyn couldn't be more perfect as Dad and Mom Bennet. Rosamund Pike and Talulah Riley are excellent as a doey-eyed sweet Jane and a socially awkward Mary. Jena Malone (Stepmom)and Carey Mulligan as Lydia and Kitty make you want to wring their little necks for their shallowness and stupidity. And Keira Knightley is a lovely, expressive Lizzie. The producers should be applauded for not outfitting Knightley in fake gear to make her look more curvaceous. She is thin and straight, a contrast to most of the other women in the film.

Beyond the family, the cast has highs and lows. Matthew Mcfadyen is a properly uncharismatic Mr. Darcy. At first, I found him to be a disappointment in the role; but by the end of the film, I concluded he was perfect. Claudie Blakley (Notting Hill) looked too old to be a 27-year old Charlotte Lucas. But she did fine at playing the even-tempered woman who settled on Mr. Collins. Tom Hollander was splendid as a perfectly annoying Mr. Collins. Judi Dench as Lady Catherine--well, she's Judi Dench. The biggest disappointment was Simon Wood as Mr. Bingley. He looks about 15 and his simpering, nearly effeminate Mr. Bingley leaves you wondering if he is really good enough for the lovely and perfect Jane.

While that romantic kiss would have Jane Austen rolling in her grave, overall the production is true to her work and a great piece of movie-making. And at just over 2 hours, I have a much better chance (than with the 6-hr version) of getting my husband to take a stab at understanding Austen's great social commentary.