Takes my breath away

I've read the book at least five times. I've seen several movie versions and own the PBS miniseries version with Colin Firth.

This movie is breathtakingly beautiful.

It's hard to do such a complex story in two hours. Joe Wright pulled it off in a film that was nominated for four Oscars.

Many of us know the story. If you don't, it is the tale of a declining aristocratic family. Mr. Bennet (played by Donald Sutherland) has failed to produce a son which means that his estate will go to the next male heir, a very silly man Mr. Collins(Tom Hollander).

Mr. Bennet is an intelligent man who is impressed by very little and is amused by much. His character has had the fortune (or misfortune) to marry a pretty and silly and vivacious woman who has produced five daughters for him. He is sarcastic and rolls his eyes at most of them with the exception of his second daughter Lizzie (Kiera Knightley). He values her as the only one of his family with any sense at all.

The story revolves around getting some of those daughters married. This is the basic premise of the author Jane Austen and all of her novels. Daughters of no fortune should seek to marry men of fortune. This is the theme that runs through all of her novels. The daughters are not mercenary, in fact they are women of good character who through tribulation end up with men of good fortune.

We should all have such a fairy tale.

This version of Pride and Prejudice is very true to the text and is remarkably presented. I will have to say that I think the best performance is rendered by Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy. He is very pleasing to the eye and he performs this part better than any previous version I've seen. One can see his emotion as he learns to esteem Miss Lizzie Bennet. One can see his angst as the fiery woman holds him with contempt and then learns to appreciate him and then love him with an understated passion.

It would be hard to top Colin Firth in this role, but I think Mr. Macfadyen does an outstanding job. Acting is accomplished in a number of ways but the eyes of an actor can give strength to a performance that will endure. Mr. Macfedyen shows pride, aloofness, passion, disappointment, pain, hope and delight with his eyes. He does an wonderful job.

Kiera Knightley delivers a sultry Lizzie Bennet that the viewer cannot help but admire. As the lead character she responds and reacts to everyone else. This actress pulls off this challenging role with great dignity and beauty.

The supporting cast is superior. Each character is well portrayed and superbly acted. Brenda Blethyn as Mrs. Bennet does a stellar job of the exceedingly silly and shallow mother of five daughters. Jena Malone (Stepmom, Donnie Darko) does an annoyingly faithful performance as the irritating and reprobate baby sister.

Simon Woods (Octavian on the series Rome) presents an under confident and beautifully sweet rendition of Mr. Bingley.

Dame Judi Dench is wonderful in her role of the annoying and stuck-up Lady Catherine de Bourg. The viewer just wants to smack her for being so pretentious.

The cinematography delights and astonishes the viewer. There are scenes of wonderful English countryside and long shots that can only come from the imagination of the director. There is a shot of Lizzie standing on the edge of a cliff that departs from reality of the text but is a beauty to see with the long vista of English hillsides in the background.

My favorite scene is of Mr. Darcy walking up toward Lizzie through the mist in the culmination of the story. The viewer's heart is pounding to see him walk with determination toward the woman that he loves.

This is a beautiful movie to watch. It is faithful to the text. The acting is truly wonderful.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good Date Movie
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older