about doing a post on Pride and Prejudice. There are 852 more qualified opinions about the book, the movie, the miniseries, and so on then what I can give in a blog post. I won't dispute with such; I'll tell you what I liked.
For tonight I did get to watch the Keira Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice produced by Focus Features. I really enjoyed it. I had even been a bit skeptical because not long ago I saw the King Arthur version featuring Knightley and was more than mildly annoyed by her habit of holding her mouth open after every sentence. Like one long feature of nasal blockage that required mouth breathing.
Anyway, in this version, she managed to press those lips together, except of course when she was saying her lines. And I thought she played a clever Lizzie Bennett, equal parts stubborn and sensitive to her own scruples of pride.
Other faves were Donald Sutherland as Mr. Bennett, showing a unique affection for Mrs. Bennett, and Dame Judi Dench as the formidable Lady Catherine de Burgh. I also thought Mr. Collins was exactly as I'd always pictured him, shorter nonetheless than every Miss Bennett! Cleverly portrayed.
The movie underlined again that Austen was masterful in picking out human foibles and folly to then portray necessary lessons of heart and will.
~Sigh~ It was a pleasant evening.
I enjoyed this version as well. We watched it last year with our mother-daughter literature discussion group after reading the book. Right now, the group is reading Mansfield Park, which is an enjoyable change from our last book, Les Miserables. Up next: The Scarlet Pimpernel.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Donald Sutherland was very good in P&P. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Ha! That's what bothers me about watching Knightly also. I really enjoyed the cinematography of this movie. I agree that Sutherland and Dench were fabulous. It's always a delight to watch these productions at our house the A & E and this one.
ReplyDeleteblessings on your week!
I really enjoyed Donald Sutherland's portrayal of Mr. Bennet and his affectionate acceptance of his wife foibles -- even though that's not how the book presents him. There were a few things that bothered me about this version (the hairstyles, for one, and the way that the Bennets seemed to be presented as maybe somewhat uncouth country folks with the animals roaming around and the way the family attacked their food, when they were really gentry with financial problems), but if I put all that aside and just just enjoy the story, I like it. I loved the tension between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy and the unfolding of their love for each other, and I thought the actress who played Mr. Bingley's snobbish sister did a great job.
ReplyDeleteI love the novel, I love the A & E version, and I love the Keira version as well!
ReplyDeleteBarbara H., I really like your movie critique. I was a bit confused by the various barnyard scenes as well. I did neglect to mention the spot on Caroline Bingley--you could feel the freeze in the air across the screen when she played those steel eyes on Lizzie. Thanks for the input.
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