Review of Pride and Prejudice (1940) by Sarar. — 26 Mar 2006

I loved this movie but give it a 9 rather than a 10 because I love the book too, and it did take some outrageous liberties with the book. If I was Jane Austen, I would be hammering on my coffin lid in fury at the omission of Mrs.

Hurst, and some of the priceless exchanges between Mr. Darcy and Caroline Bingley about Lizzy's "Fine eyes" and what a wonderful mother-in-law Darcy would end up having. And of course now I have the DVD, I have seen the USA ending and agree that the script of that is diabolical.

Barbara Cartland could have written a better version. There was a beautiful ready-made conversation in the book, about how Darcy fell in love with Lizzy, which would have been better and the kisses still added.

.. ....Having said that - this movie was beautiful visually, the music was superb and Matthew Macfadyen is the best Mr. Darcy I have seen of the three versions of Pride & Prejudice I have watched. He gave an exquisitely layered, sensitive pperformance, melting the proud Darcy into Darcy the lover by exciting degrees until you just have to fall for him as Lizzy does.

Kiera Knightley was surprisingly good as Lizzy and Tom Hollander was a hilarious Mr. Collins. Judy Dench was as magnificent as she was frightening, as Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Watch this movie with an open mind and you'll love it as much as I did.