Pride and Prejudice Movie Review
Assignment: _Write a review of the 1995 Pride and Prejudice film, (seen in class) comment on the cast, music, setting, wardrobe etc._ Generally speaking film adaptations of classic novels rarely ever prove superior or a match for the books on which they are based. This may be attributed to the fact that the written word allows for more nuances than the camera. In many cases the book is severely compromised in order to make the story more cinematic, key parts are altered or omitted entirely and the book becomes wide open to be interpreted and thus reflected as producer sees it fit. Thus it may be argued that it is an incredible feat when a famous novel’s tone can be seamlessly translated to the screen, satisfying fanatical admirers and relatively unfamiliar audiencesalike. The cast may be described as uniformly impeccable, with actors such as David Bamber as the smarmy Mr. Collins and Alison Steadman as the ever discordantMrs. Bennet . Miss Austen herself probably could not have selected better feet to fill the shoes of her characters. The main plot traces the relationship between Elizabeth Bennet (Jennifer Ehle), the second of five sisters, and a wealthy young bachelor named Darcy (Colin Firth). The two are not immediately attracted to each other, it is actually a pride and prejudice separates them (hence the title), but as the story progresses, they are forced to examine their hearts as well as their preconceptions about each other, in order to understand the truth. A proverb states that, “Life without music is a journey through a desert.” This is certainly true in this film, as the composition and the soundtrack support the overall momentum. It is the music that brings to life what would be just a series of pictures and words, if the film were bereft of the heart pulsating and melodious nerve soothing music the film would hardly be what it is. Somewhat more importantly is the setting, as it is this that ties together all the other factors. The meticulous