Monday Movie Review: Pride and Prejudice (2005)
In this adaptation of Jane Austen's beloved novel, Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley) lives with her mother, father and sisters in the English countryside. As the eldest, she faces mounting pressure from her mother to marry.
When the outspoken Elizabeth is introduced to the handsome and upper-class Mr. Darcy (Matthew MacFadyen), the disdain they have for each other is obvious.
As the story continues and with an shew of insults the chemistry between the two seems to grow. However, with both Darcy's and Elizabeth’s prideful and prejudice attitudes their fledgling relationship seems fleeting.
Where to begin with this review. Dare I say at the beginning? Haha forgive me if I start writing as if I am in the Georgian era. I just love the idea of the era and the concept of how they courted in the time period. The lavish parties, dancing and enjoying of social life. Nothing like things now. So much stress of the everyday and just making sure you have enough money for the next day. I feel a time like this would yes have it’s challenges however a time like this without the modern communications where you’d have to pick up a pen and paper to write a letter if you wanted to deliver a message would have allowed for slower more leisure communication which I feel allows for some to process things in a way that modern technology does not allow. Just like picking up a pen and writing your feelings out in a journal. Today someone can send a texts so quickly that no one knows what happen just that you are not longer speaking to each other. Don’t get me wrong, modern technology has its pro’s and cons.. could you just imagine if Darcy and Elizabeth could text? How would that turn out?
The movie starts just like many great many movies with a calm peaceful sunrise with bird chirping and let me be honest as I was writing this all I could think of when writing this was Teletubbies…anyone else remember this?
Don’t ask me why my side quest brought you that but it did and you are welcome lol
After the sunrise and opener we see Elizabeth reading and walking showing us how she loves to spend her time. She prefers her own company to most. She makes her way home and we see her parents and her 4 sister, Jane, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. Showing us how things were at the homestead. I love how her mother knew all the latest gossip to share with her husband so that they’d be the first to be invited places in hopes to marry off her daughters and how the girls just stand there eavesdropping on the conversation getting giddy over the idea of a single gentleman.
I also love how Mr. Bennett teases his wife it really shows how much he adores her because he knew it would be something important to here and he took the liberty of already calling upon the single gentleman so that the ladies of the house can meet him.
I love how much Mr. Bennett loves his daughters too. At the prospect of Mr.Bingley marrying one of his daughters he says “ I will give my hearty consent to him marrying whichever of the girls he chooses.” Which also has me thinking how things use to go back then would the father pay to have his daughters married off or would the guy who would like to marry the daughter pay the father or is it like if they are rich enough like Mr. Bingley or better yet Mr. Darcy ( who as many who have seen this movie know what he did for Lizzie’s sister) would they still get or even want the dowry?
Bare with me for another side quest here and quite possibly a history lesson: So the proper term for this is “A Woman’s Dowry” Which dowries were compensated to a husband from the woman’s family for lifelong upkeep. I guess in a way it’s kind of like inheritance right? They get a lump sum to help build a life together.I find this very interesting it can almost be like bribing a man to marry the daughters in a way to depending on the situation .. however I also wonder why we don’t do this anymore? Lol or has it just been reduced down to the parents of the bride pay for the wedding deal? What do you guys thing of the concept of a dowry?
She sees Mr. Darcy for the first time at the ball.
She views him as a miserable soul, not knowing how social settings such as a ball where he doesn’t know anyone is extremely difficult for him to bare. While, they connect eyes for but a moment, Mr. Darcy quickly looks away. Giving away nothing as there was not big indication that either were interested. More so full of judgement towards each other. I love how opposite Jane and Mr. Bingley are in their infections in the first meet they can’t keep their eyes off each other. It’s a good way to show how different Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth relationship starts… it’s not always lovey googly eyes when you meet someone. It’s almost a good reminder that great relationships also take time to cultivate and develop. Lol it is pretty funny though when Elizabeth asks “Do you dance, Mr. Darcy?” And his reply was “Not if I can help it.” The look on her face and how that conversation pretty much died right there but this shows a little of his prideful side.
Darcy is talking with Mr. Bingley about the women at the ball not knowing that Elizabeth was privy to the whole exchange.
“I’ve never seen so many pretty girls in my life.”
“ You were dancing with the only handsome girl in the room.”
“She is the most beautiful creature I have ever beheld. But her sister, Elizabeth, is very agreeable.”
“Perfectly tolerable, I dare say, but not handsome enough to tempt me.”
Okay a few things on this one.. it’s interesting how he’d use the word handsome. I mean it does means the same as pretty of course but it’s mostly use to just describe men now these days. AND how Elizabeth must feel living in Janes “beauty” Shadow. She of course is happy for her sister but to think about living in someone’s shadow like that. It can get tiresome when you just want to find a person who thinks you are just the most beautiful creature they have ever seen and not just tolerable but is that stuff made up in the fairytales? Pride and Prejudice does a good job at humanizing Darcy and Elizabeth’s relationship and truly showing us not everything is a fairytale like love.
Then to stop her mother excess rude talking Elizabeth talk about poetry, Darcy expresses that some think it’s the food of love but Elizabeth doesn’t so Darcy asks “So what do you recommend to encourage affection?” To which she replies “Dancing.” Burn!! One more point for Elizabeth. Since he doesn’t like to dance but oh how sweet it is as their story keeps going along and they find themselves at another ball after a few messy bits in the story like Jane getting sick and having to be tended to by Mr. Bingley, the whole icky mess with their cousin Collin coming to look over the Estate…which is crappy because he’d inherit it all just because he is the next male in the family line… and another thing marrying your cousin..eww… and we get to see more of mr wickham relationship or lack there of with Darcy… back to the next ball though where Darcy ask’s Elizabeth to dance *Swoon* showing her the affection even through his pride and prejudice state because he is starting to truly like her.
After the ball, Cousin Collins tries to ask Elizabeth to marry him but she rejects him and for a lot of go reasons to but her mom gets a little upset about it but I LOVE her dad’s response: “Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.”
After that thankfully Mr. Collins marries Charlotte, and Lizzie must accompany her to see lady Catherine. Yet she didn’t know Darcy was going to be there, They have a little chat and you can see how much more Darcy is starting to fall for her.
Later there Darcy goes to confess that he loves her but has difficulty and is interrupted by Charlotte…
Lizzie finds out what Darcy did to ruin Janes happiness and when Darcy goes to truly spill out his feelings for her… in the rain I might add… he is greeted with rejected because of Darcy role in Mr. Bingley and Jane were no longer together and She told him why she could not love him in return. I like the passion they have behind their words during this scene… one step closer or maybe more in this day in age they probably would have just end up kissing there but there goes that stubborn pride always taking those moments away.
Not realizing herself she has already fallen for him but with that ever pesky pride standing in her way she doesn’t see it right away. It is only when he writes her a letter explaining everything ( even with his history with Mr. wickham)- SEE WHAT A LITTLE COMMUNICATION AND CLARITY CAN DO FOR PEOPLE?? Lol- she realizes how stubborn they both have been.
She goes to stay with her aunt and uncle for a time and during that time had the chance to go see Darcy’s home in Pemberley. Not knowing he’d be home when she was touring his home he happened to catch her spying on his sweet embrace with his sister. He goes after her and makes small talk, which is another feat for him but he does it because he sincerely wants to know about how she is doing. He shows up to where Lizzie and her Aunt and Uncle are staying and invited them to dine. They spend sometime at with Darcy until they get word there has been some terrible news about her sister Lydia, she has run away with Mr. Wickham. Now knowing what kind of man he is ( only in it for the money) Darcy leaves and we later find out why and how he has been helping Lizzie in more ways than she knows.
Then Lady Catherine hears word of Mr. Darcy’s affections for Elizabeth and comes to her home to try a sway her from having any relations with him because in her eyes he already is betrothed. That doesn’t stop or deter Elizabeth, She realizes not even Lady Catherine can take her feeling away.
After what seems to be a very long walk on Mr. Darcy part ( not that I’m complaining *Fire*) She finds her self meeting Darcy in a field by the pond. He came to apologize and again profess his love… Does she accept? Perhaps you will watch it and find out *Wink Face*
Nah I’m just kidding this is a full review so of course I’m going to spoil the ending…
All in all one of my absolute favorite movies which is probably why I went a little crazy in this review. If you made it this far, Thank You!
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