Pride and Prejudice

Is it really 10 years since Colin Firth donned those britches in the BBC TV adaptation and emerged wet and dripping on the bank, forcing women across the land into swooning en masse ? Depressingly that is so, and many will still think that is the definitive version of the Jane Austen novel.

In this cinematic version, McFadyen (of Spooks fame) gets the brooding machismo role of shy Mr Darcy that attracts the attentions of Elizabeth Bennet (Knightley) although there’s the inevitable games of courtship to be gone through first ie. girl first hates boy, girl is then intrigued by boy, boy begins to notice girl and then it’s a case of will they or won’t they ? Tom Hollander gets the classic funny role as the creepy nerd of a vicar Mr Collins, Brenda Blethyn does the dotty mother desperate for a wedding role well and Donald Sutherland gets the cool lines as the easygoing but authoritative father figure Mr Bennet.

You may enjoy this film best if you're into period romances and have not watched previous versions of the story, particularly the one involving Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth. This is a workmanlike adaptation, it presses all the right buttons when it needs to, right down to its efficient screenplay from Deborah Moggach. It boasts a great cast and many will feel the on-screen chemistry of McFadyen and Knightley works, and if that works then there’s enough to satisfy. Others may still feel the BBC version is better but not everyone needs comparisons and if you feel like seeing a period recreation of a classic, you’re likely to enjoy this one.

Matt Arnoldi