Happy 20th anniversary to my favorite film: ‘Pride and Prejudice’

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved historical romance. As a kid, I spent countless hours sitting on the couch with my mom, watching BBC’s “Victoria” or Winona Ryder’s “Little Women.”

I was obsessed. I couldn’t get enough.

However, despite my efforts to watch every historical movie and BBC series known to man, some films managed to slip my grasp, one of those being the 2005 version of “Pride and Prejudice,” which is based on Jane Austen’s 1813 novel of the same name.

Compared to my lifelong favorite historical romances, I first watched this film fairly recently — during the 2020 pandemic.

I first discovered the movie through an edit on TikTok, and immediately after coming across it, I knew it would be an instant favorite. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed.

After my initial watch, I was consumed by it. I couldn’t stop thinking about the most minute details, from the intricate costumes to the portrayal of the characters. The relationship between the two main characters, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, was too much for my 14-year-old mind to bear.

I had never seen a film like this before — one that made me appreciate the art of filmmaking. Now, five years and at least 20 watches later, “Pride and Prejudice” still holds a special place in my heart.

As the movie begins, we are met with our main character, Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), as she takes a morning stroll while also finishing the last few pages of the latest novel she had been reading (which just so happened to be an edited version of the book “Pride and Prejudice”).

During the stroll, Elizabeth walks through her home, where she resides with her parents and four sisters, who play a significant role in Lizzie’s story. As she weaves in and out of the house’s different rooms (all in one shot, might I add), we hear Mrs. Bennet (Brenda Blethyn), our main character’s mother, talk about how a wealthy bachelor has just purchased the local estate.

After some time, the Bennet family attends a ball with other residents in their town of Meryton. Now, this ball isn’t like the ones you see in Bridgerton. This one is loud and a little chaotic, but fun nonetheless. Just as the party hits its peak, in walks the wealthy bachelor himself, Mr. Bingley (Simon Woods).

However, Mr. Bingley is not alone; accompanying him is his sister, Caroline Bingley (Kelly Reilly), and his brooding and far richer companion, Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen).

Despite their higher status than the rest of the ball’s occupants, they stay and occasionally dance — except for Darcy. As the eldest Bennet sister, Jane, played by Rosamund Pike, dances with Bingley, Lizzie decides to ask Darcy if he dances, which is met with a blunt, “Not if I can help it.”

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With this sour interaction, Elizabeth moves on with her night. She dances and chats with friends. It truly does seem like a great evening. That is, until she overhears Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy talking about her, in which Darcy, when asked his thoughts on Lizzie, says, “[She’s] thoroughly tolerable, I dare say. Not handsome enough to tempt me.”

The audacity of this man!

This incident immediately makes Elizabeth dislike Darcy, which she is fairly open about with him for the rest of the movie. But, as Lizzie’s distaste for our male lead’s actions grows, Darcy’s affection for her blossoms. With rising emotions, the plot kicks into gear.

The rest of the film is filled with sibling hijinks, snarky remarks and longing glances, which inevitably push our leads to interact, creating the perfect situation for an enemies-to-lovers romance.

However, I would not feel as strongly about this movie without the actors who bring my favorite characters to life. Knightley (“Pirates of the Caribbean”) is outstanding in every period piece she has acted in, and this is certainly no exception.

Knightley shows off Elizabeth’s snarky side, as well as the prejudices that she holds for Darcy. On the other hand, Macfadyen (“Succession”) recognizes that Darcy is prideful but also riddled with social anxiety.

In addition, the cast is an excellent ensemble of British talent. As mentioned previously, Pike (“Gone Girl”) shows off her soft and kinder side as Jane, which is a stark difference from some of her other roles. We are blessed with stellar performances by Donald Sutherland (“The Hunger Games”), Carey Mulligan (“Promising Young Woman”) and Jena Malone (“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”), who bring so much character to Elizabeth’s life.

Along with the magnificent cast, the story is beautifully woven together to create a narrative not just about romance but also about sisterly love, personal growth and societal issues. However, that is not the only thing that should be noted.

Director Joe Wright and cinematographer Roman Osin create a visually stunning backdrop for the world of “Pride and Prejudice.” There are multiple scenes where the colors of the background and the costumes mix together to create an image that truly makes me emotional, thinking about it.

On top of this, the locations used in many of the shots were set around England, so as you see Lizzie travel around the country, you almost feel like you are taking this journey with her.

Also, fun fact: many of the locations used were the actual places that inspired Jane Austen to write the story!

There are countless things about this movie that I could talk about in detail. The music, composed by Dario Marianelli, fits perfectly with the characters’ emotions in each scene. From fun and energetic to fast and full of dread, you can piece together which scenes go with which song.

This story has made me the hopeless romantic and book-lover that writes for you today. For the past 20 years, it has been turned into one of those films fans can throw on if they need to feel better; believe me, it works. If you need a little pick-me-up or a good happy cry, I highly recommend “Pride and Prejudice” to get the job done.

pedenae@miamioh.edu