Wednesday, November 26, 2014

November 26 - Pride and Prejudice (1995)

Today’s movie is a period drama with a scene that happens on November 26. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE              

Elizabeth (“Lizzy”) Bennett and her 4 sisters Jane, Mary, Kitty & Lydia live in Herefordshire in Regency England. Their mother is determined to marry all of them to rich men, so when Mr. Bingley leases the nearby estate of Netherfield Park she selects him for the eldest Jane. At a dance they meet Mr. Bingley, who is attracted to Jane. The also meet his haughty, wealthy friend Mr. Darcy and Bingley’s superior acting sisters, Caroline Bingley and Louisa Hurst. Lizzy overhears Darcy insult her and she resolves to dislike him, an attitude reinforced when she learns from the amiable Mr. Wickham that Darcy cheated him. Darcy meanwhile becomes interested in Lizzy, but buries his interest due to the poor behavior of her mother and younger sisters.  After a ball on November 26, 1811 Bingley and his party return to London without a word to Jane. [Part 1 - 1:14:13 to 1:34:14] There, although unknown to Lizzy at the time, Darcy and his sisters convince Bingley not to return for Jane Bennett as they convince him that she does not really love him. Meanwhile, Rev. Collins, the male cousin who will inherit the Bennett estate upon the father’s death comes to visit to choose a wife from among his cousins. He proposes to Lizzy, but she rejects him and he instead marries Charlotte Lucas, Lizzy’s best friend, who cares nothing for romance and doesn’t want to end up an old maid.  Lizzy goes to visit Charlotte in the spring. Her husband is the new rector for Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mr. Darcy’s aunt. While Mr. Darcy is visiting his aunt he meets Lizzy again. Much to his surprise Darcy cannot resist and proposes marriage to Lizzy, first listing out all the reasons he should not. Lizzy rejects his insulting proposal and tells him why.  The next day he hands her a letter that reveals he separated Bingley and Jane because he honestly believed Jane didn’t care for Bingley and proves that he did not cheat Wickham. Lizzy believes him and begins to fall in love with Mr. Darcy who has returned to his estate, Pemberly in Derbyshire. Some months later when Lizzy and her aunt and uncle are on a holiday tour, they visit Pemberly and unexpectedly meet Mr. Darcy. He is extremely civil to them and introduces them to his sister.  Then tragedy strikes when word arrives that the youngest Bennet sister Lydia has eloped with Mr. Wickham but they do not marry, threatening to socially ruin the family. Darcy tracks down the couple and bribes them to wed, saving the day. Although he tried to keep his involvement secret Lizzy learns of it. Darcy and Bingley return to Herefordshire where Bingley and Jane become engaged.  Lady Catherine visits Lizzy to insist that she never wed Darcy but she refuses to promise this. Darcy returns and proposes, securing her father’s consent.  The couples wed in a dual ceremony and live happily ever after.

This popular romance has depth. The characters are well developed and grow over time. The prototypical “romantic comedy”. The period setting is faithfully portrayed.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (Barnes & Noble Classics, New York, 2003) at page 255 and the film at Part 2 @53:58 give the date of the Netherfield ball

Producer - Sue Birtwhistle

Director - Simon Langton

Screenplay - Andrew Davies

Awards:  The film won the Outstanding Individual Achievement in Costume Design for a Miniseries or a Special Emmy. It was also nominated for the Outstanding Individual Achievement in Choreography, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing for a Miniseries or a Special and the Outstanding Miniseries Emmys at the 48th Academy Awards.

Running Time - 5 hours

Released - September 24, 1995

Starring -
 
Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet
Alison Steadman as Mrs. Bennet
Benjamin Whitrow as Mr. Bennet
Susannah Harker as Jane Bennet
Lucy Briers as Mary Bennet
Polly Maberly as Kitty Bennet
Julia Sawalha as Lydia Bennet
Colin Firth as Fitzwilliam Darcy  
Crispin Bonham-Carter as Charles Bngley
Anna Chancellor as Caroline Bingley
David Bramber as William Collins
Lucy Scott as Charlotte Lucas
Adrian Lukas as George Wickham

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.






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