Pride & Prejudice (2005)
I hate to admit this now, because Keira Knightley is my favorite actress of the modern era, but there was a time when I couldn’t stand her. Don’t tell anyone. I really didn’t like the 2005 remake of Pride & Prejudice. I didn’t like her unladylike mannerisms, her modern way of talking, or her greasy hair. My sincerest apologies to my favorite actress, but perhaps she’ll forgive me. She was only 19 when the movie was filmed, and perhaps she’s looked back over the past fifteen years and lamented her greasy hair. Or perhaps it was director Joe Wright’s fault; you never know about these things. Perhaps he wanted her version of Elizabeth Bennet to be accessible to American teenagers, with their own unladylike mannerisms, modern talking, and greasy hair.
It might also be a good admission on my part to reveal the story of Pride & Prejudice is one of my worst of Austen’s work. My favorite version is the 1940 adaptation, which changed the plot! And, as I was forced to read it during an English class by a very cranky teacher I hated, and he thrust the movie upon the class as a “reward” for half the class failing the comprehension exam, it’s no wonder all I could got from the movie was greasy hair and irritating, giggling sisters. Those who were paying better attention were able to focus on Donald Sutherland trying to appease his vapid wife Brenda Blethyn, the cute romance between Rosamund Pike and Simon Woods, the tormented and honorable Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy, or the other irritating sisters, Jena Malone and Carey Mulligan.
The good news is I quickly changed my mind about Keira Knightley. A few months later, my best friend and I cut English class to go see a matinee showing of Atonement. Don’t tell anyone.
More Judi Dench movies here!
It might also be a good admission on my part to reveal the story of Pride & Prejudice is one of my worst of Austen’s work. My favorite version is the 1940 adaptation, which changed the plot! And, as I was forced to read it during an English class by a very cranky teacher I hated, and he thrust the movie upon the class as a “reward” for half the class failing the comprehension exam, it’s no wonder all I could got from the movie was greasy hair and irritating, giggling sisters. Those who were paying better attention were able to focus on Donald Sutherland trying to appease his vapid wife Brenda Blethyn, the cute romance between Rosamund Pike and Simon Woods, the tormented and honorable Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy, or the other irritating sisters, Jena Malone and Carey Mulligan.
The good news is I quickly changed my mind about Keira Knightley. A few months later, my best friend and I cut English class to go see a matinee showing of Atonement. Don’t tell anyone.
More Judi Dench movies here!