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Watching Lost in Austen spurred me to re-watch Pride & Prejudice (2005) and reread the book, just to refresh my memory. Upon rediscovering the film (can’t believe it’s been eight years since its release!), it has become one of my favourite movies. It encapsulates the spirit of the book and era so perfectly: the tinkly piano score, the gorgeous lighting with ample use of sunlight, the beautiful English countryside, the meandering, dreamy pace of the film. When I first watched it about six years ago, I wasn’t fond of what I felt then was the disjointedness of the film, and the skipping over of huge swathes of time. Now I feel that it adds to the dreamy romanticism.
Keira Knightley makes a good Elizabeth — she has the spunk and wit in real life that Elizabeth has, and Matthew Macfadyen makes a fine and haughty Darcy. (And he was really hot then, though he seems to have increased in girth since, and started balding.) The first proposal scene is absolutely electrifying.
In my previous post, I wondered why women dream of having a Darcy, even though he was so horribly rude. Now I remember. Not only did he love Elizabeth “most ardently”, he changed into a better, less arrogant, more forbearing man all because of her. And isn’t that the dream of most (if not all) women, that a man will love them so much as to change into a better person for them?
And now it’s my turn to wish for a Darcy. :’)
Rent it or buy it here on Amazon to relive the romance.
