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Pride and Prejudice - The Special Edition Customer Reviews (55 - 57 of 229 Reviews)

disappointed, Indeed!
I am extremely disappointed after watching this A&E special version of P&P. I'd return the DVD if I could.

Just about every actor in this movie was too old for the role they played. Looking at George Wickham, who is supposed to be about Darcy's age (about 28 year-old in the book. But in the movie, the actor looked like he was in his 40s. Not mention Caroline Bingley looking like in her late 30s. Even the leading actress, in my opinion, looked too mature to play the supposed 20,21 year-old Elizabeth Bennet. Could it be that there was simply a lack of excellent young British actors?
BTW, the picture quality looked bad.

Pride & Prejudice- Always a Classic.
Although not the book, this 5 hour movie is always a classic. From the beginning to the end credits you always wonder, will they REALLY get together?

ZZZZZZZZZ...a good effort falls quite short
The admirable attempt of this film adaptation to remain true to the content and feel Jane Austin's enduring literary work cannot override the liability of lamentable casting.

Of the primary characterizations, only Ehle as Elizabeth stands out. Firth is sadly wasted as Darcy (especially so because he SHOULD have made a perfect Darcy) since he spends most of his film time standing or stalking about broodily, and delivers what lines he has in an affected, stilted manner which lends nothing to the character. Both the main players seem unconsciously to be imitating Garson and Olivier in the older adaptation of the film (which despite flaws of costume and a condensed storyline is a thousand times more enjoyable than this effort and should not be missed). Firth even wears a pinkie signet ring like Olivier, and twists it distractedly in his discourses with Elizabeth in uncanny imitation of Sir Laurence.

Perhaps the most ghastly casting error is Susahanna Harker as Jane. While her acting skills are adequate, her appearance falls far short of the exceptional beauty required for the role; she puts one to mind of a blond, bug-eyed Mona Lisa, and unkind as it may seem this reviewer found it impossible to accept her in the role due primarily to her limited pulchritude. In the same vein, the visage of Mary is also seems unnecessarily unattractive; in the first ballroom scene they either manufactured or left unconcealed a number of acne spots on the actress' face, which made me feel sorry for both the character and the actress.

Also lamentable is the overacting done by Alison Steadman as Mrs. Bennet. Her interpretation of the character is no more than an annoying stereotype. One rolls their eyes when she appears on screen, and anxiously awaits her departure.

Bonham-Carter is likable and effective as Mr. Bingley. Also effective is Benjamin Whitrow as the pleasant but generally inaccessible Mr. Bennet, Adrian Lukis as the two-faced Wickham, David Bamber as the obsequious Mr. Collins, and Lucy Scott as an underachieving Charlotte.

Beautiful countrysides, excellent efforts by supporting cast members and a consistently strong showing by Ms. Ehle, is in the end insufficient to incite enthusiasm for this adaptation. (Curiously, the latest adaptation of Austin's work suffers an almost identical malady, except in THAT film it is Keira Knightly who is hopelessly under-utilized in the role of Elizabeth).

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