A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Date Viewed: 12/27/05

Details:

Keira Knightley (Elizabeth Bennet)

Donald Sutherland (Mr. Bennet)

Brenda Blethyn (Mrs. Bennet)

Simon Woods (Mr. Bingley)

Matthew MacFadyen (Mr. Darcy)

Rupert Friend (Mr. Wickham)

Judi Dench (Lady Catherine de Bourg)

Director: Joe Wright

Score: +

The Review: When you absolutely, positively must gaze upon exquisite collarbones.

This is the Reader's Digest condensed version of Jane Austen's novel on English society and manners, finally making it accessible for those of us with over-expression of the sex-linked locus Narfen -- homolog to Narcoleptic response to female English novelists -- from its name, a gene obviously first recognized in Drosophila, whose tiny-brained literary discrimination seems a good model for mine. Although I'm not planning on sitting down and watching the entire BBC production DVD set for 8-10 hours straight, at least I can now claim a surface familiarity with the general plot structure and a grudging appreciation for the strengths of character portrayed.

Comparison with the BBC production is inevitable, at least in our household, where the DVD's are hauled out at frequent intervals. This newer version makes clearer the Bennet's placement on the social ladder of the time, substantially lower-class than the BBC's rendering. Jennifer Ehle (BBC) is a more classic beauty (and it worked to stunning effect in Possession), whereas Keira Knightley conforms to more contemporary standards.

Simplified, in comparison to the novel and more full-featured treatments, but not bad.

(27-Dec-05)

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