Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #98 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-09-12
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Box set, PAL
• Original language: English, Turkish
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 327 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
In spite of the quality of the more recent Keira Knightley-starring big-screen interpretation, it's the mid-90s BBC mini-series of Pride and Prejudice that's still regarding by many as the definitive telling of Jane Austen's classic.

Featuring, as many swooning admirers will already know, Colin Firth in a career-topping performance as Mr Darcy, Pride and Prejudice is the timeless tale of seemingly impossible romance. On one hand, there's the wealthy, single Mr Darcy, and on the other is Elizabeth, a woman Darcy believes is beneath him. Across six sumptuous hours of this classic mini-series, their story then slowly bubbles, aided by some excellent supporting performances. Nods must go to the likes of Jennifer Ehle, Susannah Harker, Anna Chancellor and Julia Sawalha, to highlight but a handful.

It's not just in front of the camera where Pride and Prejudice scores, though. The production values are absolutely outstanding, with this really a watermark for BBC costume drama production. Add in Simon Langton's diligent direction, and this is one of those rare occasions where everything seemingly effortlessly falls into place, with outstanding end results.

Over ten years since it was first broadcast, the particular take on Pride and Prejudice remains as vital, moving and compelling as it was first time round. And if it's ever topped, it's going to take something really, really special to do it… --Jon Foster

DVD Description
Regency romance, full of pace, style, wit and passion. Filmed in the stately homes and country mansions of old England, with a first-rate production team and a cast of Britain's finest character actors, this really is unmissable. Starring Colin Firth, Jennifer Ehle, Allison Steadman and Julia Sawalha

Special Features
Special Edition Packaging

Customer Reviews

Not Jane Austen
'Pride and Prejudice' is the most famous - but by no means the best - of Jane Austen's novels. Like all of Austen's other works, it is a brilliantly observant, ironic and satirical depiction of society as it was in the early nineteenth century. This is inter-weaved with intricate character studies, gripping romances and some surprising plot twists.

The romance here concerns the delightful Elizabeth Bennett and the somewhat haughty Mr Darcy. However, the main focus of the story is the development of Elizabeth's character. As the narrative progresses, she becomes astonished by the behaviour of those around her, as well as that of herself.

This six-part serialisation, originally transmitted in 1995, is the most well known and popular of all the many adaptations the book has inspired. Whilst it does have some merits, it sadly fails on many levels.

Carl Davis' music is effective, the locations are all spot on - especially Pemberley - and some, though not all, of the costumes are very nice indeed. Unfortunately, there is not much else that can be said in its favour.

Andrew Davies' screenplay is a huge disappointment. He had just the right amount of time to do justice to the source material and he wastes it with a large number of new scenes. The ending consequently feels very rushed, as if Davies suddenly woke up and realised he had run out of time and any scene or line not from the book stands out a mile. Davies' own dialogue is consistently flat, banal and clichéd. The scenes are ridiculously and completely unnecessarily sensationalised and several of them - such as Darcy's arrival at Pemberley and his involvement in Lydia's wedding - ruin Austen's wonderful element of surprise. The part involving Darcy's letter to Elizabeth is also very badly done. This attempt to flesh out Darcy's character in more detail is a fairly original approach, but it fails miserably.

Some of the casting is terrible. Jennifer Ehle is lovely to look at, but she could scarcely look more wrong for the part. Elizabeth should be striking in an unorthodox way; attractive to some, but not to everyone's taste, making Darcy's initial feelings and subsequent change of heart credible. However, Ehle possesses a flawless complexion and somewhat 'smooth' features. She is also perhaps rather too buxom and dare I say plump. She was twenty-five at the time of filming, but she has a mature look and could more easily pass for a woman of thirty than a girl of twenty. The main problem is that Ehle totally outshines every other actress in the production in terms of looks and this should not be the case. The contrast between Ehle's Elizabeth and Susannah Harker's Jane could not be more wrong, particularly as Harker is not even that attractive in the role of the family beauty.

Ehle gives a lively, energetic performance and provides a captivating, vivacious presence, but instead of being playful, she often comes across as impertinent. Her characterisation is really just too modern. That is in fact the most significant problem with this production. It just does not work and occasionally feels like a modern drama with everybody in fancy dress. Davies is largely to blame for this, but Simon Langton's direction often appears negligent and at times non-existent. Was there nobody around to teach these actresses some proper deportment? All these 'ladies' slouch all over the place and the very worst is Anna Chancellor as Caroline Bingley who should have been the most straight-backed of them all. In fact the only female in this production who would have been accepted in those times is Joanna David's Mrs Gardiner and this is why it is such a shame that the character is drawn such a short straw here and that her close bond with Elizabeth is barely shown. It is a nice touch that David's daughter Emilia Fox plays Georgiana and, despite the fact that she is a bit too pretty, she actually does well in what was practically her screen debut. Her deportment is also considerably better than most of the others'.

The biggest mess of a characterisation is that of Darcy. Despite having had a successful career, nothing can alter the fact that Colin Firth is in reality a bad actor. He is woefully miscast as Darcy and constantly appears confused, as if he is never quite sure how to play a particular scene. Again, this is where the direction (or lack of it) is at fault. At times his behaviour is absurd and he utterly fails to convince the viewer of his being a reserved regency gentleman. He is also not handsome or tall enough for the role.

Alison Steadman is not a bad actress by any means, but she makes the mistake of interpreting Mrs Bennett as a caricature and consequently goes completely over the top. Austen's characters are all truthful and subtly layered and human. She did not write caricatures. The same problem occurs with David Bamber as Mr Collins, who was also about fifteen years too old for the part.

The character of Mr Bennett is one of the most difficult to get right and Benjamin Whitrow does not quite manage this, but he does quite a good job and will probably never be bettered. Adrian Lukis is a passable Wickham, in another particularly tough role. However, virtually none of Austen's other creations is well-served here.

In spite of all these many reservations, it is difficult not to get caught up in the undoubted charm and sweep of this production, but it really misses the point of Jane Austen.

Final verdict: 7/10

The Best Adaptation of Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" - Believe Me!
Before I ever knew about Jane Austen and her novels, I'd watched BBC "Pride and Prejudice" - when I was a teenager. I have to say that I fell in love with whole story; I adore Ms. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy slow bubbling romance; the Bennet family made me laugh. I even had a crush on Colin Firth then. LOL... Anyway, I love everything about the series; so much so that I took up reading Jane Austen's novels.

A few years ago, I finally bought the DVD of this BBC Series from Amazon.Co.UK, and proudly added it to my movie collection.

I saw the Hollywood re-make of Pride and Prejudice, but that didn't do justice to Jane Austen's novel. The BBC's version is 10X better. I've always say that the British have always been very good at making period dramas.

The Best Jane Austen adaptation ever!!
This is by far the best Jane Austen adaptation. The incredible subtlety in some of the scenes between Lizzie and Mr Darcy are heart warming. On re-reading the book and then watching it again, you can truly appreciate how these two characters have changed and bettered themselves for each other. Having read some of the other reviews with regards to the Kiera Knightly film, I can only wonder if those in so much favour of this version have ever read the book?? It does seem to be the trend to change or modernise Jane Austen's books, and I agree to this to an extent. But to actually change the values and morals Jane Austen took great care to illustrate and portray, is inexcusable. This excellent BBC version will always be the best version for me as it celebrates all that Jane Austen was and why she is such a respected author. A classic!