Directed by Joe Wright this award-winning film adaptation of the classic Jane Austin novel, Pride and Prejudice was adapted for the big screen by Deborah Moggach and nominated for 4 Oscars. Due to time constraints a number of scenes were modified from those which take place in the book, and certain characters were excluded. However authenticity was important hence the services of the Napoleonic [Re-enactment] Society were employed for the scenes involving the militia. Shot entirely on location in the UK, which is unusual for a film of this size and scale, the story is set at the beginning of the 19th century in England. The family Bennet are landed gentry. However as their estate, Longbourn will be inherited by a certain Mr Collins (Tom Hollander) on the death of Mr Bennet (Donald Sutherland), Mrs Bennet (Brenda Blethyn) is keen to secure her future and that of her four daughters by ensuring they marry well! Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) however is determined to marry for love. When Mr Bingley (Simon Woods) and his party take up residence at nearby Netherfield, Mrs Bennet is determined he will marry one of her girls. As the plot unfolds, it becomes increasingly evident that certain members of Mr Bingley’s party do not feel that the growing affection between Mr Bingley and Jane Bennet (Rosamund Pike) is to be encouraged and Elizabeth feels she has good reason to thoroughly despise Mr Bingley’s friend, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen). Nevertheless, like it or not, they begin to have a marked affect on each other’s lives. Upon release there was a mixed response from critics, which may have been attributed to the popularity of the 1995 television adaptation with Colin Firth as Mr Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet. Nevertheless Pride and Prejudice the film did well at the box office.

Release / Airing: 16/09/2005