REMEMBERING THE MANY UNIQUE FACES OF ‘PRIDE & PREJUDICE’ TO CELEBRATE ITS DAY!
About three years ago, one thing we shared here was a ‘Romance Adaptation’ feature that was all about Pride and Prejudice. While that post should still stand, we’re revamping it on this fine day as Pride and Prejudice day is nearly here. January 28th is the special day and revisiting this with new words, updates and other remembrances seems a nice idea. Let’s jump in and share this revamped Pride and Prejudice adaptations list.
LIST | SOME OF THE BEST REASONS TO GIVE ‘MISS SCARLET’ SEASON FIVE A CHANCE
REMEMBERING THE MANY UNIQUE FACES OF ‘PRIDE & PREJUDICE’ TO CELEBRATE ITS DAY! #JaneAusten #PrideandPrejudice #MrDarcy #ElizabethBennet #PeriodDrama Share on XThere are many different faces to this story. Jane Austen’s classic novel was published January 28, 1813, and the timeless story has spanned generations and continues to charm us even today. The story has been told time and again in different venues from the stage to film incarnations. It’s the classic loathe to love trope telling the story of the feisty Elizabeth Bennet, the second daughter in a family of five girls living in the 1800s English Countryside. The women won’t inherit the small estate of their father, so their mother makes attempts to ensure they’re taken care of by finding them matches. This sets into motion a series of events that brings Mr. Darcy into their life, a wealthy man with secrets, who ends up a thorn in Elizabeth’s side. Though an unexpected love does bloom between them.
Celebrating the iconic love story that is Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth, we’re going to look at the different faces and “looks” this story takes on.
PRIDE and PREJUDICE ADAPTATIONS LIST
PRIDE & PREJUDICE (1940)
Taking a more romanticized approach, this one has lots of ribbons, delicate costuming like full skirts to reinforce this. I’ve actually watched this one a few time through the years although I suspect that it’s not really accurate to the novel or its text. However, it’s one I do make time for now and then. It has Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier in the lead roles.
Digitally purchase or rent on places like Prime Video
PRIDE & PREJUDICE (1980)
Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul play the would-be lovers in this version. I owned it (or maybe still do?) in a two-part VHS set and was excited to see another version of this, only to find this one more annoying than sweet. Someday I should re-watch it again but all I remember is watching several of the 80s adaptations from BBC and not finding any of them impressive. As a result, this is one of the lowest on my favorites list. Perhaps the best thing about this adaptation is that Tessa Peake-Jones plays Mary Bennet, a British actress many of us now love as Mrs. Chapman in Grantchester.
Stream, at publication, on BritBox
PRIDE & PREJUDICE (1995)
This is the version many consider THE definitive adaptation. Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth play Elizabeth and Darcy respectively and is a six-part miniseries from A&E and BBC. It’s also the version I “grew up” on. It’s one I’ve seen multiple times although not recently. No longer my most favorite, I still respect and enjoy this version. The scenery is stunning, and if I had to guess, the costumes are most authentic in this version too. Plus, this version’s iconic moment is the swim and wet shirt scene.
Stream, at publication, on BritBox, Hulu, Pluto TV, Prime Video, Roku or Tubi.
BRIDE & PREJUDICE (2004)
A modern tiles on this Pride and Prejudice adaptations list, this one is colorful and delightful. It’s got song and dance numbers and, though it’s condensed to a normal film length, it tells the story reasonably well. Plus, this one has fun movie trivia, Martin Henderson plays Mr. Darcy, in a role long before he became Jack on Virgin River. I suspect most viewers won’t like him, but I think he’s actually good for the script. This one leans heavily into the romance too so it feels way more rom-com than exploration of anything. Also, have we really seen a version of Pride and Prejudice if we haven’t seen the ‘No Life without Wife’ song?
Stream, at publication, on Pluto TV; or digitally purchase on places like Prime Video
REMEMBERING THE MANY UNIQUE FACES OF ‘PRIDE & PREJUDICE’ TO CELEBRATE ITS DAY! #PrideAndPrejudice #PeriodDrama #JaneAusten #MrDarcy Share on XPRIDE & PREJUDICE (2005)
I adore this 2005 feature from Focus Features. Is it quite different than the 1995 miniseries? Absolutely! But I think its differences are actually what makes this strong because I think we can view these as the same, yes, but two sperate ways of seeing the story. Joe Wright gives the Bennet women a more unrefined way of living in this version, and this all plays out against a more rugged landscape and score. Plus, while many love the “hand flex” scene, I think my most favorite moment in this is the first proposal. It softens Darcy in a way that’s much easier than we see in other traditional versions and I think it’s unique that they both (more him than her) almost break before the scene ends. I think the moment, with the rain and how it’s played, does for them what everyone loves about the “shirt scene” in the A&E version, only it moves up the timeline slightly.
Digitally purchase or rent on places like Prime Video pride and prejudice adaptations
PRIDE & PREJUDICE & ZOMBIES (2016)
Adding this one may not be totally fair, but I had to because it IS a good deal of fun. It also has a good cast in Lily James, Douglas Booth, Suki Waterhouse, Lena Headey, Matt Smith, Charles Dance and Sam Riley. As its title would suggest, this one follows the Austen story, but brings in zombies for our fearless heroes to fight… something they do all while still making time to fall in love.
Digitally purchase or rent on places like Prime Video
UNLEASHING MR. DARCY (2016)
A film from Hallmark, this one is a title I was quite eager to see back at its premiere. It has Cindy Busby in the role of Elizabeth and Ryan Paevey playing Mr. Darcy for Hallmark. The story is fun and entertaining and while it is modern, it brings in the influence of Austen while giving us the slow love story that we know best of this story.
Stream, at publication, on Hallmark+; or digitally purchase on places like Prime Video
OTHER FILMS BASED ON (OR INSPIRED BY) PRIDE & PREJUDICE: Christmas at Pemberley Manor; The Lizzie Bennet Diaries; Lost in Austen; a 2003 modern version of Pride and Prejudice; Pride and Prejudice Atlanta; Pride, Prejudice and Mistletoe; and likely many others I’m ignoring!
Photos: Alamy | Hallmark Media
What version of this story do you love best? How many of these Pride and Prejudice adaptations have you seen? Which ones would you still like to see? Which ones did we miss? Comment all of your opinions below! Let’s talk.
Note: a version of this was originally published here in January of 2022. We have revised and updated it for republication.
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