I wonder if I would have reacted differently to the 2005 Pride and Prejudice if I hadn’t seen the miniseries first. I’m used to books being chopped up and compressed when they are turned into movies, and it doesn’t bother me (they are different media, so the stories need to be told differently). I am less accustomed to seeing a film condensed to make another film. But that is one of the primary impressions of this version. It is much like the ’95 series, but with substantial portions missing or shortened. As no subplots were removed, it’s no surprise that things are rushed: it is three hours shorter. There are also minor changes to the design. The Bennet’s house is no longer pristine, and the larger budget has allowed for some cliff-side romance shots, but none of that is significant. It is the loss of development time that matters.
So, we know what this version hasn’t got. What does it have? It has Keira Knightley. She owns every second of this film. Some critics were astonished at her performance, but that’s only because critics are a snooty lot, and don’t consider expertise in a pirate movie to count. Well, it does count, and as Lizzie, she’s now proved it to all. Knightley sparkles throughout. It doesn’t hurt that the actress is the same age as the character, but more important is the life, intelligence, and joy that she brings to the part. You care about all the events in the film, not because of their thorough development, but simply because Lizzie—this Lizzie—does. Watching the miniseries, you understand how someone could love Lizzie. In this film, it is you who will love her.
Is this version all about the star? All of the other actors are good (some, such as Rosamund Pike as Jane, and Donald Sutherland in the much reduced part of Mr. Bennet, are superb), the sets and locations are beautiful, the dances are energetic, and the music is pleasing. But yes, in the end, it is all about the star. And it is enough.
Well, perhaps not for everyone. While most people were thrilled with this version, one group was upset: the Janeites. These are fanatical Austen fans who want no deviation from the book, nor any changes from how they saw it in their minds. In the case of Keira Knightley’s Pride and Prejudice, they were dismayed that the Bennet’s don’t do more house cleaning, that when Darcey walks down the road, it is foggy and his coat flaps in the wind, and, most of all, that Darcey and Lizzie almost, but still do not, kiss. This is too gothic for their tastes (God help them should they ever see a vampire film; the gothic texture would cause them to explode) and smacks too much of romance. The trivial nature of these elements doesn’t matter to them. I like to think of these people as crazy, because it’s convenient to have neat categories for people, and because that way I can look at them with pity instead of distain. Pity’s nicer.