The 1995 adaptation, considered to be the definitive one by…well, just about everyone, isn’t a film at all, but a miniseries. Clocking in at just over five hours, it has the time to present the intricacies of the society and relationships, similarly to how it was done in the book. All main characters are fully fleshed out. Changes occur naturally, in steps that make sense and are clearly shown. That might make it sound leisurely, but it isn’t. The pace is swift and there are no slow moments.
The novel has been described as some combination of romance, comedy, and satire (obviously, there’s some overlap). The miniseries leans more toward romance. There is comedy, but it is primarily reserved for comic relief characters (particularly Mrs. Bennet, who is constantly complaining about her nerves, and Mr. Collins, a toady cousin who wants to marry Lizzie and seldom utters a line that doesn’t refer to the marvels of his aristocratic patron). Lizzie is brought to life by Jennifer Ehle, who accomplishes the impossible task of making women the world over, who always pictured themselves as Lizzie, see her as the beloved character. She is charming, and her eyes dance when she isn’t allowed to. Beautiful and witty, she is the personification of the intelligent costume-drama heroine. Colin Firth became a star due to his portrayal of Darcy, and a million women sighed in unison when he got wet, diving into a pond. I must admit, even I wanted these two to get together.
There is no skimping on the other relationships. Lizzie’s father is an important character, and here we see his love for Lizzie (and to a lesser extent, the rest of his family). It’s a pleasure to watch him as he comes to understand what has happened to his favorite daughter. Jane and Bingly are given time as well, enough to pull the viewers into their uneven romance.
Exquisite location shots (the U.S. simply doesn’t have mansions like these), appropriate costumes, and pleasant, non-intrusive music, all add to the ambiance. The camera work is adequate in showing off the stars and environments, and is better than expected for a television production.
This is the choice of purists, who want any film to match the novel. Well, they have nothing to complain about, and outside of Darcy being too much like Hitler’s second cousin in his first scene, I don’t either.