Pride & Prejudice
Short description
Pride & Prejudice is a British period drama adapted from Jane Austen's novel about the Bennet family, who live in the English countryside in the late eighteenth century. With five unmarried daughters and an estate that will pass to a distant male relative after the father's death, Mrs. Bennet is determined to see her girls well married. The arrival of the wealthy Mr. Bingley and his friend Mr. Darcy in the neighbourhood unsettles the household. Bingley is drawn to the gentle eldest sister, Jane, while the headstrong Elizabeth takes an immediate dislike to Darcy, finding him proud and arrogant. Their clashes, and the misunderstandings that follow, form the centre of the story.
The film was directed by Joe Wright and written by Deborah Moggach, based on Austen's novel. It was Wright's first feature, followed in later years by Atonement, Anna Karenina and Darkest Hour, among others. Keira Knightley plays Elizabeth, with Matthew Macfadyen as Darcy, Brenda Blethyn as Mrs. Bennet, Rosamund Pike as Jane, and Carey Mulligan and Jena Malone as the younger sisters.
Released in September 2005, the film was made for about 28 million dollars and took roughly 120 million dollars worldwide, a strong return. On IMDb it holds 7.8 out of 10 from around 374,000 votes, and on TMDB 8.1 from a much smaller base of under 9,000. A critics' rating of 8 out of 10 from 189 reviews places it in line with the audience response.
What's left behind the scenes
- The film is based on Jane Austen's novel "Pride and Prejudice" (1813).
- A different version of the film's ending was filmed for the American audience, in which Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy enjoy a romantic evening at Pemberley and kiss. This scene was cut because such an ending did not align with the conclusion of Austen's novel and could have been negatively received by British viewers.
- The action of the film takes place in 1797. It was then that Jane Austen wrote the first draft of her work, which was originally titled "First Impressions." Elizabeth reads the book under this title at the very beginning of the film.
- While preparing to film the scene where Elizabeth reads a letter from her uncle informing her of her sister's disappearance, a peculiar prank was devised. Instructing them not to turn on the cameras, Keira Knightley was handed a letter stating: “This is a mistake. Try not to laugh. Filming is in progress.” Although Keira couldn't hide her laughter, she left the room in a rather low mood. At that moment, the cameras were switched on, and that take was ultimately included in the final version of the film.
- The novel "Pride and Prejudice" has been adapted for the screen in 1938, 1952, 1968, 1980, and 1995, but according to critics, only the last adaptation fully captures the spirit of Austen's work.
- Keira Knightley has always dreamed of playing Elizabeth Bennet, and moreover – the actress considers herself a reincarnation of the girl and often tells the press that she dreams Elizabeth Bennet's dreams.
- Due to Colin Firth's iconic portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the 1995 television series, the search for an actor for this role lasted approximately eight months. Over a hundred candidates auditioned before Matthew Macfadyen was approved.
- Director Joe Wright was initially opposed to casting Keira Knightley in his project, considering her too attractive. He changed his mind after a personal meeting with the actress, deciding that Keira's boyish character would be perfect for the role.
- Jenna Malone played the younger sister, Lydia, to Keira Knightley's character. In fact, Jenna is six months older than Keira.
- During filming, Keira was actively preparing for her next project, "Domino." In particular, she managed to get a short haircut. In the final weeks of the filming process, she had to wear a wig and dresses with long sleeves to hide the muscles she had developed.
- The famous English actress Emma Thompson completely rewrote some of the dialogue in the script and waived her fee in favor of the Jane Austen Foundation.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
