If your vision and dream world which has long since been associated with a traditional ancient frivolous but a living world in which ladies were mainly aimed at and encircled with dances and ribboned bonnets and matrons had only the expectations and remained worried only about marrying off their eligible daughters – it would be the perfect choice for you “Pride and Prejudice”.
The story was written by Jane Austen at the turn of the 19th century, she saw the world with an independent eye for the follies and foibles around her and their frivolous activities. In 1940 this film was the first adaption of this novel starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier. The plot of the film is surrounded by the harmless and sometimes meaningless absurdities that were seen in the middle-class provincial society at that time. It also depicts the trembling and sudden excitement that used to occur in a family full of unmarried girls when a bachelor enters the vicinity. The film starts as the two eldest daughters of Mrs Bennet Jane and Elizabeth are shopping and then they learnt that a young bachelor would just rent their local estate. Then after returning to home they start preparing for the next ball and make him one of their suitor.
The cast and crew of the film have also delivered brilliant performances. It seemed that Geer Garson as Elizabeth has just come out of the book in such a way she has portrayed the character with all the nitty gritty; possessing all the essential qualities of Miss Jane Austen’s novel poised, graceful, witty, stubborn and beautiful. Darcy by Oliver is perfectly all right with all the pride in this character that was required. Mary Boland as Mrs Bennet is invincible with fluffy cheeks and an overpowering attitude. Besides that, other side characters played by Edmund Gwenn, Frieda Inescort and Bruce Lester did complete justice to their respective roles.
Though there are some flaws in technical aspects and it also showed gender criticism as well as social criticism overwhelmingly. Apart from that, the film has all the flavours of exquisite comedy around a beautiful storyline. The film is definitely recommended as a beautiful love story as it fulfils all its conditions of it. So the film is apt and did complete justice to its theme and it’s a good watch.