Part Five: A Book and Movie Comparison

Source: Wikipedia

Hello readers, welcome to my final blog post. While this may not be the grandest finale ever, I thought it would be fun (and perhaps entertaining) to compare the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen with the movie version (of the same name) that is directed by Joe Wright. I hope you will enjoy, and I definitely will miss discussing and reflecting on the book :'(

Also: my apologies to Ms. LaClair, who specifically recommended that I shouldn't watch this version of the movie in my previous blog post. But here I am. Writing a blog post about it. While it may not be the best adaptation, I thought it would make for a good comparison. Please do not let my grade suffer. :)


❦ Part Five: A Book and Movie Comparison❦

What the Movie Did Right-

Firstly, even though this doesn't involve the actual content comparison, I would like to acknowledge Keira Knightly's performance. A quick Google search shows me that she was nominated for Best Actress, and I do believe that it was well deserved. While I know little about acting, it seems challenging to act in period pieces, especially when the dialogue is different from what would be spoken in the modern day. I think that on her part, she portrayed Elizabeth well by capturing both her independence and free-thinking mind.

Additionally, I thought that the balance between side characters and main characters was very well done. In the story, there are many different characters that are important to remember, and if done carelessly, had the potential to create a confusing mess. However (while I may be biased because I have read the book),  I found that the plot in the movie was primarily easy to follow because there seemed to be a very thought-out and careful balance between subplot and the main plot. It's very hard for movie adaptations to include most of the subplots without the story's main story from becoming too slow and boring (I could definitely rant about the 2019 adaptation for Little Women), and Pride and Prejudice overcame that challenge.

This film was made for a mainstream audience so the dialogue was simplified in order for it to be easier to understand, however I did occasionally notice a few lines taken directly from the book when there was an important scene, which I do appreciate. While I could easily argue that the movie is not accurate because the speech is simplified, I really can not criticize this movie for it's abilities to attract a mainstream audience. I am glad that they made the movie easy to understand and allow for a broader audience to appreciate the stories and work of Jane Austen. The way that the director did this was very thorough and successful without straying too much away from the novel.

One specific scene that I really thought portrayed the motif and concept of marriage very well was the scene in which Elizabeth and Charlotte discuss Mr. Collins. The movie really emphasizes Charlotte's desperation to find a husband not because she is looking for love, but because she believes that her time is running out due to her age and because she is desperate for the security in some financial reassurance. This scene criticized the time period very well, for it shows Charlotte's need for dependency, since there were not many reasonable options for women back then. Even while the scene itself is not entirely accurate to what happens in the book, I do believe that it adds to the movie a hidden deeper meaning.

What I Would Have Liked to See (more or less of):

Listen, I get it-- romance movies are more successful when there is actual romance in it, but did they really have to beef it up that much?  Was it necessary to have them fight in the rain, or have them walk towards each other dramatically as the sun rises in the background? Where were the walks? About 20% of the book consists of characters going on walks through the gardens, but not once did anyone do that in the movie.

So much potential!!!!

In my opinion, what the director messed up the most was Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship itself. From the opening scene to the last, there was an attraction between each other in their lingering gazes, which took away from the original dynamic between the two. Their feelings and opinions towards each other felt pretty monotone and fell flat in their characterizations as opinionated and complex main characters capable then other feelings besides undying love.  Elizabeth's hatred for Darcy before she read his explanation letter did not seem as extreme as the book, nor did his sudden proposal to her seem at all shocking or surprising as it should have been-- also, the scene took place outside instead of inside for some random reason I can't deem important enough.

In the movie, Darcy's proposal was a real missed opportunity to show Jane Austen's personality and humor. Reading this scene in the novel, my reaction was of surprise to the point that I almost found it humorous. Because this is a mainstream movie, I was shocked that they didn't convey it that way, and in my opinion, it was because the "hidden attraction" between the two was overdone to the point where negative comments towards each other through banter did not seem as genuine, and actually seemed out of place. If I were to re-direct the movie, I would make it so that Darcy's emotions are less readable, and Elizabeth doesn't feel herself attracted to him until the plot is developed deeper.

I was also surprised that the director did not decide to play more on the concepts of "pride" and "prejudice" except for a few lines. The general public opinion in the society was not used to convey the characterization of Darcy, which I was saddened to not see. The only person who really saw Darcy as having too much pride was Elizabeth, and even that was short-lived.

 In the novel, the subtle opinions of others create the dynamic of characters having a lot more depth, especially through Mrs. Bennet. One of the primary reasons why the requested marriage to Mr. Darcy seem so outrageous is because Mrs. Bennet is so disgusted by Mr. Darcy's unreasonable and pride, which is saying a lot because she was excited for the marriage between Lydia and Mr. Wickham after they had casually returned from running away.

Besides some minor parts of the movie I disagree with, I genuinely do not despise the movie. If anything, it definitely helped me picture the ages of the characters, what the balls were like, and how the different classes dressed. Would I recommend watching it? Yes. But did it have so much missed potential? Also yes.

Thank you for reading my blog post, and thanks for sticking around. Hopefully later in life I will have more opportunities to do assignments similar to this, for it was very satisfying to give my insight and opinions.

Farewell,
-Lily

Citations:

     Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. The Modern Library, 2000.

    Wright, Joe, director. Pride & Prejudice. Studio Canal, 2005.