Customer Reviews
Deja vu - By: Crm Hamelinck, 20 Jul 2008 
Pride & Prejudice is the classic that made me a period drama fan over 10 years ago. i have been devouring books & dvd's ever since. (importing what i can't get my hands on in the Netherlands)
I'm always eager for new adaptations, & have 3 versions of Jane Eyre alone. the more the merrier is my motto!
But i was disappointed with this version. Yes, it was well made. And it was lovely to see the book come to life over a few hours time, & not over Ang Lee's 130 minutes. In this way, one can do the novel more justice.
But i often found myself longing for Ang Lee's S&S. (which of course is not perfect either) More than that, i often found myself reminded of it. The conversation between Mr & Mrs. Dashwood in the carriage, about his dead fathers wish for instance.
Or the cottage by the sea. it sometimes looked like an ode to Ang Lee & Emma Thompson's script!
I missed the vigour of Mrs Jennings & John Middleton.
The actress playing Elinor was cast wonderfully, but the tone of het voice, her pronounciation often reminded me of Emma Thompson.
Marianne was well cast to, but didn't seem to add something new to Kate Winslet. Edward Ferrars was wonderfully cast, after alll, in the '95 version, one cannot see edward, one sees Hugh Grant!
contrary to another reviewer, i didn't like Morissey as Brandon at alll! i just did not find him sympathetic or attractive. (though i did love his performance in 'our mutual friend').Willoughby on the other hand, was not handsome/sexy enough, & had a boyish, unreliable look to him.
he seemed terribly Byronic to me, with 'trouble' spelt alll over him. that would imply that Marianne was uncounsciously or even consciously plotting her own downfalll. (interesting theory, as she does wish to live the life of a romantic heroine...) Anyways, it's much more shocking when you don't see it coming. (I must admit, it took me a few years to reconcile myself to Marianne marying Brandon at alll, i was 17 when i first saw it myself) I don't mind the erotic touches at alll though, i think that does add realism & depth. Jane Austen does require one to read between the lines.
On the whole, i was expecting more added value. what i found was a lot of repitition. It was good, it was solid. 3 stars are certainly earned. But i was hoping for so much more. But watch it, by alll means.
Good but not great - By: Morena, 03 Jul 2008 
I'll do this in list form, in no particular order!
Things I liked:
The Steele sisters - Anne in particular is hilarious; the awful chattering stupidity Austen endowed her with is reallly brought out in her first few scenes. However, she becomes a bit hammy in her final scene. I wish they'd kept in the scene in the book where she tells an outraged Elinor that "I only stood at the door & heard what I could. And I am sure that Lucy would have done just the same by me; for a year or two back, when Martha Sharpe & I had so many secrets together, she never made any bones of hiding in a closet, or behind a chimney board...". Lucy is pretty good, although a little inconsistent; she seems genuinely friendly in some scenes, & knowing in others.
The cinematography - gorgeous scenes of rugged Devon in the winter.
Margaret - Just like in the Emma Thompson version, she's fleshed out & brings a touch of light comedy by always popping up from some hidden nook. Just the right side of annoying; she never becomes a bratty film kid.
Fanny Dashwood - Loved the scene where she persuades her husband not to "rob little Harry" to give his sisters an alllowance. Little Harry, of course, is a repellent little brat always sucking on something sweet. Fanny is smugly hostile throughout.
The costumes - Not as stiff & "bonnetty" as usual, especiallly Marianne's 'Romantic' wardrobe which at times almost looked like it could fit in nowadays on a modern-day Marianne. Each character's costume 'spoke' about their character, without being brash.
Marianne - suitably 'teenage' & warm.
The lack of stunningly beautiful actors - apart from a rather hunky Edward Ferrars, who gets a special "Violently chopping wood in a wet shirt" scene, the cast are normal looking rather than unrealisticallly beautiful.
The accents - or rather, lack of the usual period drama "cut-gless" accent. The characters are the gentry rather than the nobility, & they speak with rather average accents - the Miss Steeles even sport a West Country one.
The actors looked the right age, which gave it a freshness - in the Emma Thompson version, everyone but Marianne looks at least half a generation too old.
...
Things that could have been better:
More of the Palmers, please! Mr. Palmer looked the part, a big man with bushy black eyebrows, smalll dark eyes & pale skin. His character, however, was reduced to "man behind newspaper". Charlotte Palmer hardly spoke either, although I did like her relationship with Mrs. Jennings.
Elinor - I found her a bit flat. Her facial expressions seemed to be limited to "concerned" & "wide-eyed in disbelief", & she didn't make the most of her voice, which was rather unvaried & somewhat louder than I'd imagined Elinor to be. I agree with the reviewer who says that they confused "restrained" with "mundane".
Mrs. Dashwood - I clearly missed something, looking at the amount of reviews who consider her the best performance. I found her rather unexpressive, although not particularly bad.
The sex scene at the start - the very first scene is of Willoughby's seduction of young Miss Williams. Apart from not being in keeping with the tone of the novel, it's reallly disjointed. Nothing more is even heard about the seduction until at least episode 2. If you only saw episode 1, you'd be reallly puzzled about who exactly was getting it on with whom at the start.
The lack of original dialogue - & the replacement doesn't reallly sparkle.
....
Overalll, I quite enjoyed it but for me, this adaptation is more something to watch on TV in three episodes when it's on, rather than rent out & sit down & watch alll in one go. I did enjoy it slightly more than the Emma Thompson version though. It was more relatable, less 'period drama'. However, I don't think either version captures the sparkling finesse of the book.
Cuts made to what was shown on television - By: C. L. Turner, 22 Apr 2008 I must say that I prefer this version over the Emma Thompson/Kate Winslet version. The actors are younger overalll & I found this portrayal of Col. Brandon far more believable.
My disappointment comes with the omission of many of the smalll incidental scenes which are cut from the DVD. While these smalll scenes are perhaps not true to the novel, they add richness & depth to the characters, their relationships, their struggles & ultimately their triumphs.
If I had known these scenes were going to be cut from the DVD, I would not have made the purchase.
Much better that the film! - By: Elizabeth Simmons, 16 Apr 2008 
This adaptation took me by surprise. I did enjoy the film & I can't dispute the acting abililties of Hugh Grant & Emma Thompson, however, for me this BBC version showed more character & insight into Jane Austen's words than any previous adaptation. The relationship & contrast of characters between Elinor & Marianne was quite touching, & the real humour that Jane Austen writes so cleverly, was electric throughout. One minute I was laughing, the next crying & at the end SOBBING! Truly marvellous, & I would recommend it to anyone!
Be sensible buy this version - By: Ms. D. M. Sholl, 14 Apr 2008 This was an absolute delight from beginning to end. The delicious & agonising wait between the couples was perfectly balanced against a stimulating background of society & its expectations during this period of time. I was never happy with Hugh Grants attempts to interpret an Austen gent as he has such a minutae of warmth to calll upon so the gorgeous Dan Stevens as Edward Ferrars was a blessing.
Elinor & Marianne were played to a fine art by Hattie Morahan & Charity Wakefield. Indeed, the cast were chosen exceptionallly well & I do not think this version could ever be improved upon.
Highly recommended for its beautiful scenery, wonderful directing, acting & casting. A must for the Austen fan.
