Thoughts and stuff: Pride & Prejudice (1995)

Today I have finished watching the 1995 version of Pride & Prejudice. It is one of the most famous versions (much thanks to Colin Firth playing Mr. Darcy) and I dare say it is much thanks to this version and Mr. Darcy that Colin Firth made his first steps to fame. But it must be said, that it is completely understandable that when Firth made his first appearance as the proud and scowling Mr. Darcy that ladies swooned all over the world.

Does he not have the most awesome sideburns in history??

Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy

Well, we all know the story really, of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

Elizabeth Bennet has four sisters, her most beloved sister and also described as the prettiest is her older sister Jane. Their mother is a loud, overbearing woman who can think of nothing else than getting her daughters married off to wealthy men. Her two youngest sisters (Kitty and Lydia) are described as "the silliest girls in the country" and giggle all the time and only think of going to balls and meeting officers. The middle sister Mary is quite plain and is neither like her older sisters who enjoy intelligent conversation as well as dancing and socializing, or like her youngest sisters who can only think of boys. Mary only enjoys improving her mind by reading. Elizabeth is her father's favorite, because she has something of his wit and an independece that he admires and it is she who is the heroine of the story.

One day a Mr. Bingley moves to town and as he is a wealthy man Mrs. Bennet insists on her girls being introduced to him, in hopes that he will take a liking to one of them. Which he later does, he immediately notices Jane (the eldest). Bingley is a sociable, kind, sweet man who is liked wherever he goes, unlike his best friend Mr. Darcy, who is far more handsome and twice as rich, but far less likeable.
Darcy immediately strikes a bad chord with Elizabeth when his friend Bingley prompts him to dance with her and Darcy declares that she is "tolerable" but not handsome enough to entice him. And poor Lizzie sits close to him and overhears it. She likes him less and less the more she sees his unsociable behaviour and his proud and rather rude manner.

The Miss Bennet(s)

Lydia, Lizzie, Jane, Mary and Kitty

So, because of a series of lies and misunderstandings Elizabeth starts hating the man, but Mr. Darcy in turn starts to love her. (If you want to know more, read the book or watch the series, if you have 6 hours to spare! Or watch the 2005 movie if you have only 2 hours to spare, and can stand Keira Knightley.)

My opinion:
I liked this version, I have only been exposed to the 2005 film with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen before, which I assumed left out some bits since it was just 2 hours long. This version, is 6 hours long, with 1 hour per episode, wich is perfect if you intend to watch one or two a day.
I liked it very much, though I must admit that I liked the feelings, the passion of Elizabeth that Keira portrayed and how desperately Mr. Darcy (Mcfadyen) loved her. I still loved Jennifer and Colin's more mature performance. As to the other actors, I found them of equal talent and delight.
The only thing that bothered me about the 95' version was that Mrs Bennet has a LOT of lines and every time she speaks my ears hurt, her voice is so shrill! If I would re-watch it I would skip over "the mother" parts. :P