The Garson/Olivier version of Austen's Pride and Prejudice takes great liberties with every aspect of the text, not the least of which is the smiling demeanor bestowed upon Edna May Oliver's Lady Catherine. None of this matters: the brilliance of the casting, the gravity-less quality of the acting, the pretty musical score, the lovely anachronistic costumes, and the velocity of the story-telling coalesce to make cinematic caviar. Every scene is memorable, and almost every line is quotable, delivered with immense punch. Freda Inescort in the library describing the accomplished woman, Edna May Oliver quizzing Garson's Elizabeth Bennett, or Ann Rutherford's irresistible and brainless Lydia return once married to Netherfield Park are indelible scenes. Olivier is at the height of his beauty and Garson conveys every drop of brains and beauty that Austen must have intended. If one wants a strict reading of the text, this will disappoint compared to the 1995 A&E version; if one wants all the joy and camp implicit in Austen, this is as good as it gets. If I could take one film to a desert island with me, this would probably be it.
Review of Pride and Prejudice
