Reviews

While visiting Bath for the Jane Austen Festival, I had the pleasure of seeing the new P&P not only once but a second time. I cannot wait to view it many more times. The concept of a film based on the book allows for additional visual information conveyed by facial expressions, body language, and camera angles. I have always wondered just when Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett first had feelings for each other. After each viewing of the earlier versions, both the television series and the earlier film, I have gone back to the book to see just what Jane Austen really wanted us to believe. But the book is full of dialogue and little explanation of inner feelings. I think the movie did an excellent job of conveying the real people that we know in the story. Jane was especially well done. It is not easy to be an interesting person who is just "nice" even if very lovely to look at. This movie gave more life to her character. Also, the mother is portrayed in a much more reasonable fashion than in the TV series. She is a more sympathetic character. Now I eagerly await its arrival in the US.

While we watched the Sandbaggers on WLIW Long Island some years ago, we were taping it. At the end of the showing, we would rewind the tape and immediately watch the entire show again. Every word spoken played a role in the intrigue. We didn't want to miss one of those words. I never even noticed that the "action" consisted of dialogue in the office or MI5. Clever wording provided all the intensity and emotion that was needed. It was one of the most fascinating television shows we had ever seen. Since we did not get in at the beginning episode (although it was run a second time on WLIW), we never did see the very first episode. Thanks to the people who publish the DVD, we can make up for that loss.

I saw this movie on a trip to Prague several years ago. I missed the title and so have been looking for it ever since. Since there were subtitles in English at that time, it is possible that it may turn up again on DVD. I am delighted to at last know what it is called in English.