Pride & Prejudice

A closer look at the story

In late-eighteenth-century England, where class divides run deep, the Hertfordshire home of Mr. Bennet is shared with his domineering wife and their five daughters. The family faces a serious problem: when Mr. Bennet dies, the house will pass to a distant cousin they have never met. The futures of Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia therefore depend on making good marriages, and their mother is utterly determined on that score. Elizabeth, the liveliest and cleverest of the sisters, wants to live life her own way, with the support of her doting father. Crossing paths with Mr. Darcy will force her to confront both her own prejudices and her feelings. Adapted by Deborah Moggach from Jane Austen's novel and directed by Joe Wright, the 128-minute 2005 film stars Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen in a romantic period drama.