Pride and Prejudice (1940)

Director:

Robert Z. Leonard

Writers:

Jane Austen (novel)
Aldous Huxley (writer)

Release Date:

26 July 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

The Gayest Comedy Hit of the Screen! Five Gorgeous Beauties on a Mad-Cap Manhunt! With the Stars of "Mr. Chips" and "Rebecca"...and a Superb Cast!

Plot:

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet have five unmarried daughters, and Mrs. Bennet is especially eager to find suitable husbands for them...

Plot Keywords:

Pride | 19th Century | Arranged Marriage | Dysfunctional Family | Friend

Awards:

Won Oscar.

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Greer Garson	...	Elizabeth Bennet
Laurence Olivier	...	Mr. Darcy
Mary Boland	...	Mrs. Bennet
Edna May Oliver	...	Lady Catherine de Bourgh
Maureen O'Sullivan	...	Jane Bennet
Ann Rutherford	...	Lydia Bennet
Frieda Inescort	...	Caroline Bingley
Edmund Gwenn	...	Mr. Bennet
Karen Morley	...	Charlotte Collins
Heather Angel	...	Kitty Bennet
Marsha Hunt	...	Mary Bennet
Bruce Lester	...	Charles Bingley
Edward Ashley	...	George Wickham
Melville Cooper	...	Mr. Collins
Marten Lamont	...	Mr. Denny

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Phil Silvers was asked to screen test for a role as a vicar despite having a strong New York accent. It turned out to be a cruel prank by studio executives who passed the screen test around Hollywood. In his autobiography, Silvers says "These three minutes were perhaps the funniest I've ever done."

Goofs:

Continuity: When their cousin Collins is expected to dinner, the butler comes in to light the candles. The mother asks about Collins and when we cut back to the butler, all the candles are lit.

Quotes:

Mr. Darcy: I have made the mistake of being honest with you.
Elizabeth Bennet: Honesty is a greatly overrated virtue. Silence in this case would have been more agreeable.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Emma (1996)

Soundtrack:

On Wings of Song

The original is the best

Pride and Prejudice is a familiar story - if not read in high school literature class, one can see the theme in dozens of other films: A meddling mother tries to marry off her daughter(s) to "suitable" man, the man and woman fight and all turns out at the end with mayhem ensuing between the first and final acts.

There have been several versions of Pride and Prejudice, two of which I had seen before this film and after viewing the 1940 version starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier it is clear that this is the standard. Is there a better actor than Olivier in these period dramas? And Greer Garson is radiant as Elizabeth. Their performances and the pace of the film is such that while I knew the story I was still sucked into the romance and laughter - not an easy task for a hard-core cynic like me. This movie garnered 4 stars and for good reason - if you are looking for a charming, witty and romantic film, this is a must-see.

--Shelly