Pride & Prejudice

Movie Details:

Cast & Characters:

• Keira Knightley as Elizabeth “Lizzy” Bennet
• Matthew Macfadyen as Mr Darcy
• Brenda Blethyn as Mrs Bennet
• Donald Sutherland as Mr Bennet
• Rosamund Pike as Jane Bennet
• Jena Malone as Lydia Bennet
• Tom Hollander as Mr Collins
• Penelope Wilton as Mrs Gardiner
• Judi Dench as Lady Catherine de Bourgh
• Simon Woods as Charles Bingley
• Carey Mulligan as Catherine “Kitty” Bennet
• Talulah Riley as Mary Bennet
• Rupert Friend as George Wickham
• Kelly Reilly as Caroline Bingley
• Tamzin Merchant as Georgiana Darcy
• Claudie Blakley as Charlotte Lucas
• Cornelius Booth as Colonel Fitzwilliam
• Peter Wight as Mr Gardiner
• Roy Holder as Mr Hill
• Pip Torrens as Netherfield Hall Butler
• Meg Wynn Owen as Mrs Reynolds
• Sinead Matthews as Mrs Betsy

Storyline:

The story is based on Jane Austen’s novel about five sisters – Jane (Rosamund Pike), Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), Mary (Talulah Riley), Kitty (Carey Mulligan), and Lydia Bennet (Jena Malone) – in Georgian England. Their lives are turned upside down when wealthy young Mr. Bingley (Simon Woods) and his best friend, Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen), arrive in their neighborhood.

About Movie:

Pride & Prejudice is a historical romantic drama directed by Joe Wright in his feature film debut, based on Jane Austen’s 1813 novel. The story follows five sisters from a landed gentry family in England as they navigate marriage, morality, and societal expectations. Keira Knightley stars as Elizabeth Bennet, with Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy, the man who falls in love with her.

Screenwriter Deborah Moggach originally aimed to create a faithful adaptation, writing the script from Elizabeth’s perspective while retaining much of Austen’s original dialogue. However, Wright encouraged a more creative approach, leading to changes in the Bennet family dynamics and setting the film in an earlier period. The filmmakers opted for a “muddy hem version” of the era, avoiding the pristine aesthetic often seen in Regency dramas.

The film was shot entirely on location in England over an 11-week schedule, and the casting process was challenging, balancing actors best suited for their roles with the studio’s desire for star power. While Knightley was already well known from Pirates of the Caribbean, Macfadyen was not an international name at the time.

Produced by Working Title Films in association with StudioCanal, Pride & Prejudice premiered on 16 September 2005 in the UK and on 11 November in the US. The film’s themes focus on realism, romanticism, and family, and it was marketed to a younger, mainstream audience, with promotions linking it to the popular romantic comedy Bridget Jones’s Diary. Austen scholars noted that Wright’s adaptation blended traditional heritage film elements with youth-oriented filmmaking techniques, creating a new hybrid genre.

The film was a box office success, grossing $121.6 million worldwide on a $28 million budget. Critics praised the performances, especially Knightley’s, earning her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress at just 20 years old, making her the third-youngest nominee in the category at the time. The film garnered four nominations at the 78th Academy Awards, and Wright won a BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, or Producer.

Budget & Box Office Collection: