2005: The Year Cinema Gave Us Pride and Prejudice and Why I Can’t Stop Rewatching It

The year was 2005. The first YouTube video ever was uploaded, Hurricane Katrina struck, and I was born. But it was also a standout year for cinema. Some of my favourites from, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, to The Chronicles of Narnia, to Joe Wright’s stunning Pride and Prejudice. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched this film, and each revisit brings back a plethora of emotions. It’s a comfort film for me, and each time I watch it, I find myself noticing details I hadn’t previously noticed. So I decided to revisit it once more and note all of my favourite moments with the intention of putting up this blog post.

This film has a mix of comedy, tension, and swoon-worthy moments. Keira Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen are a big reason why the 2005 adaptation became such a success; they truly have some of the best on-screen chemistry I’ve ever seen, and their casting was perfect. They are exactly who I envisioned while reading Jane Austen’s novel. Keira Knightly in general has a quintessential period face, evident by her being cast in various period films such as Anna Karenina, The Duchess, Atonement, The Imitation Game, and more. She is a phenomenal actress and perfectly portrays Elizabeth Bennet’s intelligence, wit, and playful repartee.

Matthew Macfadyen was a perfect Mr. Darcy. I imagine that playing a character like Darcy would be quite challenging, from his cold replies, and silent brooding stares, but Macfadyen is successfully able to convey so much through his expressions. The icy blue of his eyes and his stern eyebrows, truly bring the character to life. Watching his subtle expressions and glances was one of my favourite parts of the film. I found myself able to see so clearly how he felt in a particular moment or after an exchange with Elizabeth.

His first significant look is during the ball at the beginning of the film. As he walks through a crowd of people, he briefly examines and judges them over, he does a double take back to Elizabeth when he passes her, highlighting his initial attraction to her looks. A simple glance, the surprised breaking of his cold mask and the quickness of his composing himself is the mark of the beginning of their love story.

At this same party, Elizabeth and Darcy have their first conversation, fittingly on poetry’s power in driving love. During the conversation, Darcy asks Elizabeth what she would recommend to encourage affection, to which Lizzie replies, “Dancing. Even if one’s partner is barely tolerable.” Now, I’m certain it was her witty retorts and her subtle way of teasing him that initially attracted Darcy to her. I found it hilarious; her being the only one in the room not afraid to poke fun and make jabs at his stern exterior. After delivering this line, she confidently turns around and walks away, leaving Darcy starstruck and staring and her departing figure. I can recognise a girl boss anywhere.

When Jane is invited to lunch with Caroline Bingley, Mrs. Bennet insists on sending her on horse, suspecting it to rain. Sure enough, it does, and Jane, ends up getting sick and must stay with the Bingleys while she recovers, how very peculiar. Now I do question the morality behind sending your daughter off to get sick just to secure a match, but I guess the end reward is worth it? A cold now, never hurt anyone, but wasn’t pneumonia notoriously difficult to treat and more or less deadly in the 19th century? Eh but what do I know? Besides, I found the way the film handles it to be really funny. When Mrs. Bennet tells Mr. Bennet that she intended it to rain Mr. Bennet delivers the iconic, “Your skills in the art of matchmaking are positively occult”.

Mr. Bennet’s character is brilliantly portrayed. Donald Sutherland, who very sadly passed away this year, played him excellently. He is understood as not being interested in all the drama happening in his daughter's lives yet we can see that he secretly cares a lot. I loved the way that he has all the authority but Mrs. Bennet and his daughters are the one who end up making all the decisions. Upon hearing of Jane’s illness and her staying at the Bingley’s, he chimes, “Well, if Jane does die, it will be a comfort to know it was in pursuit of Mr. Bingley” - the nonchalant delivery combined with the severity of the content is a great reflection on how he can be unconventionally funny. This was probably the line that made me laugh the most throughout the whole film.

Also I just wanted to comment on this moment- Mr. Darcy’s awkward stance when Lizzie visits. He clearly didn't have any time to prepare himself for his crushes arrival so he just stands there like🧍‍♂️

Of course, one of the most rewatched and swoon-worthy moments which I can’t skip over is the scene involving Mr. Darcy’s hand. Yes, his hand. As the Bennet clan are leaving Netherfield, Elizabeth is the last to board the carriage. She nods a polite goodbye to Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley. As she climbs onto the carriage Mr. Darcy clutches her hand and helps her into the carriage. He then swiftly turns around and heads back inside, but not before the camera cuts to his hand and we see it flexing in reaction to their brief contact. Now you may be wondering, how can a hand be one of the most recognisable moments from the film? Well, the popularity comes from its subtlety. The hand stretch is so minor and brief that it is missed by everyone else present. Yet their brief contact has enough of an effect that it momentarily breaks through his cold, stern disposition.

However, to laugh, I sometimes interpret it in a different way, a way in which he negatively reacts to her touch. I can just imagine him flexing his hand to get her feeling off and internally being like ‘Gah! Ew! Should not have done that’, flexes his hand in repulsion.

Another moment I loved is during the ball at Netherfield. When Elizabeth arrives, she is in awe of the manor and its beautifully decorated rooms. As she searches for Mr. Wickham, who she hopes to persue for a romantic relationship, she wanders through the various rooms, spinning around at one point to take it all in. The camera follows her as she moves forward, and suddenly, from the shadows of the crowd, a mysterious yet captivating Mr. Darcy emerges. He follows her briefly before disappearing into another room.

This is definitely another iconic moment. Our attention is centred on an amazed yet distracted Elizabeth, until it quickly shifts to a Darcy as he steps into frame. His gaze is fixed on her, making us believe he is going to approach her, until he quickly disappears into the crowd. What I love about this moment is that in a room full of people, the viewers are the only ones aware of Darcy's very obvious and planned-out intentions, coming into frame momentarily to watch her for a second and then disappearing with the decision to ask her dance later on in the ball.

Darcy does this a few more times throughout the film, an uncanny ability to just appear in front of Elizabeth at any given moment. He does it when he asks her to dance at the Netherfield ball, again when she’s visiting Lady Catherine, and just before his rain-soaked confession at the Temple of Apollo, where he suddenly appears behind her. I find it amusing how he just appears out of nowhere like, Hello Lizzie dearest, I’m back ;).   

I also have to give credit to the camera movement in this whole ball scene. It was genuinely, the most entertaining part to watch. Throughout this scene, we are constantly following the camera between characters and rooms, capturing various interactions and events unfolding. Our eyes are never bored, perfectly reflecting the natural vibrant energy of a lively party. This continues and the camera hardly stops moving until the end of the scene where we see Elizabeth alone, hiding away from glamour of the party, to rest and contemplate the evening and her dance with Mr. Darcy, a moment of calm for both her and the viewers. I sped up the scene to better see the movement of the camera below.

Again another small moment which I thought was really funny was when Mr. Collins was trying to get Mr. Darcy’s attention at the ball. The height difference between the two is comical, and the fact that Mr. Collins must shout to get his attention and then when Mr. Darcy turns dodges his elbow.

Another character who stood out to me and whom I believe is often overlooked is Mary Bennet. I find Mary truly fascinating. From the beginning, it's clear that she is quite different from her sisters. Unlike them, Mary is more serious and introspective, often keeping a distance from the significant events unfolding around her, lost in her thoughts. While her younger sisters, Kitty and Lydia, are enamoured with parties and romance, Mary resides in her own world, where she prioritizes her love for piano. She’s easily recognized as the black sheep of the family, not just through her demeanour but also through her choice of clothing. While her sisters (except for Lizzie) often wear bright and eye-catching outfits, Mary is consistently dressed in grey, monotone colours, which further sets her apart.

This moment is a prime example of Mary’s indifference, also demonstrated in their body language. While Mrs. Bennet, Kitty and Lydia, all face towards Mr. Bingley on the right, Mary is shown looking ahead, a bored expression evident on her face. We may even look upon their hats as a reflection of their personalities; Lydia and Kitty’s are open, reflecting their desire to stand out, whilst Mary’s Poke bonnet, which is closed off at the sides, reflects her more modest nature and inward focus. During this scene, Kitty and Lydia persuade Mr. Bingley to host a ball, expressing it to be a great new way to meet people, however, Mary expresses how “I think a ball is a perfectly irrational way to gain new acquaintances. It would be better if conversation, instead of dancing, were the order of the day”.

I love her unintentional obliviousness during an awkward or tense situation, which we again see when Mr. Wickham arrives with Lydia after their elopement and marriage. The entire lunch is rather uncomfortable—Mr. Bennet is cold, and Elizabeth feels betrayed—but Mary remains indifferent. She engages in small talk with him, asking him about the weather in Brighton, where he and Lydia will soon head. A mature and unbothered soul. She is very intelligent, often asking both philosophical and religious questions. I truly believe that we would have great conversations.

I also love her relationship with her father, clearly taking after him, so much so, that their expressions are mirrored. For example, when Kitty and Lydia come share their excitement and inform their mother of the arrival of the militia, Mary and Mr. Bennet are not as impressed. I found it really funny when watching it back and had to incorporate it into this post.

We can clearly see which parent Mary takes after…

A genuinely comical moment in the film is watching Darcy’s attempt at socialising, especially with Elizabeth. During the visit to Lady Catherine, Elizabeth is asked to play the piano for entertainment. While she plays, Colonel Fitzwilliam asks her what Darcy was like during his time in Hertfordshire. She pokes fun at him, mentioning his cold and unfriendly behaviour. Darcy tries to defend himself by saying, “I do not have the talent of conversing easily with people I have never met before”, essentially saying he is socially awkward. Elizabeth wittily retorts, "Perhaps you should take your aunt's advice and practice.”, knocking his pride. We then transition to the next scene where Elizabeth is seen peacefully writing in a drawing room of the Collin’s house. Darcy suddenly barges into the room, frazzled and awkward. Suprised, Elizabeth offers him a seat but he declines, instead opting to stand there awkwardly while he tries to think of something to say. This is such a funny moment as we can really see his nervousness, so different to his usual confident and collected exterior. Instead of replying with an, Oh I was just in the area, or allowing her to call for some tea, the first thing he says to her after standing there awkwardly is “This is a charming house. I believe my aunt did a great deal to it when Mr Collins first arrived''. Elizabeth attempts to ease the tension with a joking “She could not have bestowed it on a more grateful subject”, but Darcy just stands there for a few more seconds until we hear an audible gulp come from him. Then after a few more moments of silence, Mrs Collin’s arrives and he wishes Elizabeth a good day before running off. This moment is really cute, and I’ve attached it below to see!

Now, I know I’ve discussed Darcy’s lingering looks at length, but I wanted to talk about this specific one. This is an important scene as, at a church service, Elizabeth has just discovered that it was Darcy who convinced Mr. Bingley to stop pursuing Jane and return to London. She also learns that it was largely on the account that her family was unsuitable. Feeling betrayed, hurt, and angry, Elizabeth stares at Darcy as these emotions swirl within her. He is looking down, until he senses her gaze and looks up towards her. Upon being caught looking, she quickly turns her head and stares forward.

For Darcy, I believe that this is one of those moments where you know someone is staring at you from the corner of your eyes, so you have to prepare yourself to look up and meet them; you can tell he could feel her gaze. But the longing and romantic tension in his stare is so different to the hurt and betrayal in hers. I felt that her look away was due to her feeling foolish for making jokes and dancing with him when this is how he truly felt about her family all along. Her reaction is completely understandable.

To add, right after this Darcy confesses his feelings for Lizzie and mentions how he is going against what is socially acceptable for someone of his status, then is shocked, yes shocked, by her rejection. I mean really Darcy?

In the background of this, we hear Mr. Collins reciting the words “in need to every man which is bound not to think of himself more highly”. This line is perfectly placed as it indirectly highlights Darcy’s mistake of thinking of himself and Mr. Bingley too highly for the Bennet sisters. The incorporation of Mr. Collin’s is brilliant; his recitation from the Bible to emphasise Darcy’s almost ‘sinful’ pride, foreshadows his forthcoming punishment of being rejected by Elizabeth. You reap what you sow Darcy.

Next, what I would like to discuss is Mr. Bennet’s decision to allow Lydia to go to Brighton with the Forsters and the militia. In this moment you can really see the similarities between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet (with her decision to send Jane on horse). While Jane and Elizabeth discuss her visit to London, Kitty bursts into the room in tears, urging Lizzie to dissuade their mother from only allowing Lydia to go to Brighton and not her. An excited Lydia beams at how, “I shall dine with the officers every night!”, and we learn that she alone has been invited to go to Brighton with the regiment. Elizabeth urges her father not to let her go as it would be dangerous for a girl of only fifteen, but he tells her that, “Lydia will never be easy until she’s exposed herself in some public space or other, and we can never expect her to do it with so little inconvenience as under the presence circumstances” and then, “Lizzie we will have no peace until she goes” and finally, to almost justify his decision, he says, “I am certain the officers will find women better worth their while”. Although Lydia’s character can be immature and rather spoiled, I do think his decision to let her go into a dangerous situation just so it can be a lesson for her, is not the best way to teach someone. Don't get me wrong— I'm not a parent so don't know what it is like to raise a child, but sending her off just for the sake of peace does not seem like the most fair and responsible decision.

I wanted to add a clip of this in because it was another moment I found amusing; the reaction Elizabeth and her aunt and uncle have upon seeming Pemberley. I'm not exaggerating when I say that the estate literally looks like it just fallen from heaven; having an ethereal glow to it. A fairy tale castle if I’ve ever seen one, and their reactions to it are just hilarious. Elizabeth pops up into the frame with a confused expression and then has a mix of a cry and a laugh. Her uncle and aunt come up behind her and are just star-struck. Elizabeth was definitely thinking something like, of course this is where he lives…

While she never states that she regrets her decision to reject Darcy, if she ever did, this would certainly be the moment to have it.

Lastly, my favourite, most favourite, all-time favourite scene from the film is when Elizabeth meets Georgiana for the first time. I can genuinely say I know the words to this interaction off by heart because I’ve re-winded it so many times just to see Darcy smile for the first time. When Elizabeth first arrives, Georgiana is so excited to meet her. Lizzie compliments her piano and tells her how “Your unfortunate brother once had to put up with my playing for a whole evening”. A surprised Georgiana says, “But he says you play so well”. To which Lizzie replies, “Then he has perjured himself most profoundly”. At this Darcy laughs, yes laughs, and clarifies how, “No, I said, ‘played quite well’” and Lizzie ends with, “Oh, ‘quite well’ is not ‘very well’, I’m satisfied”. After she delivers this line there is a brief moment of silence where Darcy stares at Elizabeth with unspoken words, and Georgiana looks at her brother with a knowing look. This interaction is more relaxed and playful than their previous encounters. They joke about Elizabeth’s mediocre playing without harbouring any of their previous anger or tension towards each other. Matthew is also stunning in this scene. The light from the window brightens his features and we see the powerful longing for her etched into his features; the staring eyes, lingering smile. Even though she has insulted him, and told him he’s the last man she’d ever be with, there is no lingering anger or pain in his air, just love and admiration towards her. It is truly romantic.

Well, there you have it! These are a few of my favourite moments of the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. I could go on and on about this film. I could write about each look, each word, each declaration of love, but I love this film as an easy watch and a comfort movie.

Whether you're a long-time fan or new to this film, I definitely recommend it, I always find myself noticing things I missed the previous time! The magic of Pride and Prejudice lies in its ability to offer something new with every viewing, making it a true cinematic gem. Here's to many more rewatches and the countless emotions they bring.