Pride and Prejudice (1940)

Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice, first published in 1813, is pretty much universally considered to be her most beloved novel.  Personally I like Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility best, but Pride and Prejudice is without question my favorite Austen story to watch.  I put on the BBC's 1995 mini series every few months or so - it's a tough one to beat!


That being said, when Turner Classic Movies recently aired the 1940 film adaptation, I knew I had to watch it.  Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier?  Yes, please!  And just as I'd hoped, I had a lot of fun watching this version of Pride and Prejudice (1940).

Set in early 19th century England, the story follows Miss Elizabeth Bennet (Greer Garson), the intelligent, vivacious and witty second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, played by Edmund Gwenn and Mary Boland.  She lives with her family in their modest country house just outside the neighboring village of Meryton.

Greer Garson as Elizabeth Bennet

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet

The Bennet Sisters

The film opens in a dress shop in Meryton, where Mrs. Bennet and her two eldest daughters, Elizabeth (Garson) and Jane (Maureen O'Sullivan) are shopping for new gowns.  Through the shop's window, they witness the arrival of an elegant carriage and its three impressive inhabitants, two gentlemen and a lady.

Mrs. Bennet and her daughters soon learn very good news: the gentlemen, Mr. Bingley (Bruce Lester) and Mr. Darcy (Laurence Olivier), are both wealthy and single, and as we all know: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

Laurence Olivier as Mr. Darcy

Mr. Bingley, they learn, has just rented Netherfield Park, a long-vacant estate in the area, and he has brought his sister Caroline (Frieda Inescort) and his good friend Darcy to stay with him for a while.

Mrs. Bennet, thinking of her five unmarried daughters, hauls Elizabeth and Jane out of the dress shop and into their carriage, frantic to get home to her husband so she can share this news with him and urge him to call upon their new neighbors and - fingers crossed - set in motion the events that will lead to a wedding (or two).

Their neighbor, Lady Lucas (Marjorie Wood), who has also just learned the news, rushes after Mrs. Bennet, hauling her own unmarried daughter Charlotte (Karen Morley) into their carriage and rushing off toward home to speak to her husband.

The ensuing race scene is one of my favorites of the film.  No, this does not happen in the novel and yes, it is silly and implausible, but it surprised me and made me laugh, so I ignored my inner critic and just enjoyed it!the critic in me.

The Bennet girls eventually do meet the newcomers when the village gathers at a ball.  Mr. Bingley, amiable and kind, is an immediate favorite with his new neighbors, particularly Jane.

Miss Bingley and Mr. Darcy, however, do not make a favorable impression.  Mr. Darcy especially is seen as proud and haughty, even insulting Elizabeth when he tells Mr. Bingley he will not dance with her because he "is in no humor tonight to give consequence to the middle classes at play". Of course, he has no idea Elizabeth is within earshot when he says this and, although she laughs it off, the damage has been done.

Elizabeth meets another young man at the dance: Mr. Wickham (Edward Ashley Cooper), a militia soldier stationed in Meryton.  She likes Mr. Wickham immediately and, already halfway to hating Mr. Darcy, is shocked and disgusted when Wickham tells her of the terrible wrong he suffered at Darcy's hands.

Soon after, Mr. Bennet's cousin, Mr. Collins (Melville Cooper) arrives at Longbourn for a visit. The Bennet family has never met Mr. Collins and Mrs. Bennet is predisposed to hate him, as he will inherit their home and land upon Mr. Bennet's death.  Her feelings are soon changed, however, when Mr. Collins, who is looking for a wife, makes it clear that he would be willing to marry one of the Bennet girls in the hope that this gesture will smooth out any ill feelings toward him.

Unfortunately for Elizabeth, Mr. Collins settles on her.  (But only after learning that Jane is already practically engaged to someone else.)

Another ball brings Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy together again when Darcy saves Elizabeth from Mr. Collins, who has been chasing her around all day.  This, followed by a little light flirtation (during a darling scene in which Elizabeth trounces Darcy at archery),  goes a long way toward changing Elizabeth's opinion of him.  Unfortunately, her family's less-than-model behavior and Darcy's snobbery clash and he turns on her again.

Mr. Darcy "schools" Miss Elizabeth on archery

The film goes on to reveal secrets, scandals, surprise marriage proposals and a twist at the end that is nothing at all like the book and likely angered its fair share of Austen fans.  I enjoyed this version of Pride of Prejudice, even with the changes and omissions.  It is far from a faithful adaptation of the novel (which is set around 1813, NOT 1830-something as in the film), but I was pleasantly surprised by the passably authentic language and overall I found the movie fun to watch.

Greer Garson is beautiful in this film, as always.   Her face was always so expressive - for me, she dominates every scene, in this movie and every movie she's in.  She was 36 years old when they made this film, so she was considerably older than Elizabeth Bennet is in the novel, but Garson's sparkling screen presence made me forget all about that.

Laurence Olivier's Darcy was a bit wooden at times, as if he was going for "proud and rigid" and fell a touch short.  I thought the scenes that allowed him to be a little flirtatious or tender were better suited for him.  He seemed romantic then and Olivier excelled at romantic.

Overall, the supporting cast was great with Ann Rutherford as Lydia Bennet, Heather Angel as Kitty Bennet, E.E. Clive as Sir William Lucas and Edna May Oliver as Lady Catherine de Bourgh.  Frieda Inescort was so elegant - I thought she was a wonderful Caroline Bingley.  Karen Morley was far too pretty to play Charlotte, who is described as plain in the novel (which is thought to be the main reason she never expects to find a husband).

I particularly enjoyed Marsha Hunt as Mary Bennet - she was adorable in this role and I wanted her to have more screen time.

In the end, I thought this was an enjoyable version of Pride and Prejudice.  If you like the core story of the novel and don't mind a few changes to the plot (and a complete change in time period to allow for large, puffy-sleeved gowns, because they are apparently more interesting) I think this version is worth a watch.