Pride and Prejudice: Special Edition

Not only is this 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice the finest film adaptation of any of Jane Austen's works, but with the release of this beautifully mastered, 2-disc "Special Edition," it holds the title of finest miniseries available on DVD. Period. The perfect mix of drama, wit and romance, Pride and Prejudice centers on the free-spirited Elizabeth "Lizzy" Bennet (Jennifer Ehle), who, unlike her four other unmarried sisters (among them House of Cards' Susannah Harker and Absolutely Fabulous' Julia Sawalha), is determined not to marry for money or privilege, but only for love. Her convictions are hardened even more when she meets the arrogant Mr. Darcy (Bridget Jones's Diary's Colin Firth), as maddeningly irritating a young gentleman as she has ever encountered. When Mr. Darcy very unexpectedly comes to her family's rescue, however, Lizzy is forced to reconsider her preconceptions, and soon both pride and prejudice goeth before the fall. (Into love, that is.) Flawlessly cast, acted and directed, this A&E release has but a single downside: the bonus featurette "The Making of Pride and Prejudice" lacks any participation whatsoever by the luminous Ms. Ehle. (Sigh.) Put plainly, which Ms. Austen herself would no doubt appreciate: If I could own only one film on DVD, this would be it. Our highest recommendation. Editor's Choice. (Important note: While the box states P&P is presented in 2.35:1 widescreen, it's actually 1.66:1, an aspect ratio much more conducive to smaller screens.) (S. C. Sickles)