Product Details

• Format: NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: G (General Audience)
• Number of tapes: 6
• Studio: New Video Group
• Run Time: 300 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 1565016491
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #223,823 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Review

This Pride and Prejudice, a joint production of the BBC and A&E, does shorten the distance just a bit between Joe and Jane.... It is not a lace doily. When Sue Birtwhistle, the producer of the series, first announced her intention to adapt, Pride and Prejudice for television, she told reporters that she intended to bring out the real subjects of the novel: sex and money. The tabloids jumped. One headline read, "Sex Romp Jane Austen."

"What I meant by sexy was smoldering looks across rooms, or hands touching," said Ms. Birtwhistle in a recent interview....

Ms. Birtwhistle's production, which was adapted by Andrew Davies, the scriptwriter for the PBS series, "Middlemarch," may not deliver a full romp, but it does bring a big dose of social realism, class consciousness and outdoorsy vigor to a novel that has too often been treated like a piece of old china.

"We definitely didn't want to do what we saw as the old studio-bound BBC drama that was shown in the Sunday teatime slot," said Ms. Birtwhistle. "It's a lively book, and we wanted to get across its vitality. We didn't want people sitting stiffly in drawing rooms."

They don't. The Bennet daughters kick up their heels at dances, burst out of doors for long walks and stroll the streets of Meryton, the market town just a mile from their home. The prideful Darcy, grandest catch ever to come within the Bennet orbit, does his necessary share of sneering in a drawing room, but he also roams the landscape on horseback. In one scene, after stripping down to a shirt and tight riding pants, he plunges into the pond on his estate, observed, as it happens, by Elizabeth Bennet, who is well on the way to dropping her prejudice after getting a good eyeful. It is pretty clear that she doesn't mind the look of Darcy's estate, either. Sex and Money indeed. -- The New York Times, 1/14/96

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Jane Austen's classic tale of love in a glorious adaptation, September 1, 2011

By 

Z Hayes (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Of all the screen adaptations of Pride and Prejudice, this 1996 adaptation is my favorite. It is not only beautifully-filmed, but the casting is excellent, and it stays very faithful to the novel. The other two adaptations which I like are the 1981 adaptation starring Elizabeth Garvie as Eliza Bennet and the austerely handsome David Rintoul as Mr. Darcy. Unfortunately, because of its age, the production qualities are rather weak and the entire production looks washed out on-screen. Despite this, the 1981 version is well-cast and is the most faithful adaptation of Austen's novel. The most recent adaptation, the film version starring Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet and Matthew McFadyen as Mr. Darcy has a haunting score and is lushly filmed, and quite the most romantic of all three adaptations. The chemistry between Darcy and Elizabeth is palpable indeed! Yet, because of the time constraints (it only runs to about 2 hours), so much in the novel is left out, and many liberties are taken. Despite that, I loved it.

Back to this 1996 adaptation - I have watched this BBC adaptation of Pride & Prejudice more than a dozen times, and I still love it! It never fails to transport me into Austen's world, & makes me yearn to remain there for as long as I can. My fantasies notwithstanding, I must say that the cast of this adaptation do an excellent job. The roles are matched perfectly to the actors & actresses, and the two leads are PERFECT!I think these are the defining roles for Jennifer Ehle (Elizabeth Bennet) & Colin Firth (Mr. Darcy). The Pemberley portrayed in this adaptation is my favorite. Julia Sawalha (who went on to play the lead actress in Lark Rise to Candleford) is simply audacious in the role of the wanton and vulgar Lydia Bennet! The ending of this adaptation is just perfect:)

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful viewing experience, May 28, 2011

By 

Busy grandma - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The video cassettes are in perfect condition. The script stays very close to the original book, the acting is superb. All this together with the colors of the English landscape and the costumes really make the period come alive. A treat from beginning to end.

5.0 out of 5 stars Best love story ever filmed, also the best adaptation, to date, November 18, 2006

By 

Sugar Three "Austen Reader" (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Colin Firth was born to play Darcy and Jennifer Ehle is his match as Elizabeth. The BBC and A&E got it right.

I have seen every film version of this beloved book and this is the one that Jane Austen had in mind when she wrote this classic. Six tapes with a run time of about 5 1/2 hours, when it's done you want more.