Pride and Prejudice

1940
Approved
1h 58m

IMDb RATING

7.4/10

9.5K

YOUR RATING

Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson in Pride and Prejudice (1940)

Play trailer2:39

1 Video

99+ Photos

Comedy Drama Romance

The arrival of wealthy bachelors in town causes an uproar when families with single daughters aggressively seek engagements, including the Bennet family, with five eligible daughters.The arrival of wealthy bachelors in town causes an uproar when families with single daughters aggressively seek engagements, including the Bennet family, with five eligible daughters.The arrival of wealthy bachelors in town causes an uproar when families with single daughters aggressively seek engagements, including the Bennet family, with five eligible daughters.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.4/10

9.5K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 1 Oscar
- 2 wins total

Videos1

Trailer 2:39

Pride and Prejudice

Photos117

+ 110

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
According to Ann Rutherford, although the filmmakers were committed to begin shooting on a particular date, they discovered that producer David O. Selznick had used every available reel of Technicolor film in existence to make Gone with the Wind (1939). Therefore, despite the lavish sets and opulent costumes, this movie had to be shot in black-and-white.

Goofs
Mrs. Bennet is seen steaming open the letter to Jane from Caroline Bingley. The envelope is a modern-day, gummed envelope fit for stationery letters. In 1815, the year the film takes place, letters would have been folded in and sealed with a wax seal. Gummed envelopes would not be invented for another 100 years.

Quotes
Mr. Bennet: An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins. And I will never see you again if you do.

Crazy credits
Opening credits prologue: It happened in OLD ENGLAND . . . . in the village of Meryton . . . .

Alternate versions
There is an Italian edition of this film on DVD, distributed by DNA Srl: "CIME TEMPESTOSE (1939) + ORGOGLIO E PREGIUDIZIO (1940)" (2 Films on a single DVD), re-edited with the contribution of film historian Riccardo Cusin. This version is also available for streaming on some platforms.

Connections
Featured in Hollywood: Style Center of the World (1940)

Soundtracks
Flow Gently Sweet Afton
(1786) (uncredited)
Music by Alexander Hume
Lyrics by Robert Burns (1786)
Performed by Marsha Hunt

User reviews167

Review

Featured review

6/10

Slightly Rushed

This film version of Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice is generally pleasant to watch. The cast is certainly glamorous and a slight change in the period moved the story into one with fancier costumes to look at. At a few places the plot had to be rushed a little to make it fit into two hours and the ending is also a touch happier than in the novel. Some critics lamented the slightly changed ending but this works actually very well for this medium. The rushed plot elements increase the overall pace but compromises somewhat the credibility of the characters, while the increased pace is at odds with the much more tranquil way of life in days gone by.

Therefore, this is really watchable, but the definite version is the 1995 BBC mini series which is much closer to the novel as well.