A female journalist once wrote that no actress could ever portray Elizabeth Bennet to the satisfaction of a woman viewer for one very simple reason: every woman really visualizes herself in that role. Jennifer Ehle has done the impossible - she is, and in my mind, forever will be, Elizabeth. The beauty, wit, and sparkling liveliness of the character are perfectly captured in her performance. And Colin Firth's Mr. Darcy is an exact match for her. His smoldering good looks are wonderful, and he can portray reserve without descending into woodenness and blankness. The scene where he and Elizabeth dance a long and stately dance together in the midst of a crowd is both controlled and exciting - with very little change of tone, and while preserving the most correct decorum, their conversation reveals dangerous undercurrents of emotion, and meanwhile the steps of the dance keep pulling them together and apart again. The rest of the characters are equally fine - David Bamber's obsequious Mr. Collins is especially unforgettable.
Review of Pride and Prejudice
