Which version of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ is the best? A deep dive into the ‘Pride and Prejudice’ universe
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“Pride and Prejudice” is a beloved classic for a reason. According to WordsRated, over 20 million copies of “Pride and Prejudice” have been sold since its publication in 1813. It has been made into countless radio shows. Multiple TV series. Various movies. Numerous modern adaptations.
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With so many adaptations out there, it’s hard not to have an opinion on the best portrayals of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy — and the best version.
How many adaptations of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ have there been?
How many times can one adapt “Pride and Prejudice”? As it turns out, dozens. Or more accurately, at least 17 movies, according to UVA Today in 2020. That doesn’t even include miniseries, stage adaptations or web series. “Pride and Prejudice” has also been re-imagined in countless modern novel adaptations.
Which is the best adaptation of Pride and Prejudice?
With at least 17 film adaptations to choose from, which is the best? Well, dearest reader, tuck in. Grab a cup of your favorite tea. As an Austen fan myself, I waded through the many adaptations of “Pride and Prejudice” — and ranked them. Here are the best (and the not-so-great) versions of “Pride and Prejudice.”
11. ‘Death Comes to Pemberley’ (2013)
It should be noted that I read the book “Death Comes to Pemberley,” written by P.D. James, before I watched the miniseries. And I loathed it. While the miniseries gets points for being historically accurate, there’s not much else going for this “Pride and Prejudice” sequel.
Set six years after the events of “Pride and Prejudice,” Elizabeth and Darcy are now living in marital bliss at Pemberley. That is, until Lydia arrives, hysterical and calling for her husband, George Wickham, and his friend, Denny. A search party ensues, culminating in Darcy finding Wickham clutching the dead body of Denny.
“Death Comes to Pemberley” is a murder mystery. And an unnecessary one, at that. The first part of the series is enjoyable: seeing Pemberley and watching Darcy and Elizabeth’s life together is great fan service for die-hard Austen fans. And then, inevitably and unnecessarily, death comes to Pemberley.
It feels like such a bizarre and unnecessary addition to the “Pride and Prejudice” universe — and yes, even more so than “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” (more on that later) — that it fails to live within the spirit of the classic novel.
10. ‘Pride and Prejudice: A Latter-Day Saint Comedy’ (2003)
There’s not much to say about this modern, Latter-Day Saint-centered adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice.” In this version, Elizabeth Bennet is a 26-year-old college student in Provo, Utah, living with her four roommates: Jane and Mary, and Lydia and Kitty, two sisters.
Elizabeth is an aspiring writer, more interested in her career than her dating life. But then, inevitably, she meets the snobby and British Will Darcy. A surprising (and perhaps unneeded) number of hijinks ensue.
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This version of “Pride and Prejudice” is certainly camp, and, as Hanna Seariac pointed out in her review for the Deseret News, has “inside jokes that a broad audience wouldn’t understand.” But it’s a film that the whole family will enjoy, making it an easy and entertaining afternoon watch.
9. ‘Lost in Austen’ (2008)
“Lost in Austen” takes “Pride and Prejudice” and turns it on its head, turning its main character into a fish out of water. This miniseries follows modern woman Amanda Price, an avid Austen fan who is wholly unsatisfied with her love life.
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One night, she finds Elizabeth Bennet in her bathroom, dressed in a nightgown. Amanda discovers that, through a secret doorway in her home, she can enter Austen’s world of “Pride and Prejudice.” She and Elizabeth switch places: Elizabeth explores modern-day Britain, while Amanda is trapped in Regency England.
It is entertaining to see a modern character interact with beloved, historical characters. And who hasn’t imagined themselves in Regency England? While this series is a little silly and comprises of mostly fluff, it still makes for a fun watch.
8. ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (1940)
Perhaps one needed to grow up watching 1940’s “Pride and Prejudice” to fully appreciate it. While it captures the essence of the novel (and I do love Laurence Olivier as Mr. Darcy), this adaptation makes some bizarre choices.
The main and most important plot points are present: Elizabeth and Darcy meet at a ball, where he refuses to dance with her; Mr. Collins proposes to Elizabeth; Lydia runs off with Wickham; Jane and Mr. Bingley fall in love.
There are, however, some unusual additions. For example, this version of “Pride and Prejudice” doesn’t take place in the Regency Era. Based off the costumes and set, it seems to take place in the mid-19th century.
There are also a few additions to the plot. For example, Mrs. Bennet and her daughters are first exposed to Mr. Bingley, Caroline Bingley and Mr. Darcy while out shopping for dresses. Later on, Mr. Bingley holds a garden party at Netherfield, where Elizabeth beats Mr. Darcy in archery.
This could be due, in part, to the time the movie was created. It does reflect similar historical films made at the time, such as “Gone with the Wind” in 1939 or “Little Women” in 1949. Regardless of its inaccuracies, 1940’s “Pride and Prejudice” is a beautiful film to watch.
7. ‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies’ (2016)
Devoted fans of Austen might consider this sacrilege, but “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” falls at No. 7 on this list.
In this version of Regency England, the English countryside is running rampant with zombies. Practically everyone in fashionable society is well-versed in the art of combat. The Bennet sisters are no exception — all five were raised to be fierce warriors.
While some might find the addition of zombies unnecessary, I think it adds an interesting dynamic to Darcy and Elizabeth’s (played by Lily James) relationship. Both are skilled warriors in their own right, making the two equals. Plus, their combat abilities culminate into a physical fight when Darcy first proposes to Elizabeth. Sure, it sounds absurd (and it kind of is?), but it illustrates and builds upon the tension of the original scene really well.
It is by no means a perfect movie. “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” has some pacing issues, and can’t seem to decide between leaning into the campiness of zombies in Regency England or the action and gore of it, but it makes for an enjoyable watch.
6. ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ (2001)
Possibly one of the most well-known modern adaptations of “Pride and Prejudice,” “Bridget Jones’s Diary” is a messy and contemporary twist on the classic tale.
The film follows Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger), our modern and messy Elizabeth Bennet, as she navigates her career, love life and family life. The film sees Colin Firth reprising a Mr. Darcy-like role as Mark Darcy, with Hugh Grant playing Daniel Cleaver, a modern George Wickham.
“Bridget Jones’s Diary” is a very loose (and much raunchier) “Pride and Prejudice” adaptation, but the feeling of the original is still there. Bridget can’t stand Mark. There’s bad blood between Mark and Daniel. Daniel turns out to be a cad.
While Bridget is probably a little too hyper-focused on unimportant things (namely, men and her weight), it’s refreshing to see a modern heroine navigate a classic tale with modern concerns. Bridget worries about her career. She wonders if she’ll be single forever. She frets over her parents. It’s a refreshing take and one that many women likely relate to.
It is worth nothing that “Bridget Jones’s Diary” is rated R for, according to Common Sense Media, strong language, allusions to and discussions of sex, smoking and drinking.
5. ‘Bride and Prejudice’ (2004)
I’m a sucker for musical numbers, and “Bride and Prejudice” delivers. Another modern adaptation, “Bride and Prejudice” is Bollywood’s answer to the classic Austen novel.
“Bride and Prejudice” follows the Bakshi family in India — Lalita (Elizabeth), Jaya (Jane), Maya (Mary) and Lakhi (Lydia). Just like in the original, Mrs. Bakshi is desperate to marry off her daughters and is thrilled when Balraj Uppal (Mr. Bingley), a wealthy British lawyer, comes to town with his sister. And they’re accompanied by Will Darcy, an American and the son of Catherine (Catherine de Bourgh), a wealthy hotel magnate.
“Bride and Prejudice” is thoroughly immersed in Indian culture, which gives the original story added layers and depth. For example: when visiting a hotel in Goa that Darcy is considering buying, he and Lalita argue over the value of doing so. Darcy thinks that it will help Goa’s economy, while Lalita argues that it will actually do the opposite — luxury hotels only give tourists a glamorized, unrealistic image of India. It’s not the real India, she insists.
And, of course, there are the musical numbers. While I’ll leave it to you to decide if they add to the story or not (I’m in the camp that believes that they do), all I ask is that you watch my personal favorite number, “No Life Without Wife.”
4. ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (1980)
If you’re willing to look past the ’80’s-esque hair, 1980’s “Pride and Prejudice” is an excellent, and incredibly accurate, adaptation — perhaps the most accurate on this list.
The miniseries comprises of five episodes, allowing plenty of time to explore the intricacies of the novel. Plus, the series is perfectly cast: Elizabeth Garvie is an excellent Elizabeth Bennet, managing to be both poised and opinionated. If anything, this Elizabeth is a little too perfect, instead of being portrayed as a flawed and rash human being.
David Rintoul is a decent Mr. Darcy, and he and Garvie have excellent chemistry. This adaptation seems to be mostly focused on Elizabeth, however, instead of Elizabeth and Darcy — a few scenes between the two are cut out, and we get some additional internal dialogue of Elizabeth’s, revealing her thoughts and feelings.
While some have said that this version feels more like a play, it is overall a beautiful and true-to-text adaptation of the novel.
3. ‘The Lizzie Bennet Diaries’ (2012)
Okay, stay with me here — imagine a modernized “Pride and Prejudice,” but as a webseries. That’s exactly what this YouTube-based “Pride and Prejudice” adaptation gave fans in 2012. In this version, Elizabeth Bennett is Lizzie, a 24-year-old grad student who starts a video blog (or “vlog”) with her best friend and classmate, Charlotte Lu.
With 100 episodes total (each ranging from two to ten minutes), this adaptation works surprisingly well. Most of the main characters in “Pride and Prejudice” make an appearance in Lizzie’s vlogs, and the webseries follows along with the original quite well, with just a few tweaks. For example, there are only three Bennet sisters instead of five.
You might have to suspend your disbelief a few times — why would Darcy be willing to have intimate, soul-bearing conversations in front of a camera? — but “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries” captures the spirit of “Pride and Prejudice” with a charming, modern twist.
2. ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (1995 BBC miniseries)
We have officially reached the part of the list that causes heated discourse amongst Austen fans: “Pride and Prejudice” 1995 or “Pride and Prejudice” 2005?
On this list, the 1995 “Pride and Prejudice” BBC miniseries is No. 2. This “Pride and Prejudice” adaptation has a place in my heart — I spent hours growing up watching it with my mom, which I suspect is something that all women my age can relate to.
This version of “Pride and Prejudice” is incredibly accurate to the book, with a few delightful additions — most notably, a very wet Colin Firth emerging from a lake, wearing a billowing white blouse (and if that isn’t the epitome of the female gaze, I don’t know what is).
I will say that I prefer Jennifer Ehle’s portrayal of Elizabeth over Keira Knightley’s. This Lizzie is determined, opinionated and speaks her mind. Knightley’s Elizabeth, on the other hand, can come across as a little silly.
This adaptation does have another leg up on the competition. Because it’s a miniseries, it has more time to cover the source material. The BBC miniseries gives more time exploring the relationship between Elizabeth and George Wickham, for example.
While it’s not my absolute favorite, BBC’s 1995 “Pride and Prejudice” miniseries comes as a very close second to the 2005 adaptation.
1. ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (2005)
We have come to the (arguably) best version of “Pride and Prejudice.” While it might not be quite as accurate as its predecessor, what it lacks in accuracy it makes up in one of my favorite things: romance.
This adaption has it all: meaningful gazes. Charged hand touches. Lingering glances. Slap that all together with a beautiful score and stunning cinematography, and you have a beautiful and romantic film on your hands.
Plus, Knightley’s Elizabeth and Matthew MacFayden’s Darcy have insane, almost palpable chemistry, as do all the sisters (in a familial sense, of course).
Beyond the romance, 2005’s “Pride and Prejudice” has something that the 1995 version does not: humanity. It is easy, I think, for the humanity of characters that were created over 200 years ago to get lost in historically-accurate adaptations. It can get buried underneath stiff costumes, over-curled updos and even stiffer manners.
But in this version, there is an endearing humanity to all the characters, but in particular the Bennet sisters. They feel like actual sisters, imperfect and complex human beings and even girls that I would’ve been friends with in college.
I also think that this adaptation is more accurate to what the Bennet’s socio-economic status would’ve been in Regency England. As the eldest, Jane wears the best dresses; the Bennets live in an upperclass, but small-ish house with only a few servants, plus a few pigs; and the flyaways. The flyaways! Do you think that the Bennet sisters had perfectly coiffed hair? Absolutely not!
Again, while this film might not be the most faithful adaptation to Austen’s beloved book, it does feel like the most realistic. And, in this Austen fan’s humble opinion, MacFayden brings more depth and feeling to the brooding Mr. Darcy than his predecessors.
