Pride & Prejudice

Jane Austen's classic comedy of manners-a delectably witty story of life, love and marriage among 19th-century English gentry-is now one of the most lavish and beloved mini-series in history. Stars Tony® and BAFTA® Award-winner Jennifer Ehle (Wilde) and Colin Firth (Mama Mia!). Produced by the BBC and A&E. Now digitally remastered, with new bonus material.

Episode One
Two rich, eligible and handsome young bachelors gallop into Hertfordshire and into the lives of every hopeful young maiden and her ambitious mama in the neighbourhood. Mr Bingley has bought Netherton Park and has brought his sisters and very wealthy friend, Mr Darcy, with him.To Mrs Bennet at Longbourn House, they are the answer to her prayers. She has five daughters to marry, and their dowries are not large.
They meet at a local Assembly Room Ball in Meryton. Mr Bingley soon proves to be a pleasant, agreeable man who is happy to dance with the local belles. He immediately takes a fancy to Jane, the eldest Miss Bennet, and she too is smitten although she is much too well-bred to show it. Mr Darcy and Miss Bingley, however, are too proud to enjoy themselves or join in.They are used to more select gatherings. Their behaviour offends everyone, especially Elizabeth Bennet. Darcy slights her and she later overhears him saying that she is "tolerable" but "not handsome enough to tempt" him.
Unaware that she has heard him, he is intrigued that she refuses when he is later forced to ask her to dance. And the more he comes to know the second Miss Bennet, the more he finds himself revising his opinion of her. Though Jane is generally regarded as the prettiest girl in the neighbourhood, Lizzie is undoubtedly the wittiest. Her sparkling eyes and lively tongue arouse his interest.
A little later, Jane is invited to dine with Mr Bingley's sisters at Netherfield. She arrives on horseback, wet from the rain, and immediately contracts a fever and is obliged to stay overnight. Mrs Bennet insists that she is too ill to come home, so Elizabeth decides to nurse her, which means that she too must stay at Netherfield. This gives Darcy ample opportunity to revise his first opinion of her, but though he is beginning to admire Elizabeth a great deal, she is repelled by his abrupt manners and pride. It is quite a relief when Jane is well enough to go home.

Episode Two
The Bennets are expecting a visitor - Mr Bennet's clergyman cousin, who will inherit the estate in the absence of any direct male heirs. Mr Collins is coming to Longbourn with the intention of healing the rift between his branch of the family and the Bennets. Though Mrs Bennet cannot help thinking he has come to check over the place, he arrives with the best of intentions. His grand patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, has advised him to marry and Mr Collins believes it would be a noble gesture to choose one of the Miss Bennets. Needless to say, this immediately endears him to Mrs Bennet, who loses no time in telling him that she expects Jane soon to be engaged (to Mr Bingley), but that Elizabeth is available. Unfortunately, Lizzie and the rest of the family hold him in utter contempt. He is dull, foolish and unctuous, boasting incessantly about Lady Catherine and her stately home at Rosings Park, where "the chimney-piece in the second drawing room alone cost in excess of £800".
Meanwhile, Lydia and Kitty Bennet are still flirting outrageously with the army officers billeted in Meryton. A new recruit, George Wickham, delights everyone with his charm, good looks and gentlemanly behaviour - especially Lizzie. When she and Wickham meet again at her aunt's supper party, he tells her that he and Darcy grew up together (his father was the late Mr Darcy's steward). Lizzie's prejudice against Darcy grows as she hears that he ignored his late father's wishes to provide a valuable church living for Wickham.
Mr Bingley is holding a ball at Netherfield. All the local gentry have been invited, but Elizabeth is disappointed not to see Wickham there. She is looking particularly fine and, despite her mother and her younger sisters' appalling behaviour, Darcy asks her for a dance. It is not a success. Lizzy is furious about his treatment of Wickham and is convinced that he is nothing but an arrogant, ill-mannered and mean-spirited man. This is confirmed when Mr Collins breaches convention by speaking to him of his aunt (Lady Catherine) without an introduction, and is snubbed.
Poor Mr Collins is snubbed again when, blind to all her attempts to avoid it, he proposes to Lizzy. She rejects him, of course, to the consternation of her mother, who threatens never to speak to her again if she still refuses. Her father, however, replies wryly that he will never speak to her again if she accepts.

Episode Three
Less than three days after Mr Collins' proposal to her, Elizabeth is shocked to discover that he has offered for her best friend, Charlotte Lucas, and been accepted. Elizabeth cannot believe Charlotte can demean herself so, but her friend tells her that she cannot afford to be choosy and that Mr Collins is a good catch. The marriage is to be soon, but Charlotte begs her to visit them at Hunsford Parsonage in March. Shortly after, Jane receives a letter from Miss Bingley. The whole Netherfield party have left for London, with no intention of returning. Mrs Bennet laments loudly and tactlessly that she was so sure that Mr Bingley was going to propose, rubbing salt into Jane's raw wound of desolation. Seeing how hurt and lovesick Jane really is, Lizzy suggests that her sister pays a visit to their aunt and uncle in London. It is now nearly Christmas. Mr and Mrs Gardiner (Mrs Bennet's brother and sister-in-law) arrive from London for a seasonal visit. They all attend a Christmas party at Colonel Philips' house in Meryton. Wickham is there and Elizabeth finds herself increasingly attracted to him. Jane, meanwhile, is still hurt and trying hard not to show she is still pining for Mr Bingley. Lizzy raises her spirits by suggesting that she accompanies their aunt and uncle back to London. But though Jane calls to see Miss Bingley, Mr Bingley is not there and Miss Bingley makes it very clear that she is not Jane's friend.
After a quiet winter, March arrives. Wickham is now courting Miss King and her fortune of £10, 000. He calls on Elizabeth before she leaves to visit Charlotte. She is disappointed in him but understands and they part as friends. Life at the parsonage is much as she expects, with Charlotte spending as little time as possible with her new husband. They are all invited to Rosings Park, where Elizabeth is delighted to find Darcy's formidable aunt to be an imperious, proud woman and the girl she has obviously lined up to be his bride a wan mouse with no spirit. For her part, Lady Catherine is astonished by Elizabeth's intelligent and direct repartee. The visit to Hunsford passes quietly until, unexpectedly, Mr Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam, his cousin, arrive at Rosings to visit their aunt. One day, Elizabeth meets Colonel Fitzwilliam during a walk in the woods. Not knowing the exact history, he tells her that Darcy congratulate himself for having recently saved his friend Bingley from a most imprudent marriage. Realising that Darcy is responsible for Jane's unhappiness, she furiously heads back to the parsonage. That evening, she pleads a headache as an excuse not to visit Rosings and is brooding alone at the parsonage when she is interrupted by Darcy. He has been fighting a losing battle over his feelings for Elizabeth, but now is the worse possible time to propose...

Episode Four
Angry and upset over his rejection, Darcy decides to defend himself. Not every insult she flung at him was fair. He waylays her on her morning walk, hands her a letter and leaves. The contents leave Elizabeth reeling. Wickham, far from being hard done by, was a loose-living scoundrel who had no intention of joining the church and had instead accepted £5,000 in compensation. Worse, he had tried to elope with Georgiana, Darcy's 15-year-old sister, just to gain access to her fortune of £30,000. Darcy had only just arrived in time to foil him. Obviously, Darcy had good cause for his behaviour towards Wickham, but Elizabeth can only shake her head in sorrow and disagreement as she reads that, when he separated Bingley from Jane, he believed her to be indifferent to him. She returns to Longbourne with much to think about. She and Jane decide there is no need to warn their friends about Wickham as the militia is moving to Brighton, and besides she cannot expose Darcy's sister's role in the affair. Lydia and Kitty are pestering their father to move the family to Brighton, when Lydia, the youngest Bennet sister, is invited to stay with Mrs Forster, the wife of the colonel of the regiment. She can hardly contain her excitement.
Elizabeth thinks she is far too heedless and headstrong and is worried that she may do something to ruin her reputation, but her father reassures her that she will be chaperoned and, besides, he wants some peace and quiet for a change.
Summer arrives, and Elizabeth is invited to take a tour of Derbyshire with her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner. While they are there, they decide to visit Pemberley, Darcy's estate, which is near the village where her aunt grew up. Informed that the family is away from home, Elizabeth allows her curiosity full rein and is enchanted by what she sees. Pemberley is a grand estate with a beautiful stately home surrounded by a large park. Inside the house, they are escorted round by the housekeeper, who has nothing but praise for Darcy. This is a very different picture to the haughty, disagreeable man Elizabeth knows.
Meanwhile, Darcy has been fighting a losing battle to get over Elizabeth. He decides to pay a surprise visit to Pemberley and arrives while she is inside the house. After a refreshing swim in the lake, he is walking back to the house, half-dressed, when he chances upon Elizabeth who is exploring the park...

Episode Five
The following day, the Bingleys and Georgiana (Darcy's sister) arrive at Pemberley. Soon after, they call upon Elizabeth, who is staying nearby at the inn in Lambton.The visit is a success: Elizabeth immediately warms to Georgiana and Mr Bingley is clearly delighted to see Elizabeth again.
The following evening, Elizabeth and the Gardiners are dining at Pemberley. Elizabeth and Georgiana are taking turns on the piano, when Caroline Bingley spitefully tries to discompose Elizabeth with a reference to Wickham. Georgiana falters at the piano, obviously distressed, but Elizabeth comes to her rescue, earning Darcy's gratitude. Things are definitely hotting up between them, and there are long, lingering looks across the room.
The next day, however, while her aunt and uncle are out for a walk, Elizabeth receives two letters from Jane. They contain alarming news. Foolish Lydia has eloped with Wickham and it is doubtful whether he has any intention of marrying her. The only clue to their whereabouts is that they may be hiding in London. Elizabeth is still in shock when Darcy arrives for a visit. He despatches a servant to find her aunt and uncle, but receives her news with grim silence.
He leaves shortly after, and Elizabeth realises that her sister's elopement has brought disgrace to her whole family. Just as she has fallen in love with him, she will never see him again.
At Longbourn, she finds the house in uproar. Mrs Bennet is holed up in her room, wailing and feeling sorry for herself. Kitty is defiant, apparently having known of Lydia's plans. Mr Bennet has gone to London in search of the runaways.
Only Jane is calm, but both she and Elizabeth fear the worst and are well aware of how the scandal will reflect badly on them too. As they wait for news, the odious Mr Collins arrives.Though he claims he sympathises, he is obviously relieved not to be involved and has even told Lady Catherine de Bourgh about it. Elizabeth gets rid of him before she loses her temper. Mr Bennet finally returns from London. Lydia still has not been found although their uncle is still looking. Unknown to anyone, Darcy is also searching for the errant couple. He finally tracks them down to a squalid inn in
London. A few days later, Mr Bennet receives a letter from Mr Gardiner. Wickham will marry Lydia, on certain conditions. The terms of the engagement are much lighter than expected, leading Mr Bennet to believe that Mr Gardiner has paid Wickham a great deal of money to bring about the marriage. However can Mr Bennet repay him?

Episode Six
After Lydia is married, she and Wickham come to Longbourn for a visit before joining Wickham's new regiment in the North. She is as silly as ever and very proud of her success in catching Wickham, even offering to get husbands for her sisters. But she accidentally lets slip that Darcy was at her wedding. Elizabeth writes to Mrs Gardiner for an explanation. Although Elizabeth now views Darcy in a very different light from her initial opinion, Mrs Gardiner's reply still comes as a surprise. Darcy, it seems, not only found Wickham, but he bribed him to marry Lydia and turned up at the church to ensure that he did so. He also insisted that his part in the affair be kept quiet.
Time passes. Although the Bennet family scandal is forgotten now that Lydia is married, Jane and Lizzie are resigned to never seeing Mr Bingley or Mr Darcy again. They are mistaken. The Bingleys and Mr Darcy are returning to Netherfield for a shooting party and they lose no time in paying a visit to Longbourn. Mrs Bennet also loses no time in contriving to leave Jane alone with Mr Bingley. He proposes, she accepts and everyone is blissfully happy. Except Elizabeth. Darcy has hardly spoken to her.
But it seems he has done nothing but speak of her to everyone else. The Bennet family is amazed and awed to receive a visit from Lady Catherine de Bourgh. She has been informed that Elizabeth will soon marry Darcy, and has come to forbid the union. Her impertinence angers Elizabeth so much that she has no hesitation in replying in kind. She repudiates the rumour but refuses to say she will never marry him. A few days later, Darcy returns from London. He has heard of the argument and it has given him hope. And this time, his proposal is accepted. After a double wedding, Jane and Bingley and Elizabeth and Darcy drive away in their carriages, to live happily ever after.

Written by Jane Austen
Screenplay by Andrew Davies
Directed by Simon Langton
Produced by Sue Birtwistle
Executive Produced by Michael Wearing
Original Music by Carl Davis
Cinematography by John Kenway
Film Editing by Peter Coulson
Costume Design by Dinah Collin

"Davies's whole adaptation is open air and oxygenated." Guardian

"Andrew Davies [has] injected into the proceedings a pace and energy which at last provides a visual setting to do
justice to the wit of the book." Independent

"The subtle hints of passion, the lingering looks and the smouldering sensuality have made this one of the mostwatched programmes in British broadcasting history." Sunday Mail

"The joy began from the opening shot ... Everywhere you look in this production there were such pleasures: Alison Steadman on Abigail's Party levels of insufferability as Mrs Bennet; Benjamin Withrow with a fist of Oscar Wilde putdowns as her husband; Anna Chancellor sneering at everyone as Miss Bingley." Independent

"A triumph ... Ehle and Harker have the spirited wit, the intelligence and the charm that Austen would have wanted."
The Times

"Jennifer Ehle, vivid and natural, is quite brilliant as Elizabeth Bennet." Guardian

"Colin Firth's is the most intense incarnation of Darcy ever seen on television, giving this taciturn leading man a
complex interior life that suggests all kinds of fascinating neuroses." Daily Express

"Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice has neve been done better. It's witty, biting and Alison Steadman is blinding as Mrs Bennet, the Hyacinth Bucket of her day." Sun

"Benjamin Whitrow is stealing the show as Mr Bennet by beautifully expressing he character's dry wit. So often one
has seen him portrayed as a henpecked cipher." The Times

"Gorgeously filmed, wonderfully acted, beautifully costumed, leisurely staged, smartly edited and extremely amusing." Cable World

"An engaging, three-night marathon shining with wit, beauty and romance, it's a joy. Directed with unfailing grace by Simon Langton ... filmed magnificently by John Kenway, edited adroitly by Peter Coulson, the work looks magnificent ... designer Gerry Scott does a bang-up job with the interiors, while exteriors are smashing ... Dinah Collin and Kate Stewart's eye-filling costume designs are, if not always slimming for the ladies, charmingly correct. A ball in the second hour, impressively choreographed by Jane Gibsson, sets an opulent tone for the venture. With a lovely, appropriate score by Carl Davis, the comedy of characters is a delight." Variety

"You won't want to miss a crinolined moment ... Lavish and piquant as a mini-series should be, this never misses a note of Austen's arch comic tone ... Production values are first rate, with gardens and parlors so meticulously observed they could make Merchant and Ivory give up and turn to Die Hard sequels. And yet, amid the tastefulness, sexual tension lurks. Colin Firth plays Mr Darcy as though he were a creation of the Brontës rather than the ironic, detached Austen ... his eyes are piercing, and he cannot take them off her." Time magazine

"From the cool, distant but always clever Mr Bennet to the consistently silly Mrs Bennet to the impossibly pompous Mr Collins to the incredibly haughty Lady Catherine de Bourgh, the strong supporting cast contributes mightily to the production's texture." Cable World

"Susannah Harker does splendidly as eldest Bennet sister Jane." Variety

"A superb adaptation ... the love affair played out so tantalisingly by Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle will have you hanging from the rafters for each of its six weekly instalments.They never so much as hold hands yet this is the sexiest, most erotic programme you're likely to see all year." Daily Telegraph

"The most engaging, honest, authentic version ever made." Listener

"It's an amusing, sensual, intelligent P&P ... full of wit and winning performances. Alison Steadman as Mrs Bennet is so good that her character is almost too embarrassing to watch. The tension between Jennifer Ehle's Lizzie and Colin firth's Darcy is hot." The Guide, Sydney Morning Herald

"Firth has smouldering down to a fine art, indeed he appears to have a doctorate in it. He is also quite good at pacing but charismatic brooding is definitely his forte - he doesn't have many lines but when he directs his laser-gaze in the direction of one Miss Elizabeth Bennet, watch out." Daily Telegraph

"As the most spirited of Austen heroines, Jennifer Ehle is beguiling."Daily Telegraph

"David Bamber achieves one of the performances of the year as he fawns upon his frighful patron, Lady Catherine de Bourgh at Rosings Park.Watching him as he hushes himself with a finger to his lips is pure delight." The Guide, Sydney Morning Herald

"There is a sense of urgent life and pulsating masculinity ... the sexual attraction between them crackles from the first episode." The Guide, Canberra

"Without exception, every member of this fabulous ensemble brings to life Austen's characters with delightful verve. Alison Steadman is hysterically shrill as Mrs Bennet; Benjamin Whitrow is wonderfully wry as Mr Bennet; Crispin Bonham Carter as Mr Bingley is puppy-dog bright and eager; David Bamber is eccentrically good as the sycophantic cousin Mr Collins; and Anna Chancellor gives haughtiness new meaning as the condescending Miss Bingley." Daily Telegraph

"Andrew Davies distills Jane Austen's 19th-century language so that it springs out with delightful freshness." Sydney Morning Herald

"The ABC has long been the home of period dramas, and with Pride And Prejudice it has the best of them all." Herald Sun

Exterior shots of Mr. Darcy's Pemberly House were filmed on the beautiful grounds of Lyme Hall in Cheshire. But inside, behold Sudbury Hall, a magnificent National Trust Property in Derbyshire!