Jane Bennet - Blog Posts

While I absolutely love the 1995 Pride and Prejudice adaptation, the 2005 version has some of my favorite filmmaking and cinematography.

The dance scenes are energetic, the camera constantly moving, following and showing out main characters but also makes the audience feel like they are there as well. The closeness of the camera, the large amount of people in an enclosed space really sets the atmosphere.

And in contrast, whenever the rich are shown on screen (Lady Catherine de Bourg's place) the people and camera are still, the blocking like that of a painting.

The way the sisters are shot makes them really feel like family. They are constantly close to each other, literally in each other's business.

The look these two give each other when they are finally on the same page and getting engaged. Shy, excited, in love.

The change in camera angles on Darcy as Lizzie and Darcy become closer. First the camera tilts up slightly when they are juxtaposed, but then at a straight angle when they are more equal in their feelings.

Tracking shots! So many beautiful tracking shots.

Mr. Darcy making it up to Bingley by acting as Jane while Bingley nervously practices proposing.

And of course the hands! Nothing more romantic than this.

The closeness to the book is great in the 1995 adaptation and I would be remiss not to include this gif in any post about Pride and Prejudice.

If Jane Bennet was the narrator of Pride and Prejudice, we'd have a new type of unreliable narrator that I can't personally think of any examples of in literature (though they are common in real life) where the person is too nice to describe immoral and/or foolish characters and their motives accurately.

From the moment they met, Bingley's love for Jane was constant and unwavering. Bingley, for all his endearing golden retriever-esque cheer and exuberance, is humble to the point of insecurity. So he's all too ready to believe it when Darcy, the person whose opinion and judgment he values most in this world, informs Bingley that Jane doesn't seem genuinely interested in him. Bingley never once doubts how deeply he cares for Jane - he just lets himself believe that Jane doesn't love him in return.

I saw something (not here - it was on an inferior website lol!) about how Bingley is the type to stray and just mindlessly fall for every pretty girl who crosses his path, but there's actually less than zero evidence of that. He loves Jane and ONLY Jane - but since he and Jane don't possess enough of the novel's titular 'pride' while Darcy and Elizabeth initially have too much of it, Bingley just didn't allow himself to believe that someone as lovely and sweet as Jane reciprocated those feelings. Even during those months apart, rather than latching onto another infatuation, Bingley continued to pine over Jane and his feelings remained strong and true. I'm the unofficial captain of the Charles Bingley Defense Squad in case anyone else wants to join ;)

@missielynne , I had to tag my fellow Jane/Bingley lover!