Bride and Prejudice, Grade: A-When this first came out I wasn't too sure about it...so I never saw it, but then I read someone else's review on this for the Everything Austen Challenge and I decided to give it a try! I'm sure glad that I did. It was smart, funny, and intelligent. I'm also a sucker for musicals...so that might throw some people off since they do spontaneously break out into song and dance throughout the show!
I loved the story retold through the Indian culture! Darcy was still conceited, "Caroline Bingley" vain and vapid, and "Lizzy" still as smart and witty as ever!
In this version Darcy is American and his family is really rich due to being in the hotel business and comes out with his friend "Bingley" and Bingley's sister (not the names in the movie) to attend a wedding. We meet "Mr. Collins" who is trying to break with his Indian roots and be "American." Darcy's mother wants to exploit India for her hotel business and looks down on "Lizzy" for being a "native." "Mr. Wickham" is also quite more devious in this one.
The costumes are beautiful as well as the cinematography. This director is also the director of Bend it Like Beckham, which is also a wonderful film. I highly recommend this adaptation of Jane Austen's beloved Pride and Prejudice!Part of the Everything Austen Challenge.
Good to know you enjoyed it! The music is certainly fun and the costumes brilliant though otherwise I didn't care much about the film.
ReplyDelete'No Life Without Wife' and Mr. Kohli ( Collins) are fantastic though :)
This looks so good! I have to get back working on this challenge!
ReplyDeleteOK I definitely have to see this now, it looks awesome!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this movie! It makes me smile every time I see it.
ReplyDeleteWow... who knew Jane Austen traveled to India. Excuse me a minute while I look up the word "vapid". Oh, o.k. -- sometimes I feel that way too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for broadening our horizons with this review!
This is a fun take on Pride and Prejudice. 'Darcy' and 'Lizzy' are totally gorgeous, don't you agree? And it's really funny too...especially the 'Collins' guy.
ReplyDeleteBend It Like Beckham is one of my favorite movies. :D
Kim, I remember hearing vapid on a movie once to describe conceit and I've loved that word ever since!!!
ReplyDeleteHm. I bypassed this one as well, but now I'm thinking I might give it a chance. It's an interesting cultural fusion, that's for sure. Thanks for the great review!
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to watch this movie for the challenge as well. Does Darcy break out into song and dance as well? I can't really picture that. I really enjoyed Bend it Like Beckham. In a review of this movie I read, it said that the characters never kiss. Is that true? That seems a bit odd.
ReplyDeleteNope, Melanie, Darcy does not break out into song and dance! It would be weird to have him do so!
ReplyDeletei enjoyed this too. although i was biased when i watched it because i loved bend it like beckham. the colors the music really make it bollywood.
ReplyDeleteThis was my first Bollywood experience, and I really loved it! It's neat to see the classic story reinterpreted in a different culture, so that it brings a fresh perspective.
ReplyDeleteThe characters don't kiss, but my friend told me this is actually true of most Indian films--kind of like how in old movies couples never actually shared a bed.