Synopsis

Elizabeth Bennet, one of five unmarried sisters in a financially pressured English family, meets the proud and reserved Mr. Darcy. Their first impressions are hostile, but changing circumstances gradually challenge their assumptions about each other. As family tensions, social expectations, and romantic entanglements unfold, Elizabeth and Darcy must overcome their pride and prejudice before they can recognize their true feelings.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film is set in 1797, the year Jane Austen wrote the first draft of the novel, rather than in 1813, when the published version appeared.

• Elizabeth is reading a book titled "First Impressions" in the opening scene. This was Austen's original title for the novel before she changed it to "Pride and Prejudice." The visible text is based on the novel's final chapter, with the character names altered.

• Filming took place entirely on location in England during an 11-week schedule in the summer of 2004.

• Chatsworth House provided several locations associated with Pemberley, including its exterior, grand staircase, and sculpture gallery. The estate is often suggested as one of Austen's inspirations for Darcy's home.

• Groombridge Place in Kent was used for the Bennet family home, while Basildon Park in Berkshire represented Netherfield Park and Burghley House in Lincolnshire stood in for Rosings.

• The first dance was filmed in a converted potato warehouse in Lincolnshire, with local residents used as extras. It was the only major set built specifically for the production.

• The dance sequence between Elizabeth and Darcy was captured in a single take by an accidentally running camera and retained in the finished film.

• Several romantic scenes were relocated from the novel. Darcy's first proposal takes place outdoors at the Temple of Apollo during a rainstorm, while his second proposal occurs in misty countryside at dawn.