This beautifully photographed film adaptation of the famous Jane Austen novel tells the familiar tale of marrying well as a woman’s best assurance of living a "tolerable" life in 19^th century England. Otherwise, as Mrs. Bennet (a blathering Brenda Blethyn) points out to her five daughters, when their father dies "we shall all be turned out into the hedgerows."

Into the neighborhood rides Mr. Bingley and his even richer friend, Mr. Darcy. Bingley and the lovely Jane immediately fall in love. But the match is not considered suitable by the austere Mr. Darcy or Bingley’s family. So the story goes Darcy is attracted to Elizabeth (Keira Knightley, with the dazzling smile) as well, Jane’s slightly younger sister, but he holds himself back from that emotion. Though that’s difficult to judge, as Matthew MacFadyen as Darcy pales in the role, as compared to Colin Firth in the 1995 BBC television mini-series, which was also a huge hit here in the US.

Intrigues of the heart begin, and though you know that Darcy and Elizabeth will be together in the end, despite his pride and her prejudice, it’s fun to watch the machinations of society conspire. The irate Lady Catherine de Bourg looks down her nose at nearly everyone, and is played with grand style by Judi Dench. Donald Sutherland offers just the right mix of concern and humor as the put-upon Mr. Bennet, patriarch and gentleman farmer.

What’s done well in this production is a more accurate depiction of the living conditions and settings of the time, and the life and station of the Bennet family. Muddy streets with boards for walking (in some spots), hogs and other livestock gaining access to the household occasionally, and the confined spaces of most homes, paint a less than lovely bucolic picture. But there are those moments with the lush feel of a drawing room portrait or an expansive landscape.

What’s missing? The language, the dialogue, and getting to know and appreciate the characters, flaws and all. It’s unfair to compare the six-hour BBC version to a two-hour film; sheer time allows for just those things to occur. The film stands fairly well on its own, hobbled a bit by clumsy casting. But the fun of the story is still there in this movie and it’s worth a look. However, the BBC series offers you an opportunity to immerse yourself in the Jane Austen experience.