25 of the most swoon-worthy romance movies of all time
By Amy Kaplan
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
From the 1700s to the 2000s, Pride and Prejudice has withstood the test of time as one of the classic love stories of our time. It’s been made and re-made over and over, and while Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy in the mini-series version cannot be outdone I still choose the 2005 full-length feature as the go-to viewing option (mostly due to quality and swoon-worthiness of Mr. Darcy and friends).
The Jane Austen novel-turned-movie tells the story of Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley) and her family full of women who are clamoring to find grooms befitting of their status before losing their home to their (male) cousin. Elizabeth and her older sister met a pair of men at a ball and while the connection between her sister and one of the men is apparent, her reaction to Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen) is less than stellar. Throughout the dramas of her younger sisters, her mother, and status she finds that Mr. Darcy may actually be a better man than she thought originally thought, but has she insulted him too many times to bring a friendship back around?
I tend to gravitate towards this remake over the others as it’s concise (a full-length film is considerably shorter than a four-part miniseries), its film quality is better than older versions, having been filmed in the 21st century, rather than older grainy film quality… and who can pass up Knightley in a period drama, something I think she’s incredibly suited for.
If you liked Macfadyen in this movie, be sure to check out the 2017 miniseries Howards End (on STARZ). Where Macfadyen plays Henry Wilcox, a widower who falls in love with a beautiful woman (who happened to be a friend of his late-wife) who believes in independence and women’s rights.
Fun Fact: The film grossed about $121 million, which was considered a success.
Release date: November 11, 2005