The shelf

Pride and Prejudice (1940) poster

All Ages

Pride and Prejudice

1940

Mrs. Bennet is determined to marry off her five daughters. Spirited Elizabeth takes an instant dislike to the proud Mr. Darcy, and both must be humbled before they can see each other clearly.

The default: films the whole family can watch together; any scary or intense moments for the littlest viewers are flagged in the Context Notes.

Runtime
1 hour 58 minutes
Rating
NR
Director
Robert Z. Leonard
Cast
Greer Garson, Laurence Olivier, Mary Boland, Edna May Oliver, and Maureen O'Sullivan
Picture
B&W
Genre
Drama, Romance
Shelf
Family

Why it’s here

Austen's proud gentleman and prejudiced heroine are both humbled into a good marriage. Wit and manners, with Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier.

Context notes

For parents, before you press play.

Lydia runs off with Wickham, a scandal shown as foolish and dangerous for her family; Mrs. Bennet's matchmaking is comic. It takes liberties with the novel, which older readers may notice.

Discussion questions

When the credits end, go around the room. Each person gives the film a score out of ten and says why.

  1. Who was proud and who was prejudiced?
  2. What changed Elizabeth's mind about Darcy?
  3. Why was Lydia's choice so dangerous for her family?
  4. Which sister would you want as a friend?

Content advisory

IMDb parents guide (via WebSearch): no violence or frightening scenes; mild social drinking; kissing.

Trailer

Best edition

The disc comes first.

Pride and Prejudice Blu-ray (Warner Archive Collection)

Blu-ray · July 28, 2020

Coming later

Where to stream

Streaming services are not listed yet. When they are, this note stays secondary to the disc.

IMDb (opens in a new tab) · Letterboxd (opens in a new tab)