Pride & Prejudice concludes App Theatre 'Staff Pics' with Jan. 31 screening

This version of “Pride & Prejudice” is directed by Joe Wright, and is his feature directorial debut. The well-known story is about five sisters from an English family of landed gentry dealing with issues of marriage, morality and misconceptions. Keira Knightley stars in the lead role of Elizabeth Bennet, while Matthew Macfadyen plays her romantic interest Mr. Darcy.

Screenwriter Deborah Moggach initially attempted to make her script as faithful to the novel as possible, writing from Elizabeth’s perspective while preserving much of the original dialogue. Director Wright encouraged greater deviation from the text, including changing the dynamics within the Bennet family. Wright and Moggach set the film in an earlier period and avoided depicting a “perfectly clean Regency world,” presenting instead a “muddy hem version” of the time. It was shot entirely on location in England on an 11-week filming schedule.

Wright found casting difficult due to past performances of specific characters and had to balance who he thought was best for each role with the studio’s desire for stars. Knightley was well known in part from her role in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” film series, while Macfadyen had no international name recognition.

In addition to Knightley and Macfadyen, the film stars Donald Sutherland and Brenda Blethyn as Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Tom Holland as Mr. Collins, with Rosamund Pike, Carey Mulligan, Jena Malone, and Talulah Riley as the younger Bennet sisters. Legendary actress Dame Judi Dench portrays Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

The themes in “Pride & Prejudice” emphasize realism, romanticism, and family. It was marketed to a younger, mainstream audience; promotional items noted that it came from the producers of 2001’s romantic comedy “Bridget Jones’s Diary” before acknowledging its provenance as an Austen novel.

“Pride & Prejudice” earned a worldwide gross of approximately $121 million, a commercial success. It received positive reviews and four nominations at the 78th Academy Awards, including Best Actress in a Leading Role for 20-year-old Knightley, making her the third-youngest Best Actress nominee at the time. Austen scholars have opined that Wright’s work created a new hybrid genre by blending traditional traits of the heritage film with “youth-oriented filmmaking techniques.”

All films at The Appalachian Theatre are shown without movie previews or trailers, so attendees are encouraged to arrive a few minutes before the scheduled start time to secure tickets and purchase concessions. The general admission ticket price is $6 per person, which includes taxes and handling fees.

While the App Theatre’s online ticketing system is accessible 24/7, customers can avoid the online service fees by visiting the lobby box office between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. from Tuesday through Friday, or one hour prior to showtime for each film. For a complete performance schedule of all upcoming events, or to sign up for the theater’s e-blast distribution list, visit the organization’s website at www.apptheatre.org.

Events, days, dates, times, performers and prices are subject to change without notice.