I watch the movie and read the book often. Have always loved the Austen novels. I have the newer version of this one, as well, and while I like it, it is shorter and a little loose with the story.
I love the Colin Firth & Jennifer Ehle version of Pride & Prejudice. When I saw the Kierra Knightly version, the setting & the story was so twisted that I could not watch that version ever again. So many liberties had been taken with it...it was terrible!
Yes!!! My introduction to Pride and Prejudice began with the 1980 BBC mini series, adapted by British novelist Fay Weldon, starring Elizabeth Garvie as Elizabeth Bennet and David Rintoul as Fitzwilliam Darcy.
Recently, I watched the 1995 version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle on YouTube and ordered a copy for my personal video library. Wonderful production!
Have you read Emma?
I am old enough to have my favorite version be the Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson movie of P&P. Of course, if you are looking for dedication to the book, you might not like that one; but, the spirit is certainly there.
That version was very well cast and well-acted...except for Donald Sutherland as Mr. Bennett, who got the character all wrong and was a complete disaster. It did leave out far too much of the book, however, in the interest of getting down to a two-hour run time.