Sure, 2005’s Pride & Prejudice has been sitting right there at home to watch with my Netflix subscription (until it leaves at the end of the month anyway), but I had a feeling going out of my way to see the movie’s 20th anniversary re-release in theaters would be a unique experience I wouldn’t forget, and I was absolutely right. But, I wasn’t expecting Donald Sutherland’s performance as Mr. Bennet to be the thing about it that I walked away wanting to talk about the most.
I can’t believe Joe Wright’s Pride and Prejudice is two decades old because the movie doesn’t feel like it has aged a day, except for seeing its incredible cast in their younger years, of course. My recent in-theater viewing experience cemented for me how timeless and exquisite it is, making it absolutely one of the great movies based on classic literature in my book. While I went into it ready to be dazzled by Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy’s romance (including that iconic hand flex), the way the filmmakers intended, instead, I want to take some time to appreciate the late Donald Sutherland’s part in the movie.
Donald Sutherland’s Performance As Mr. Bennet Really Floors Me
the actor’s passing in the summer of 2024 at the age of 88, so maybe my attention was more keenly focused on Mr. Bennet, but honestly I don’t think that would have made a difference, because wow, is he the underrated highlight of this movie.
Mr. Bennet is Elizabeth’s father, and Sutherland takes a supporting role in most of the story, as most of the focus goes to Knightley’s performance as the young, headstrong woman navigating being courted by numerous men alongside her four sisters while living in 18th-century England. While his role is small, Sutherland makes a huge impression because he’s the character who ended up getting me to tear up by the movie’s conclusion.
best Donald Sutherland movies. Anyway, you can still catch the movie in select theaters and stream it at home. I wonder if the Pride & Prejudice series, which is among upcoming book adaptations, will spend time on this plotline, too, or go in another direction.