The Making of Pride and Prejudice (BBC)

The BBCs lavish adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, starring Colin Firth, was eighteen months in the making and continues to captivate audiences today. This indispensable companion to the series is packed with colour photographs, interviews and lavish illustrations. Follow a typical day's filming, including the wholesale transformation of Lacock village into Jane Austen's Meryton. Discover how Colin Firth approaches the part of Darcy, how actors' costumes and wigs are designed and how Carl Davis recreates the period music and composes an original score. Piece together the roles of behind-the-scenes contributors from researchers to fencing masters. Feature movie adapts Jane Austen's romantic classic set in 19th century England. Independent Elizabeth Bennet is determined that she will wed only for love. Her parents have five unmarried daughters for whom the mother is determined to find advantageous marriages. The wealthy Mr. Bingley, his friend, the mysterious and proud Mr. Darcy, and Mr. Wickham, a charming, but "scandalous cad," come to visit the countryside and become interested in three of the Bennet daughters. The companion book follows a typical day's filming on location in Wiltshire and Derbyshire, revealing the roles of behind-the-scenes contributors to the movie "This stunning production ... is the definitive adaptation of Jane Austen's romantic classic. In 19th century Georgian England, a young woman owed it to her family to make an advantageous marriage. Woe, then, to the independent-spirited Elizabeth, one of five unmarried sisters, determined to wed for love. Will her recalcitrance threaten her family's future and drive away the man she's fated to love?"--Conteneur

The Making of Pride and Prejudice reveals in compelling detail how Jane Austen's classic novel was transformed into the stunning television drama starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. It vividly brings to life every stage of production of this sumptuous series.

Writing a six-part television serial is difficult and time-consuming work, but for Andrew Davies adapting Pride and Prejudice was a particularly enjoyable experience: 'The novel itself is actually my favourite novel and has been for ages.