Miraculously, for the entirety of my 45 years here on earth, I have somehow managed to avoid seeing so much as a channel-surfing snippet of Jane Austen's beloved Pride and Prejudice. No easy task as it has seen countless filmed incarnations (this one making the third in the past 2 years). Being a fan of Colin Firth's take on a different Darcy in Bridget Jones' D' Iary, I've been the most tempted to break my impressive streak of P & P abstinence, by renting his famous Darcy doings, but the thought of 5 hours of stuffy BBC-ified anything was enough to secure my record. And now it is only out of a sense of duty to this website, and the fact that even my most macho friends have returned from it with favorable reports, that I have, at long last, experienced the fanciful follies of the Bennett family and stand ready to disabuse anyone with similar predispositions (okay Prejudices).

Pride and Prejudice, faithfully rendered (or so I've read) by first time director Joe Wright, is a fine bit of smart and often poignant entertainment, centered around a family with upper-class aspirations, but limited means. The story takes place at a time in British history when social stratification was the order of the day - an unwritten law that many would have preferred to see enforceable. Their five daughters (two, Jane and Elizabeth, eligible by age for marriage) stand as the best shot the family has of improving their societal lot, and this is pretty much the only thing that their mother (Brenda Blethyn) ever thinks about. Mrs. Bennett is far from being a woman of refinement and grace - a bit daft and dotty around the edges - and though a devoted wife, is completely obsessed by the prospect of obtaining a ticket into upper-class society visa-vie a strategic marriage or two. In the profound words of David Byrne - same as it ever was.

When Mr. Bingley - a handsome, moneyed and aristocratic bachelor (Simon Woods) moves into their village - it sets the Bennett household into something of a state - particularly as Mr. Bingley is often seen in the company of a mysterious and handsome gentleman freind. The lot of them first meet at local social function, where Bingley takes a fast fancy for Jane, unfortunately his enigmatic and ostensibly snobbish friend Mr. Darcy (Matthew MacFayden) gets off to a miserable start with Elizabeth. Of course anyone who's seen at least five movies in their life, instantly knows where matters such as this are headed.

Up until now, I've written Keira Knightly off as the new model Winona Rider, and other than Pirates of the Caribbean and Love Actually, actually I was pretty much unfamiliar with her work - though naturally I've read a good deal about her. At this point, I should confess that I'm ready to head up a local chapter or her fan club. She literally tears the hinges off of this sucker and with Austen's wry witticisms flowing naturally from her exquisite mouth, you'll want to join my little club yourself.

As for the rest of the cast, Donald Sutherland is strong as the beleaguered and bemused patriarch of the Bennett family and Judi Dench is deliciously despicable as Lady Catherine - a condescending, yet officious woman of local nobility. Dench is so good at inspiring your misanthropy that you'd literally like to see her eaten alive by wild sheep. Quite a testament to her thespian prowess. Also impressive is MacFayden's Darcy. For his part he gambles that he can win you over when his character turns in the final act, after playing the "know your place-card" and remaining unlikably aloof throughout most of the film. He manages this with charming aplomb, due mostly to the fact that we know all along that his abrasiveness is just a disguise to hide his attraction to Elizabeth - in spite of his low opinion of her family. Besides, playing hard to get almost never fails - same as it ever was. As far as I know, this is the only thing I've seen him in, and he manages to be quite winning, despite his unconventional, almost lopsided, Bohemian look.

There are a number of subplots, one involving a younger Bennett sister (Jena Malone) who becomes entangled with the wrong sort of fellow. An unfortunate turn of circumstance that requires a clever bit of chicanery on the part of her loved ones to extricate her from. And naturally there are a lot of hearts battered, bruised and broken along side the matrimonial trail.

As a matter of course, the film is going to stand or fall on the strength of how effectively the love story is rendered. I must admit that I was quite taken with it, even though such love-hate relationships have become awfully cliché since Austen wrote her story nearly 200 years ago. Still, this is a tale told with such wit and wisdom that when, at long last, it turns physical, the passion literally radiates from the two of them in palpable waves. In the end, Elizabeth relies less on her heart-stopping beauty, and more on her honesty and solid character to lure Darcy's true feelings out of hiding and by the final act it becomes clear that he is likewise a man of great loyalty and character. Once Elizabeth realizes these things, and sees beyond her own pride, she lights up in a way that cannot be directed and you won't soon forget. Oftimes you'll hear a woman described as being luminous - indeed the light that eminates from within young Miss Knightly may very well cause permanent retina damage.

Along with picture perfect period detail and cinematography that is beyond sumptuous, Pride and Prejudice hits so many of the right notes that it literally sings. It will go down in history as one of those rare creations: a quintessential chick flick that men cannot resist. As far as I'm concerned it will remain a fluke, just one of those guilty pleasures and nothing more. For crying out loud.