The Wedding Gift

Starring:Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Thora Hird, Sian Thomas, Dinah Handley, Peter Whitfield, Candida Rundle, Andrew Nicholson, Martin Wenner, Graham Turner, Andrew Lancel, Ann Rye, Moya Brady, Carry Clubb, Saima Chaudry, Vinny Dhillon, Angela Walsh, Andy Rashleigh, Anastasia Mulrooney, Viv Warentz
Director: Richard Loncraine
Studio: Miramax
Product Type: DVD

Product Description

From Jane Austen's classic novel about the morals and mores of the class system in Georgian England.

The intelligent and spirited Elizabeth Bennet is one of five daughters -- which, during that era, meant trouble: because women cannot inherit, upon her father's death her family's home will become the property of their nearest male relative. Only marriage, preferably to someone wealthy, can ensure her security. But the proud young lady instantly takes offense when Mr. Darcy, a promising newcomer in town, doesn't seem quite admiring enough, and she spurns his advances.

Slowly and painfully, Elizabeth realizes her error, but not before it seems she has lost Mr. Darcy forever.

System Requirements:

Running Time 300 Mins.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

Jane Austen's classic novel of 1813, Pride and Prejudice, still wins the hearts of countless schoolgirls with its romantic story of Elizabeth Bennet and her Mr. Darcy. Now, the 1996 BBC miniseries is winning over adults, with its faithful adaptation, gorgeous scenery, and superb acting. The essence of the story is the antagonism between Mr. Darcy, a wealthy single man who believes Elizabeth to be beneath him, and Elizabeth, who upon being insulted at a dance by the aloof Darcy refuses to associate with him in any manner. Austen evokes incredible tension with the wit and flirtation of the two characters, and director Simon Langton (who also directed Upstairs Downstairs) successfully translates the repartee and conflict in this six-hour miniseries. Dialogue, for the most part, is painstakingly replicated, except when fleshing out and smoothing for modern sensibilities was necessary. Darcy, for instance, is drawn out, giving his personality significantly more depth. The acting sweeps you away to Regency England: Jennifer Ehle (of Wilde) is convincing as the obstinate Elizabeth, who, despite her mother's attempts to marry her off, spurs the attentions of Darcy. And Colin Firth (of The English Patient) will have women everywhere longing for a Mr. Darcy of their own.

For those who enjoy excellent Austen adaptations such as Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion--this miniseries will round out the ultimate Austen library. For those new to these romantic period pieces, this version of Pride and Prejudice will have you hooked and longing for more. One caveat, however: plan to watch it in an entire day, because very few have the self-control to not watch all six hours in a single sitting. --Jenny Brown

On the DVD
There's a lot to love (and a lot lacking) on the 10th anniversary limited edition. It comes in a tall, embossed green case that's out of place on a DVD shelf but blends right into a library of volumes. The three discs fit snugly in a sleeve, accompanied by a 120-page deluxe companion book. The main attraction, a retrospective documentary, features interviews with key cast members with the sad exceptions of Jennifer Ehle (who played Elizabeth) and Colin Firth (Mr. Darcy), which is bound to disappoint fans. Nonetheless, there are some amusing anecdotes from Mr. and Mrs. Bennet (played by Benjamin Withrow and Alison Steadman), Mary Bennet (Lucy Briers), Mr. Collins (David Bamber), Mr. Bingley (Crispin Bonham-Carter) and Mr. Wickham (Adrian Lukis), who all look drastically different--and younger--without their period costumes and hairstyles. One producer recalls that casting Colin Firth in the role with which his name is now synonymous was not an easy feat: he auditioned having gained weight and dyed his hair blond for another role, looking like "an unmade bed." Even Firth's own brother doubted his ability to pull off the dashing Darcy: "Isn't he supposed to be sexy?"

The special features also include a walking tour of the shooting locations with Lukis and Briers and an A&E Biography episode on Jane Austen that focuses largely on the onslaught of mid-1990s film adaptations of her novels. If it's your first time purchasing Pride & Prejudice, this collector's edition is a nice one to own. But if you already own the movie, you're not missing out on anything here. --Ellen A. Kim

Beyond Pride and Prejudice

So you'd like to... Watch a Jane Austen Novel
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Stills from Pride and Prejudice (click for larger image)

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Cary Grant was on the cusp of stardom when he made the five Paramount films included in this nicely priced Screen Legend Collection. You won't find any classics here, but this entertaining collection makes it clear that Grant's beloved screen persona was developing quickly. Paramount executive B.P. Schulberg had signed 28-year-old Grant to a five-year contract in 1932, and the British-born actor had already appeared in 15 films by the time he appeared in 1934's Thirty Day Princess, the first and arguably best feature in this three-disc set. Cowritten by Preston Sturges and bearing familiar trademarks of Sturges's later screwball classics, the plot finds newspaper publisher Grant falling for a visiting princess (Sylvia Sidney), only to discover that his affections are wrapped up in a breezy case of mistaken identity. Sidney plays two roles with seamless elegance (including impressive split-screen scenes in which she appears with herself), and Grant's suave demeanor is employed to good effect. The little-known gem Kiss and Make-Up was released barely two months later in 1934, with Grant in Paris as a Max Factor-like cosmetics mogul who marries a glamorous former client (Genevieve Tobin) but finds true love with his faithful secretary (Helen Mack) when he comes to his senses. The great character actor Edward Everett Horton costars as Mack's would-be suitor, giving this overlooked comedy an additional boost of amusement.

Description

With help from Martha Stewart, planning your perfect wedding is easy. Martha's Complete Weddings is a must-have four-disc DVD collection for any bride-to-be. Everything a bride needs to know ... from bouquets to cakes, from wedding gowns to honeymoon destinations ... is here in a comprehensive set. Let Martha's renowned elegance, imagination, and attention to detail inspire you to make your special day the perfect day.

DVD Features:
DVD ROM Features:Seasonal Flowers Guest Boutonnieres Bouquet Basics Choosing Your Bouquet Three Perfect Bows
DVD ROM Features
DVD ROM Features
DVD ROM Features:Favors Place Cards Ceremony Tosses 50 Ways to Trim Your Budget Planning Your Honeymoon Wedding Workbook

Bing Crosby: Screen Legend Collection (Double or Nothing / East Side of Heaven / Here Come the Waves / If I Had My Way / Waikiki Wedding)

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Bing Crosby: Screen Legend Collection (Double or Nothing / East Side of Heaven / Here Come the Waves / If I Had My Way / Waikiki Wedding)
Starring: Bing Crosby , Martha Raye , Andy Devine , Mary Carlisle , and William Frawley
Director: Theodore Reed , Frank Tuttle , and David Butler
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Cary Grant: Screen Legend Collection (Big Brown Eyes / Kiss and Make Up / Thirty Day Princess / Wedding Present / Wings in the Dark)
The Alice Faye Collection (That Night in Rio / Lillian Russell / On the Avenue / The Gang's All Here)
Rock Hudson Screen Legend Collection (The Golden Blade / Has Anybody Seen My Gal? / The Last Sunset / The Spiral Road / A Very Special Favor)
Best Foot Forward
TCM Archives - Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Vol. 1 (Waterloo Bridge 1931 / Baby Face / Red-Headed Woman)

ASIN: B000HA4WRU
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Amazon.com

You may think you're a Bing Crosby fan, but if all you know is Holiday Inn, The Bells of St. Mary's, or the On the Road movies, brother, you only know half the story. Crosby had a rich, long film career, and this collection features some of the best of Der Bingle's lesser-known films: Waikiki Wedding, Double or Nothing , East Side of Heaven, If I Had My Way, and Here Come the Waves. All showcase Crosby's easygoing persona and, of course, plenty of crooning. Waikiki Wedding, for instance, costars Martha Raye, Anthony Quinn, and Shirley Ross, and features the Oscar-winning song "Sweet Leilani" and "Blue Hawaii." The premise of Double or Nothing could be a modern-day reality competition, with four people, including Raye again, feverishly trying to double their inheritance within a 30-day window. East Side of Heaven costars the always appealing Joan Blondell and showcases Crosby at his bemused best as a cabbie with an abandoned baby on his hands, trying desperately (and with a few showtunes) to find the infant's parents. In If I Had My Way, Crosby's a blue-collar worker who helps an orphan girl (Gloria Jean) find her long-lost uncle, and delivers a show-stopping version of the title song. And Here Come the Waves has Crosby as a popular songster enlisting and creating havoc in the Navy, falling for twins (played by Betty Hutton) and singing classics like "That Old Black Magic" and "Ac-cent-u-ate the Positive" (the latter, unfortunately, in blackface). The collection is a great cross-section of Crosby's career and shouldn't be missed by fans of him or of American film in the '40s. --A.T. Hurley

The Wedding Planner/My Best Friend's Wedding

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The Wedding Planner/My Best Friend's Wedding
Starring: Julia Roberts , Dermot Mulroney , Cameron Diaz , Rupert Everett , and Philip Bosco
Director: P.J. Hogan , and Adam Shankman
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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Maid in Manhattan / Fools Rush In
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (Widescreen Edition)
Runaway Bride
Never Been Kissed
My Big Fat Greek Wedding

ASIN: B000CCBCBC
Release Date: 2006-01-31

The Martha Stewart Wedding Collection - Martha's Wedding Ideas

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The Martha Stewart Wedding Collection - Martha's Wedding Ideas
Starring: Martha Stewart
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000CNESTY
Release Date: 2006-02-14

Description

Martha showcases some of her wedding favorites to inspire brides as they begin to plan their special day. Discover how to create some of the world's most beautiful floral bouquets and centerpieces. Learn the essentials for finding the perfect bridal gown, and find everything you need to organize a successful wedding reception. From elegant cakes to personalized invitations and thank-you notes, this is an introduction to planning a wedding that every soon-to-be bride should have.

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Lord Peter Wimsey - The Nine Tailors
Starring: Ian Carmichael , Glyn Houston , Keith Drinkel , Elizabeth Proud , and Anne Blake
Director: Raymond Menmuir
Manufacturer: Acorn Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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Detectives | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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Lord Peter Wimsey - Five Red Herrings
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Lord Peter Wimsey - Clouds of Witness
Dorothy L. Sayers Mysteries (The Lord Peter Wimsey-Harriet Vane Collection - Strong Poison / Have His Carcass / Gaudy Night)

ASIN: B00005NFYL
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Amazon.com

Devotees of Dorothy L. Sayers's impeccable sleuth, Lord Peter Wimsey, will want to pour themselves "two large whiskeys" to toast the release of this 1974 miniseries based on one of Sayers's most popular novels. Ian Carmichael stars in his signature role as the future aristocratic detective, who, as a young soldier en route to the battlefield, becomes embroiled in "a very distressing story." Someone has stolen "a king's ransom" in uninsured emeralds from the estate of Sir Charles (Desmond Llewelyn, better known to James Bond fans as "Q") on the night of his son's wedding. No mystery here: In this case, the butler really did do it. But that's only the beginning in a puzzler that will span 20 years, when Wimsey inadvertently returns to the scene of the crime and steps into some "damn bad business" involving a recently discovered mutilated body. He discovers at the bottom of a well and in a church tower baffling clues that harken back to that fateful robbery and the still-missing jewels. The nine tailors, by the way, refers to nine church bells and the arcane tradition of change ringing. This entry in the Wimsey series offers the usual pleasures of splendid acting, colorful characters, and intriguing story. We also get to see how Bunter became Wimsey's faithful manservant. Suffice to say, The Nine Tailors will really ring your bell. --Donald Liebenson

Description

Ian Carmichael stars as Dorothy L. Sayers' aristocratic detective in the most requested title in this phenomenally popular mystery series. Fans call The Nine Tailors not just Sayers' best novel but "one of the great novels of the century." Lord Peter finds himself caught up in a case involving a mutilated corpse, a 20-year-old jewel robbery, an outbreak of Spanish influenza and a set of nine church bells.

Robert Altman Collection (M*A*S*H / A Perfect Couple / Quintet / A Wedding)

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Robert Altman Collection (M*A*S*H / A Perfect Couple / Quintet / A Wedding)
Starring: Paul Newman , Vittorio Gassman , Fernando Rey , Bibi Andersson , and Brigitte Fossey
Director: Robert Altman
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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A Prairie Home Companion

ASIN: B000E6ESFS
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Description

Episode Description: Disc 1 "MASH (single disc)": Rating: R Audio: English: Stereo & Mono / French: Mono Subtitled: English & Spanish Special Features: Commentary with Robert Altman, AMC Backstory Featurette, Still Gallery and Theatrical Trailer

Disc 2 "A Perfect Couple": Rating: PG Audio: English: Stereo / Spanish: Mono Subtitled: English & Spanish Special Features: Perspective on Altman's Perfect Couple, Theatrical Trailer, Fox Flix: A Wedding, Quintet, & MASH

Disc 3 "Quintet": Rating: R Audio: English: Mono & Stereo / French: Mono / Spanish: Mono Subtitled: English & Spanish Special Features: Developing the World of Quintet, Theatrical Trailer, Fox Flix: A Wedding, A Perfect Couple, & MASH

Disc 4 "A Wedding": Rating: PG Audio: English: Stereo / French: Mono / Spanish: Mono Subtitles: English & Spanish Special Features: A Wedding Altman Style, Theatrical Trailer, & Fox Flix: Quintet, A Perfect Couple, & MASH

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