Pride and Prejudice (1940) in Color — Starring Greer Garson & Laurence Olivier

Pride and Prejudice (1940) — Buy This Classic in Color

Discover Pride and Prejudice, the 1940 romantic drama starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier, now available as a professionally colorized version. Own this classic movie in color as a DRM-free MP4 digital download for just €15.00.

Plot Summary

In early nineteenth-century England, the five Bennet sisters live with their well-meaning but hapless father and their marriage-obsessed mother, Mrs. Bennet, a woman of relentless nervous energy who views every unmarried man of fortune as a potential son-in-law and every social gathering as a battlefield in the campaign to secure her daughters’ futures before the family’s modest estate is lost to the entailment that will pass it to the odious Mr. Collins upon Mr. Bennet’s death. When the charming and wealthy Mr. Bingley arrives in the neighborhood and takes up residence at the grand Netherfield estate, accompanied by his haughty sisters and his proud, impossibly handsome, and seemingly arrogant friend Mr. Darcy, the entire community is electrified with anticipation and hopes rise to a fever pitch — particularly for the gentle and beautiful Jane, the eldest Bennet sister, and the spirited, quick-witted Elizabeth, the second eldest, whose intelligence and independence mark her as something genuinely extraordinary in this world of drawing rooms and dance cards. Bingley is immediately captivated by Jane’s beauty and sweet nature, but when the proud Mr. Darcy dismisses Elizabeth at a public dance and she overhears his cutting remarks about her family’s social position and lack of refinement, a fierce and crackling mutual antagonism develops between them — he wounded by her sharp tongue and refusal to be impressed by his wealth, she outraged by his insufferable arrogance and contempt for people she loves. Elizabeth is further prejudiced against Darcy by the smooth and charming Mr. Wickham, a dashing militia officer who tells her a carefully constructed tale of how Darcy cruelly deprived him of a promised inheritance, confirming every negative impression she has already formed. As misunderstandings multiply with devastating speed, Bingley is persuaded to abandon Jane, the foolish youngest Bennet sister Lydia creates a scandal that threatens to destroy the entire family’s reputation, and the insufferable Mr. Collins proposes to Elizabeth in a scene of exquisite comic agony, Elizabeth and Darcy must each confront the painful truth about themselves — his pride that blinds him to his own cruelty, her prejudice that prevents her from seeing the man beneath the cold exterior — to recognize the profound love that has been growing between them all along. This classic movie is a sparkling and endlessly entertaining adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved masterwork, brought to life with wit, elegance, and unforgettable performances.

Cast & Crew

Director: Robert Z. Leonard

Stars: Greer Garson, Laurence Olivier, Edna May Oliver, Edmund Gwenn, Mary Boland, Maureen O’Sullivan

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

Pride and Prejudice was originally filmed in black and white, its lavish MGM production design creating elegant period settings and gorgeous costumes that brought Austen’s world to life with the studio’s legendary attention to visual detail and production polish. This professionally colorized restoration brings new splendor and visual richness to every scene with frame-by-frame precision, from the manicured English gardens and sun-dappled country lanes where Elizabeth walks and thinks and argues with her own heart, to the grand ballrooms lit by hundreds of candles where wit and romance intertwine in the swirl of dancing couples, to the intimate drawing rooms where the subtle drama of glances, pauses, and carefully chosen words reveals everything the characters dare not say aloud. The colorization adds breathtaking visual richness to the sumptuous period costumes — the silks, satins, and laces of the ballroom gowns, the rich fabrics of Darcy’s gentleman’s attire, and the bright military uniforms of Wickham and his fellow officers — while revealing new beauty in the pastoral English landscapes that frame this timeless story of love and self-discovery. The colorized version preserves all the grace and sparkling wit of this restored classic film. Now also available in colour.

Buy Pride and Prejudice in color today for just €15.00. Your DRM-free MP4 download is available for instant access.

Historical Significance

Released in 1940, Pride and Prejudice was the first major Hollywood adaptation of Jane Austen’s most popular and enduringly beloved novel, bringing one of the greatest works of English literature to movie audiences around the world with the full resources of MGM’s legendary production machine behind it. Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier brought the iconic characters of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy to vivid, unforgettable life — Garson’s Elizabeth crackling with intelligence, warmth, and independent spirit, and Olivier’s Darcy burning with suppressed passion beneath a mask of aristocratic hauteur. The film won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction, recognizing the magnificent period sets that brought Austen’s Regency world to lavish visual life, though the costume department controversially chose to dress the characters in Victorian-era clothing rather than Regency fashions, a decision made to provide more visually dramatic silhouettes on screen. The screenplay was co-written by the celebrated novelist and playwright Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World, whose literary sensibility helped preserve the sparkling wit and psychological insight of Austen’s prose. The supporting cast features brilliant character actors including Edna May Oliver as the imperious Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Mary Boland as the hilariously hysterical Mrs. Bennet, performances that have become definitive interpretations of these beloved characters. Through modern colorization, this definitive and endlessly delightful literary adaptation reaches new audiences.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 digital download
• Resolution: HD restored
• Colorized: Professionally colorized from original black and white
• Audio: Original mono restored
• Runtime: Approximately 118 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — watch on any device
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: How faithful is this to Jane Austen’s novel?
A: The film captures the essential spirit, wit, and romantic tension of Austen’s story with remarkable fidelity, though some plot details were condensed for the screen. The most notable visual departure is the shift from Regency-era costumes to Victorian-era clothing, a deliberate artistic choice for visual impact.

Q: Is Laurence Olivier good as Mr. Darcy?
A: Olivier is widely considered one of the definitive and most iconic screen Darcys ever, bringing brooding intensity, suppressed passion, and eventual tenderness to the role. His chemistry with Greer Garson’s spirited Elizabeth remains one of classic Hollywood’s great screen pairings.

Q: Who wrote the screenplay?
A: The screenplay was co-written by the renowned novelist Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World, and Jane Murfin, bringing a genuinely literary sensibility to the adaptation of Austen’s masterwork that helped preserve the novel’s sparkling wit and psychological depth.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as an MP4 file that plays on virtually any device.

Q: Is there DRM on the file?
A: No. The download is completely DRM-free so you can watch it on any device without restrictions.

Q: How quickly can I watch after purchase?
A: Your download link is available instantly after payment, so you can start watching within minutes.

Related Colorized Classics

• The Valley of Decision (1945)
• Conquest (1937)
• Ladies of Leisure (1930)
• Unfaithfully Yours (1948)
• Penny Serenade (1941)