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Carole Mikita ReportingThe classic Jane Austen novel "Pride & Prejudice" has a modern retelling in a film that will have its world premiere in Utah. The movie is subtitled 'a latter-day comedy'; it is set in Utah and about Latter-day Saints, but the cast and crew are Hollywood professionals.
Few of us escaped high school English without reading 'Pride & Prejudice'. Fast forward more than 100 years to the latest film version set in Utah and about Mormons.
Kam Heskin is Elizabeth Bennett, hard-working college student and would-be novelist. Orlando Seale plays the mysterious, off-putting Mr. D'Arcy. Neither is a real life Latter-day Saint, but they say the producers found an intriguing link between the book's storyline and the culture here.
Orlando Seale, "Pride & Prejudice": "I think setting it here in Utah was a pretty clever decision on their part because it is a community that is not unique, but pretty unusual compared to the rest of the world even. And certainly it was also interesting for me as an outsider coming to that. To me it's sort of exotic, you know."
Already industry insiders are giving the film positive reviews. Variety Magazine calls it 'splendidly charming', Box Office Magazine says it is 'one of the most richly rewarding comedies of 2003'.
Heskin says not only does this film have multi-generational appeal but a nice message as well.
Kam Heskin, "Pride & Prejudice": "The whole thing is about pride and prejudice. And sometimes, you know, you gotta not be so judgmental about people and get to know them first. So, maybe if they take something away, that would be a good thing to take from this."
"Pride & Prejudice: a latter-day comedy" premieres at The Gateway Dec. 3rd, Wednesday night, then in theatres around the state, Friday, Dec. 5th.
