| Director | Julian Jarrold |
|---|---|
| Budget | $16.5 million |
| Box office | $39.4 million |
Jane Austen is the youngest daughter of Reverend George Austen and his wife Cassandra, who have yet to find a suitable husband for her. She aspires to be a writer, to the dismay of her mother and proud delight of her father.
Thomas Lefroy is a promising lawyer with a bad reputation, which he describes as "typical" for lawyers, and is sent to live in the country by his uncle to calm him down. There he makes a terrible first impression upon meeting Jane, when he nearly falls asleep while she gives a reading of her work. Overhearing his subsequent criticism, Jane cannot stand the arrogant Irishman.
Meanwhile, Jane turns down the affections of other men, including Mr. Wisley, the nephew and heir of the wealthy Lady Gresham. He proposes but she ultimately rejects him due to her lack of affection for him. The mischievous Tom encounters Jane again; they argue but increasingly take interest in each other and he demonstrates that he takes Jane's literary aspirations seriously. In time they fall in love.
Tom, Jane, her brother Henry and Jane's rich widowed cousin Eliza, Comtesse de Feullide, conspire to receive an invitation from Tom's great uncle and benefactor, the Lord Chief Judge Langlois, for the rich "Madame La Comtesse" and her friends. This visit to London is meant to be a short break in their journey to see Jane's brother Edward, and would allow Judge Langlois to get to know Jane and give a blessing for their marriage.
Full of hope, Jane cannot sleep during the night at the Judge's place. In a flow of inspiration, she then begins writing First Impressions, the manuscript that will become Pride and Prejudice. However, Judge Langlois receives a letter informing him of the genteel poverty of Jane's family.
The judge refuses to give Tom his blessing, declaring that he would rather he be the whoremonger he had been than allow him to live in poverty due to a bad marriage. When Tom tells Jane that he cannot marry her she is crushed, not knowing that Tom has a legitimate reason; his family depends on him financially.
Jane returns home and soon learns that Tom has become engaged to someone else, arranged by his family. Her sister Cassandra learns that her fiancé Robert Fowler has died of yellow fever while stationed abroad. Then Jane accepts the marriage proposal of Mr. Wisley, who had not lost hope that she would change her mind.
Later, Tom realises he cannot live without Jane and returns, asking Jane to run away with him, for "What value will there be in life, if we are not together?" Jane agrees, and they leave, with only Jane's older sister, Cassandra, knowing they plan to elope. On the way, Jane stumbles upon a letter from Tom's mother, and realizes his situation: he sends money he receives from his uncle back to his parents and siblings, and they cannot survive without it.
Jane tells Tom that they cannot elope, not with so many people depending upon him. He insists they must marry, promising he will earn money. Jane knows, but fears that it will not be enough; too many depend on him, so dares not make an enemy of his High Court judge uncle. Distraught, Tom asks her if she loves him, and she replies, "Yes, but if our love destroys your family, then it will destroy itself, in a long, slow degradation of guilt and regret and blame."
Jane returns home and receives a proposal from John Warren. She declines, and suddenly realises he was the one who wrote to the Judge and denied her chances of happiness. Lady Gresham informs Jane that Mr. Wisley is withdrawing his proposal, but they talk afterwards and part as friends.
Twenty years later, Jane, now a successful author and unmarried by choice, sees Tom during a gathering. Henry, now married to Eliza, brings Tom to her. He introduces his eldest daughter, who admires her novels, so asks Jane to do a reading.
As Jane rarely does so, Tom remonstrates with his daughter calling her by name - which is also Jane. Astonished that he named his eldest after her, Jane agrees to her request. The last scene shows Tom's daughter sitting by her as she reads aloud from Pride and Prejudice, while Tom watches Jane affectionately. As she concludes, their eyes meet and he joins the rest of the company in honoring Jane and her work with applause.