Last week I promised I’d try to blog about the writing life. I’m really glad I said “try” because this week I want to talk about movies, not writing. Yesterday I saw “Pride & Prejudice” for the third time. Now that I’m something of an expert on the movie, I feel qualified to make the following controversial statement: “P&P” is the best love story movie ever.

What about “Casablanca”? “Gone with the Wind”? “Doctor Zhivago”? “Wuthering Heights”? Oh, I hear you screaming out there. I know what you’re saying. How can some upstart of a movie trump these classics? I’m glad you asked and I’m happy to tell you. “P&P” wins, hands down, for the following reason:

It has a happy ending.

That’s right. We get all the suffering, angst and longing of a great love story AND a happy ending. There’s Darcy and Elizabeth exchanging that electric first glance at a dance. There’s the unhappy couple getting off on the wrong foot and misunderstanding each other completely when we know that Elizabeth’s light and laughter is exactly what dour Darcy needs. Even better, this movie overflows with subtext. See all the yearning glances. Note Darcy’s subtle but powerful reaction when he touches Lizzie’s hand for the first time. Watch Lizzie steal a moment to recover after their dance together.

And what about the thrilling conflict? This movie couple can never quite manage to be on the same page at the same time. Just when Darcy works up the nerve to propose, Lizzie is convinced he’s a cruel manipulator for breaking up Jane and Bingley. The scene where they argue in the rain and say exactly the most hurtful things to each other breaks my heart every time. But even as they’re hurling accusations, they’re swaying closer, nearly drunk with longing.

And even though we don’t see how these two can ever work it out, they do. A blissful, fifty-year marriage is clearly in this couple’s future.

Take that, Scarlett and Rhett.

I’ll give you “When Harry Met Sally”. But can a love story ever be as fabulous when the heroine wears jeans and a turtleneck?

“P&P” has it all. Compelling characters, including the numerous secondary characters, beautiful scenery and great music. And it’s really, really funny. On top of all that, the hero is everything he should be: misunderstood, strong, moody, a little manipulative and, best of all, desperately in love.

So I’m comfortable with my opinion.

And after I see the movie another time or two, I’ll go back to my work in progress and attempt the impossible task of creating characters as memorable and timeless as Austen’s Darcy and Elizabeth.

Oh, wait. I guess the blog had something to do with writing after all.