<P> Donald Sutherland reminded Wright of his own father and was cast as the Bennet patriarch; Wright thought the actor possessed the "strength to handle those six women". Brenda Blethyn was hired to play Mrs Bennet, whom Moggach believed to be the unsung heroine of the film; Wright explained that it was "a tricky part (to fill), as she can be very annoying; you want to stop her chattering and shrieking . But Brenda has the humour and the heart to show the amount of love and care Mrs Bennet has for her daughters ." Wright convinced veteran actress Judi Dench to join the cast as Lady Catherine de Bourgh by writing her a letter that read "I love it when you play a bitch . Please come and be a bitch for me ." Dench had only one week available to shoot her scenes, forcing Wright to make them his first days of filming . </P> <P> Known for her BAFTA award - winning work on the 2004 film Vera Drake, Jacqueline Durran was hired as the costume designer . She and Wright approached his film "as a difficult thing to tackle" because of their desire to distinguish it from the television adaptation . Due to Wright's dislike of the high waistline, Durran focused on later eighteenth century fashions that often included a corseted, natural waistline rather than an empire silhouette (which became popular after the 1790s). A generational divide was established: the older characters dress in mid-eighteenth century fashions while the young wear "a sort of proto - Regency style of hair and dress". Mrs Bennet was of the older generation, and her dresses appeared to have been mended . </P> <P> Durran's costumes also helped emphasise social rank among the different characters; Caroline Bingley for instance is introduced in an empire silhouetted dress, clothing that would have then been at the height of fashion . During her interview, Durran opined that all the women wear white at the Netherfield Ball due to its contemporary popularity, an idea that Wright credits as his reason for hiring her . All of the costumes were handmade, as clothing was at the time . However, costumes and hairstyles were adjusted to appeal to contemporary audiences, sacrificing historical accuracy . </P> <P> To help differentiate the Bennet sisters, Durran viewed Elizabeth as the "tomboy", clothing her in earthy colours because of her love of the countryside . For the other sisters, Durran remarked, "Jane was the most refined and yet it's still all a bit slapdash and homemade, because the Bennets have no money . One of the main things Joe wanted was for the whole thing to have a provincial feel . Mary is the bluestocking: serious and practical . And then Lydia and Kitty are a bit Tweedledum and Tweedledee in a kind of teenage way . I tried to make it so that they'd be sort of mirror images . If one's wearing a green dress, the other will wear a green jacket; so you always have a visual asymmetry between the two ." In contrast to the 1940 film, the 2005 production displayed the Bennet sisters in worn - down but comfortable dresses that allowed the actors better moveability . </P>

What town does pride and prejudice take place