Which actor played Mr. Darcy in the 1940 film Pride and Prejudice?

Laurence Olivier played Mr. Darcy in the 1940 film Pride and Prejudice.

The MGM production starred Olivier opposite Greer Garson, who played Elizabeth Bennet. Directed by Robert Z. Leonard, it was an American adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel and was released in the United States on 26 July 1940. Olivier was already a major Shakespearean actor and brought considerable prestige to the role.

This version differs substantially from Austen’s book. Its screenplay was adapted from Helen Jerome’s stage version as well as the novel, and Hollywood altered several characters and situations. Mr. Collins, for example, became a librarian rather than a clergyman, while the archery scene was invented for the film. Costumes also moved the story toward a more flamboyant eighteenth-century look.

Viewers sometimes confuse Olivier with Colin Firth, Matthew Macfadyen or David Rintoul, all of whom played Darcy in later adaptations. Leslie Howard played Darcy in neither this film nor a major Austen adaptation; he is best known for roles such as Ashley Wilkes in Gone with the Wind.