For those of you who absolutely loved Mansfield Park, the book, and are hopeless Jane Austen purists this movie will probably disappoint you. If on the other hand, you are like me and are a devoted fan of Jane Austen and a purist about everything else Jane Austen, yet for some reason you didn't especially love Mansfield Park, then you will enjoy this movie. The main characters, Fanny, Edmund, Henry, and Mariah, are extremely well cast and are very good actors and actresses. Fanny's character is a fair bit more decided and strong than in the book, but I was always inclined to think her a little lacking in spine. It follows the main storyline fairly well, only getting a few things at the end rearranged.One thing that they brought into this movie which I wasn't sure belonged in a Jane Austen movie was a sort of abolitionist view point on Edmund, Fanny and Tom's part. Though it was very true that the Bertram's lived off of the slave's labor in in Antigua this aspect of the movie didn't really make it feel period to me, it felt more like it was set in the 1800's.
So, If you were like me and thought that the book drug on for ever and wrapped up in the last chapter,then you will probably enjoy this movie.
October 16, 2008If one knows the novel, one supposes this to be a major disappointment. I will leave it to those in the know to make the final judgment of this movie as an accurate interpretation of the original. As a post-modern deconstruction, that is, as a director's version, if you will, of the original, it seems to me this can be evaluated on its own terms. Does it work? Is it entertaining? Is it enlightening? To these question, my answer is yes. I found the explicit references to the slave trade valid if not faithful to Austen. This is a 20th century artist's take on an injustice wrongly neglected. Tying the English country life to the source of its wealth strikes me as valid. Dramatically, it works as an explanation for the son's torment and for the father's guilt. Harold Pinter, by the way, is fantastic. The Nobel-winning playwright makes a rare appearance, offering a wonderful glimpse into this fine actor's talents. I found all of the performances convincing. I especially loved seeing Lindsey Duncan playing two roles, that of the wayward sister, strapped with a loser husband and a house full of crying babies and that of the aristocratic drug addict lying about the country house being waited on hand and foot. No doubt there will be a better version one day, but this one does a fine job of drawing modern audiences to what must be the director's chief claim, which is that Austen is an exciting author worthy of multiple interpretations.
September 30, 2008I purchased this because I like Jane Austin movies. It is a good movie. I was disappointed with the sexual content. It could have been much less - because of it there are several of my friends that I would not recommend this movie to.
August 29, 2008I would have given this zero stars if I could. This is a travesty of Jane Austen - it has little to do with her and more to do with the inanities of the box office.
August 23, 2008Jane Austen has always been one of my favorite authors. I feel that she provides a good picture of the society and manners of the period. I have read and reread her books and have viewed as many versions of the movies made about her books as I can. This is the best version of Mansfield Park I have seen. It is a fairly close to the book.
August 17, 2008More reviews at Amazon.com ...
Daily Birthdays
(319 reviews)
