Mansfield Park (2007) (TV)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Iain B. MacDonald

Writer:

Maggie Wadey (written by)

Release Date:

27 January 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

At age 10, Fanny Price is sent by her destitute mother to live with her aunt and uncle, Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram...

Plot Keywords:

Uncle | Clergyman | Aunt | Family Relationships | Horse Riding

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Julia Joyce	...	Young Fanny
Jemma Redgrave	...	Lady Bertram
Douglas Hodge	...	Sir Thomas Bertram
Maggie O'Neill	...	Mrs. Norris
Tara Berwin	...	Young Maria
Lucy Hurst	...	Young Julia
Zachary Elliott-Hatton	...	Young Tom
Greg Sheffield	...	Young Edmund
Billie Piper	...	Fanny Price
Blake Ritson	...	Edmund Bertram
James D'Arcy	...	Tom Bertram
Michelle Ryan	...	Maria Bertram
Rory Kinnear	...	Rushworth
Catherine Steadman	...	Julia Bertram
Hayley Atwell	...	Mary Crawford

Runtime:

120 min (including commercials) | Finland:88 min (excluding commercials)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Certification:

Finland:K-3

Filming Locations:

Newby Hall, Skelton on Ure, North Yorkshire, England, UK

Company:

Company Pictures

Trivia:

The red print gown worn by Hayley Atwell (Mary Crawford) is the same costume worn by Susan Fleetwood (Lady Russell) at the party at Camden Place in Persuasion (1995), Catherine Bigg in The Real Jane Austen (2002) (TV), Sheila Gish (Mrs.Norris) while Fanny reads the newspaper aloud in Mansfield Park (1999), a guest at a London ball in Byron (2003) (TV), Elizabeth Devonport to dinner in "The Regency House Party" (2004), Daisy Haggard (Anne Steele) to the London ball in "Sense & Sensibility" (2008), and Alex Kingston (Mrs.Bennet) in "Lost in Austen" (2008).

Movie Connections:

Version of Mansfield Park (1999)

Soundtrack:

Tythe Pig

Don't bother, it's not worth it

This is the worst adaptation of 'Mansfield Park' I have ever seen, even worse than the 1999 film version. I struggle to see how it could even be described as an 'adaptation', being only very (and I mean very) loosely based on Jane Austen's plot and characters. At best, this is 'inspired' by the story of 'Mansfield Park' and I'm sorry to say that it's barely recognisable to the original.

I like Billie Piper. I enjoyed her in 'Doctor Who' and do think she is an aspiring actress. However, I'm sorry to say that she is completely miscast as the lead in this, and when I first heard that she would be playing Fanny Price I thought it was a joke. What were the writers thinking? Billie is the polar opposite to her character, both in looks and sensibility. One reason why this novel is so difficult to adapt for a 21st century audience is that the character of the heroine is, by modern standards, incredibly dull. She's a product of the time in which she was written and is meant to be humble, pious, respectful and not in the least bit outspoken or inappropriate. Many modern adaptations feel the need to shake up the story and make Fanny Price more like Elizabeth Bennet which is exactly what they've done here. The writers have also completely disregarded issues of 18th century etiquette and fashion - Billie as Fanny runs around permanently bareheaded (which simply wouldn't have happened then, Fanny would have worn a bonnet in public) and with her hair all loose and flowing (which looks pretty but still wouldn't have happened in the 18th century - it would have been tied up and styled in some way).

But essentially it's the plot that I objected to - where was it? Nothing happened. Also, I'm guessing this must have been a budget adaptation as they could clearly only afford to buy one set. Every happened either in the sitting room or the garden. The ball that is thrown in Fanny's honour in the book is here transformed into a summer picnic on the lawn. In addition, a key event in the story involves Fanny going back to Portsmouth to visit her parents, something that makes her realise that perhaps life at Mansfield Park is not so bad in comparison with where she would have otherwise grown up, and that helps her to discover a sense of her own identity. In this adaptation, Fanny is simply left home alone at Mansfield while the rest of the family go off somewhere, which merely results in her feeling (shock horror) lonely and rejected – and viewers like me suspecting that the producers didn't have much money. What was the point of that? Bravo Blake Ritson. You were the best thing in this and were the only one who bared a passing resemblance to the character you were playing. Other than that, it looks pretty, Billie Piper puts in a spirited performance and it's not unlike 'Cinderella' in many ways. Kids and young teenagers would probably love it, but anyone aged about 15 and over, with even a slight acquaintance with Jane Austen's work would do well to avoid.

5/10.