The Complete Jane Austen: Mansfield Park
Mmmm....one day James D'Arcy will be cast as a lead in one of these period pieces. But then, I'm a leetle shallow and he won me over in Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World. Anywho, Mansfield Park. Yet another new adaptation where we have the heroine running around for no apparent reason than to make her seem lively. O_O And this is Fanny Price who's probably Austen's quietest protagonist and who's supposed to have delicate health. Barring that, I did like that they emphasized her quietness among the family--the one they turn to to sort out their thoughts and feelings, the one who's able to provide comfort because of her serenity and sense. I particularly liked the scene where Sir Thomas is reading the letter from London about Maria and Henry Crawford and Fanny walks in. The scene was executed well with Sir Thomas' realization of what he has in Fanny, and how she was right about Henry Crawford, all the while trying to come to terms with his failure as a parent--it was nicely done. I also liked the scene where William gives Fanny the cross. There we finally get a glimpse of what the siblings mean to one another. I was also thrilled to see that Joseph Morgan was cast as William (another actor from Master & Commander who impressed me in that film).
However, I really missed the Sotherton Court and Portsmouth sections of the novel. Although they did work in portions of those sections into other scenes, having the whole of the action take place at Mansfield Park takes away, I think, from the importance of what the estate means to Fanny and how these excursions (especially the Portsmouth section) help her come to know herself better, and truly appreciate the Bertram family for who they are, imperfect as they may be. I suppose the benefit of omitting these sections, though, is keeping Fanny's experiences limited to the Park, keeping her purity of influence perhaps that much more pristine and intact. I wonder. I'm still not sure if it worked. Leaving her alone with her thoughts with only Henry Crawford dropping in draws no real contrast to the boisterous and financially strapped reality of her family's life in Portsmouth. How is she supposed to be impressed with the importance of Henry's proposal and the benefit it can be to the whole of her family, not just William, if she doesn't get the chance to see them. The memories of her 10 year old self are not enough to draw from, in my opinion.
Another minor WTF moment came at Fanny's coming out/birthday party. Why was this changed to a picnic?? A picnic, for all love! How would a ball have hindered their adaptation? This, and the Sotherton and Portsmouth omissions, just seemed like budgetary compromises. :/
And then there's the slightly more observant touch they gave Lady Bertram (kinda cool, especially at the end), and the not very sinister, toned down Mrs. Norris (*dramatic sigh*). Watering down one of the most detestable characters in all of literature is just plain sad in my book.
Mary Crawford though. WOW. Where did all her subtlety and manipulativeness go? She was very obvious and conniving throughout so that her final scene with Edmund just lacked that shocking bite.
All in all though, I don't think this was completely horrid. Maybe a 6/10. I don't know; what do you all think?
However, I really missed the Sotherton Court and Portsmouth sections of the novel. Although they did work in portions of those sections into other scenes, having the whole of the action take place at Mansfield Park takes away, I think, from the importance of what the estate means to Fanny and how these excursions (especially the Portsmouth section) help her come to know herself better, and truly appreciate the Bertram family for who they are, imperfect as they may be. I suppose the benefit of omitting these sections, though, is keeping Fanny's experiences limited to the Park, keeping her purity of influence perhaps that much more pristine and intact. I wonder. I'm still not sure if it worked. Leaving her alone with her thoughts with only Henry Crawford dropping in draws no real contrast to the boisterous and financially strapped reality of her family's life in Portsmouth. How is she supposed to be impressed with the importance of Henry's proposal and the benefit it can be to the whole of her family, not just William, if she doesn't get the chance to see them. The memories of her 10 year old self are not enough to draw from, in my opinion.
Another minor WTF moment came at Fanny's coming out/birthday party. Why was this changed to a picnic?? A picnic, for all love! How would a ball have hindered their adaptation? This, and the Sotherton and Portsmouth omissions, just seemed like budgetary compromises. :/
And then there's the slightly more observant touch they gave Lady Bertram (kinda cool, especially at the end), and the not very sinister, toned down Mrs. Norris (*dramatic sigh*). Watering down one of the most detestable characters in all of literature is just plain sad in my book.
Mary Crawford though. WOW. Where did all her subtlety and manipulativeness go? She was very obvious and conniving throughout so that her final scene with Edmund just lacked that shocking bite.
All in all though, I don't think this was completely horrid. Maybe a 6/10. I don't know; what do you all think?