Mansfield Park (Ws)

I was not really impressed with this adaptation. It did not follow the book all that well, and tried to mix elements of Jane Austen's letters and other writings into the story -- it did not work well. Much like one of the other reviewers, I was unimpressed with their interpretation of Austen's novel, while it is implied in the novel that Maria and Henry have not been behaving, in the movie Fanny walks in on them. Too the novel hints at slaves being the source of the family''s wealth, but here it is brought to the front and Fanny even finds a book of incredibly graphic drawings of how the slaves are treated (everything from rape to execution to shackles to general working conditions are shown). Good story (thanks to Austen) but not depicted all that well here.

I liked this movie, based on Jane Austen's novel, but I wish they hadn't tried to bring it up to date, simply by being explicit. In the book, the scandalous affair is only alluded to when they read about the separation in the social papers. In the movie, Fanny walks in on them in bed.
Also, although slavery is hinted at; "Human cargo", and "business in the West Indies", they instead have Fanny discover graphic drawings of abuses of slaves. Since Jane Austen seemed to avoid the topic, I think the movie would have been better if it would have stayed true to the book.
Also, while Edmund is a great guy, and all, he is her first cousin! EEWW! I know they did that back then, but I say again, EEWW!
It's interesting that Fanny seems to have always loved Edmund, since he would listen to the things she wrote, but she begins to be drawn in by Henry Crawford. Henry does seem to be okay at times, like when he visits her parents' home, and gives her the gift of doves, which remind her of the story she read to him.
In typical Jane Austen style, she shows a lot of the pretense and false motives in the higher social circles. Although Fanny is a relative, she's treated like a slave and is given an unheated room in the attic when she comes to live with them. Her mother's sister is especially condescending to her.
I don't really get why so much of the book/movie was wasted on the play they staged, except to show the idleness of their lives, and to have them get in trouble for it when the patriarch comes home unannounced (although they are adults). It also showed Miss Crawford's designs on Edmund, and brought out Fanny's true feelings for him. So, I guess I do see why it was there, after all.
Not my favourite of Jane Austen's stories, but it was okay.

This movie was quite good, as long as you really like Jane Austen and her novels, if you dont I wouldnt reccomend it. It is a very good adaptation of the book, and makes it make much more sense, if your not so good with the old english and the style of Austens writing, everything falls into place when you watch the movie. Highly reccomend it if you love Jane Austen.