Mansfield Park (DVD, 2000)

This fun and sexy version of Jane Austen's "Mansfield Park" continues to be my favorite. Though not as detailed as the lengthy BBC earlier version, the cast is excellent and easy on the eyes. The new 2007 version makes a good movie but is disjointed in the storytelling. Fanny Price is this (2000) version is witty and beautiful, and often speaks her mind when confronted with her inferiority. For those who have not read Mansfield Park, some scenes may seem confusing or vague, especially the significance the play "Lover's Vows" and Mr. Crawford and Maria's flirtation. Read the book or listen to the audio version and then view this DVD with new enlightenment and enjoyment.

I love a good love story,so if you like happy endings, this is the film for you. The main character, Fanny Price, is a poor girl sent to live with rich relatives. She falls in love with Edmund,the son of a wealthy land owner. This movie follows her struggles with fitting in and following her heart. Based on the novel by Jane Austen.

I had rented this before reading the novel by Austen. On its own, it is entertaining and a well made movie movie. But, if compared to the novel...well, the director added "Based on the novel, letters and diaries of Jane Austen" for a reason! It embellishes - and that is being kind - and removes major characters (Fanny's brother William, for one!). Added to the plot are references to the slave trade and its connection to Sir Thomas's holdings in Antigua, completely changing our opinion of his character, and a diversion from the story itself. Maybe Jane Austen was an abolitionist, but she didn't mention this in her novel and I feel it is too distracting from her intent of the book, due its strong content. The length of the novel must have presented a major problem for condensing into a movie, but to add plot at the expense of character development and entire characters was a poor choice.

In summary - Austen fans and purists will hate this movie or at the least find it frustrating. People who like historically based romance movies will like it. And if you are both, then ignore that it is supposed to be based on the Austen novel.

This is my favorite version of Mansfield Park. Besides having a stellar cast (Francis O'Connor, Embeth Davidtz, Jonny Lee Miller, Justine Waddell, James Purefoy<YUM>, and MORE!), it really captures the humor of Austen's novel. Of course being a big budget production and a feature length film, it doesn't stick to the novel as well as the BBC does, but it's one of the movies I can watch over and over! If your a fan of Austen WATCH THIS FILM!

love this movie and all of jane austen's works in general. another great film besides one of the many modeled after one of her books is becoming jane, though not entirely true still a great example of the time period she wrote in.