Product Details

• Actors: Robert Burbage, Susan Edmonstone, Nicholas Farrell, Gorden Kaye, Sylvestra Le Touzel
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 2
• Studio: BBC Warner
• VHS Release Date: July 7, 2000
• Run Time: 261 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (73 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00004WG2W
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #28,701 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

In 1983, the BBC made this 261-minute miniseries from Jane Austen's novel Mansfield Park. Austen explores the well-tread theme of class distinction and the triumph of love, but Fanny Price (Sylvestra Le Touzel) is an original Austen creation. Fanny, from a large and poor family, is taken into the home of her wealthy uncle and aunt, the stoic Sir Thomas Bertram (Bernard Hepton) and the childlike Lady Bertram (Angela Pleasence, daughter of actor Donald). Also residing at the posh Bertram mansion are the oldest son, irresponsible Tom (Christopher Villiers), distant Julia (Liz Crowther), and the kindly Edmund (Nicholas Farrell).

If you can get past Le Touzel's odd mannerism of making little chopping movements with her open-palmed hand for emphasis, this is a faithful adaptation of the novel. It's much slower than Northanger Abbey and lacks some of the passionate drama of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, but it still depicts a strong yet very kind heroine who stands up for what she believes in. When popular philanderer Henry Crawford (Robert Burbage) actually falls for and proposes to Fanny, she rejects him, much to the surprise and disdain of the Bertrams--except, of course, for our hero Edmund. For trivia buffs: Jonny Lee Miller, who plays young Charles Price (one of Fanny's brothers), has the role of Edmund Bertram in the 1999 theatrical version of Mansfield Park. --N.F. Mendoza

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

74 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding adaptation of Mansfield Park., February 27, 2001

By	April Kempler (Reno, NV USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It is very true to the storyline, which is something I really appreciated! This movie is more suited to those who love Jane Austen's Fanny Price just the way she is, which, is a very morally upright person, who will not be persuaded against her better judgement. This story proves that simply because a person comes from a wealthy background, they dress right, they speak correctly, and they look good, this does not make them a virtuous and upright individual. Some people will not like this movie based on the fact that it does not appeal visually. Please look beyond the fact that the actors are not glamorous. This is a great movie and should be placed in it's rightful place next to Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility, and Persuasion. The actors capture the qualities that Jane Austen created for her characters. This movie is for the fan of everything Jane Austen.

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's worth 5 stars to me..., April 7, 2001

By	Betty Smedley (Canoga Park, California USA) - See all my reviews

This version of Mansfield Park is worth 5 stars to me, but it will not appeal to everyone. For it is not a glossy big-screen-adaption which trades Jane Austen's genius for something else. I saw it on television during a Jane Austen marathon about 5 years ago, and have been hoping to find this video ever since. At first I was not impressed, but I kept watching it because I am such a Jane Austen fan. Gradually I became hooked. All the actors looked so real. The actress who plays Fanny Price is especially interesting. She is not movie star beautiful, but she has the eyes and complexion of a nineteeth century doll. She uses her looks to portray the Fanny I imagined; the Fanny who is the antithesis of Elizabeth Bennet. On the other hand, the actress who plays Mary Crawford is beautiful but her looks are almost spoiled by the awful (yet historically accurate) wig she is made to wear. More importantly, her Mary Crawford is true to Austen, and with my modern sensibilities, I liked her very much. The other actors are also adept. I am very much looking forward to owning this video. I know I will watch it again and again, just as I read the book again and again.

46 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just the way I imagined it!, July 11, 2001

By	jumpy1 (New York, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Contrary to the other reviewers, I find this version of Mansfield Park is exactly how I imagined it when I read it. I wonder what the others were expecting in a poor girl at the mercy of difficult relatives? And, did they expect it to be more romantic? I found the acting to be exactly what I'd expect for people of the type Jane Austen described in her book. Especially in England at that time. This is not a happy book, by and large. Perhaps the readers imposed their own world onto Ms. Austen's prose when they read it. Perhaps they are not aware of the difficulties of daily life, even for the leisure class, at that time. I've watched it many times, and showed it to my friends and sisters, and we all love it!