Mansfield Park BBC very old adaptation…

The Mansfield Park adapatation starring Sylvestra Le Touzel as Fanny Price is from 1983!

Sometimes that feels like yesterday and then I realise it was over 40 years ago.

Nevertheless it's good to see all those actors in their youth or prime: Anna Massey, Angela Pleasance, Bernard Hepton, Nicholas Farrell, Samantha Bond etc.

The Mayor of Casterbridge is even older, from 1978, dramatised by Dennis Potter.

Just finished episode 1. So enjoyable.

I remember the Mayor of Casterbridge. I shall watch that next - if possible.

I much prefer the older series of almost any classical book, to anything done recently.

For example I much prefer the Pride and Prejudice dramatised by Fay Weldon and starring (I think) David Rintoul as Mr Darcy to the dreadful sexed up and marmelised version starring Colin Firth.

A book is a product of its period and that should be reflected in its dramatisation. It should not be sexed up ans generally restructured to reflect current changed attitudes, or to make it easy for young people to understand.

Saw this when it first aired ages ago. I didn’t think the main character was well cast at all, and TBH although I’m a great fan of the rest of JA’s novels, Mansfield Park is the last I’d ever choose to re read.

It's best to judge an adaptation on its own merits. Nobody is going to be Jane Austen so every production is of time.

of its time

Witzend

Saw this when it first aired ages ago. I didn’t think the main character was well cast at all, and TBH although I’m a great fan of the rest of JA’s novels, Mansfield Park is the last I’d ever choose to re read.

I enjoyed it because, as with the wonderful adaptation of Bleak House a few years ago, it was a story that I knew nothing about. I have to say that I found Fanny and Edmund totally dreary. Then again, reviews that I’ve read since, point out that the book isn’t actually about two central characters but about all of the inhabitants of Mansfield Park.

I watched it all as I love Jane Austen. Thankfully it stayed close to the book, but the acting was … actorly . Anna Massey was dreadful, terrible overacting.

Anna Massey is always Anna Massey isn’t she! In The Mayor of Casterbridge Alan Bates et al soon fell into their parts but Anna Massey was Anna Massey! I was amused by one scene in which Pug started struggling to get out of Mrs Bertram’s (sp) arms and for the rest of the scene you only saw peoples heads because Pug was probably running around causing havoc out of camera shot!p

Thank you for this. I love the old BBC adaptations of the classics and am always looking for decent things to watch.

Caleo

It's best to judge an adaptation on its own merits. Nobody is going to be Jane Austen so every production is of time.

But there is a difference between a modern dramatisation and the wholesale rejigging of a book to make it look as if the society then was governed by the same rules that govern us now.

I rather enjoyed it although I didn't care for Mary Crawford's obvious wig! The adaptation kept very closely to the book. Excellent cast and I liked Sylvestra Le Touzel as Fanny - she gave the part spirit and character.

I watched the BBC doc, on Jane Austen and apparently Mansfield Park did not sell well at the time to JA's chagrin, The problem is the downbeat Fanny and I think the reading public would have liked another Lizzie Bennett. When this is taught now, the emphasis is on the family money from slavery.

Northanger Abbey and Persuasion next week,.

I’ve just watched the BBC 2008 adaptation of Emma. Really wonderful with a fine cast. It made such a welcome change from the usual fare on the streaming platforms.

Yes I have that circled to watch over the weekend . Thanks for the nudge 😘

I was going to start on Emma but The Piano is on BBC4 and I haven’t watched it for years. I must admit to liking the latest film adaptation of Emma ( which I didn’t want to watch when it first came out) because I adore Johnny Flynn, both as an actor and a musician ( and as a jolly nice person, too…).

I’d forgotten how weird The Piano was ! I always think back to listening to my daughter playing the theme tune on the piano. Switched to Emma which was delightful.

We maybe now read Austen's works as gentle comedy of manners. But she wrote of events that were scandalous at the time.

I watched. I love the BBC adaptations, although doesn't compare with the book.

Mansfield Park is one of my favourite books and I loved watching this adaptation. Very true to Austen's novel. Sir Thomas is wonderfully acted with great gravitas. He is perhaps portrayed as being more kindly than he is in the novel. Sylvestra le Touzel has beautiful limpid eyes and a pronounced jawline which prevents her from being conventionally pretty but the two perhaps symbolise Fanny's combination of gentle sweetness and moral strength. I completely believed in her Fanny. A compelling performance. Also Mary Crawford was charming and full of life. I thought Henry's reading to Lady B from Shakespeare about the fallen angel Lucifer was beautifully done. He and Mary are indeed tempters and devil figures but there is something sad too in their attraction to what is virtuous and their failure to wed themselves to it.

Did anyone watch 'Clayhanger' back in the late seventies? Twenty six episodes, lifted word for word from Arnold Bennet's books, and enthralling. About ten years go I bought the CD, and was amazed at the glacial slowness of the production - audiences today might find it boring.

M0nica

I much prefer the older series of almost any classical book, to anything done recently.

For example I much prefer the Pride and Prejudice dramatised by Fay Weldon and starring (I think) David Rintoul as Mr Darcy to the dreadful sexed up and marmelised version starring Colin Firth.

A book is a product of its period and that should be reflected in its dramatisation. It should not be sexed up ans generally restructured to reflect current changed attitudes, or to make it easy for young people to understand.

I totally agree about the David Rintoul version of Pride and Prejuduce which I find most people have never heard of. Elizabeth Garvie as Elizabeth Bennet was perfect casting. I own an old VHS recording but my player doesn’t work any more.
However I did enjoy the fairly recent film of Emma with Johnny Flynn as Knightly and Anna Taylor Joy as Emma.

I do. Can’t remember if I bought the books after seeing the series or if it was the other way round. I’m trying to remember the name of the actress who starred in it. The series that had the biggest effect ( affect?) on me back then was Nana. I bought and read all of Zolas books after seeing it. I think the BBC must have been responsible for getting people like me interested in the classics.