Pride and Prejudice: Adaptations of Austen

Post by **Pearly Di** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 3:40 pm

Well, Prim, I've only just registered the fact that this new adaptation of 'Mansfield Park' is showing on ITV this Sunday! I really don't watch that much TV.

http://www.billie-piper.net/

I saw a comment somewhere that Billie brings an 'earthy sexuality' to the part of Fanny Price.

I daren't imagine poor Wildwood's reaction to this.

As for Billie, she was great as Rose and also very good as Sally Lockhart in 'The Ruby in the Smoke'.

I really will have to watch this now, the new Mansfield Park I mean.

It must be 26 years since I read the book and all I can remember is that it bored me to tears.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 3:56 pm

It is certainly the least interesting of Austen's novels for me as well, though I've read it several times in the last 20 years.

"Earthy sexuality" is definitely one of Billie Piper's strong points, and it was an asset to Rose Tyler (I really, really liked her in Doctor Who, possibly my favorite companion ever—and she turned out to be a fine actress, IMO).

But the whole point of Fanny is that she is a mouse, a virtuous mouse, in contrast to the willful self-centered looseness of her cousins. And since the main crime in the story is a sexual one, and a really bad one compared even to Lydia's shocking adventure (there is actually a divorce!), I am sure that character trait was deliberate. So Fanny with "earthy sexuality," even if she continues to be virtuous . . . I'm not sure it works.

If it's better than the film a few years back, though, I'll watch it. Of course.

Post by **Cerin** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 4:03 pm

I loved Hugh Grant in 'Sense and Sensibility'!

Post by **Pearly Di** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 4:28 pm

Sorry, Cerin.

I wanted to kick him. But then I'm not a fan of Hugh's Dopey Affable Englishman act. I much prefer him when he's being the bad guy.

(Prim, not wanting to sidetrack too much into Dr Who

but Rose was definitely the best companion ever, apart from Sarah Jane Smith, of course! I loved it that they had Sarah Jane return in one episode during Season Two

)

Hmmm, this new Mansfield sounds a bit revisionist, with that particular casting.

Post by **vison** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 6:27 pm

Fanny "earthily sexual"?

I think it's time for an attitude adjustment on the part of the people who make beloved classics into movies. Surely to heaven they must realize that the story AS IT IS has endured for all this time because the story AS IT IS is what people have loved?

Jeez.

Jeez.

Jeez.

My head just exploded.

Fri Mar 16, 2007 6:31 pm

Clean-up crew in the Library!

Post by **Alatar** » Tue May 22, 2007 3:44 pm

So, I saw Bride and Prejudice the other day. Loved it! Anyone else seen it?

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Tue May 22, 2007 4:36 pm

I saw that a while back, Alatar. It was fun!

Post by **Impenitent** » Wed May 23, 2007 1:55 am

Very much fun!

Such an off-the-wall reinterpretation - and yet, completely faithful to the spirit!

Post by **ToshoftheWuffingas** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 10:58 pm

You are in for a treat. I have just watched the last episode of the Andrew Davies (he adapted Pride and Prejudice) adaptation of Sense and Sensibility on BBC TV. If you can believe it the production gives the glorious movie with Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson and Kate Winslett a good run for its money.
I had to dry my eyes at the end.

Post by **Impenitent** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 11:13 pm

Oh, I hope it is screened free to air in Oz! And that, soon! Otherwise I shall have to find it some other way.

Post by **Sassafras** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 11:25 pm

At least we get The Complete Jane Austen on PBS starting tonight with
Persuasion.

w00t!

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/austen/

I'll have to wait until April for The Andrew Davies S&S.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 11:28 pm

Such richness!

I do wonder how much of PERSUASION they'll be able to tell in 90 minutes. . . .

Post by **ToshoftheWuffingas** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 11:37 pm

Persuasion with Ciaran Hinds (he could be a credible Aragorn by the way) and Amanda Root was very good indeed though made several years ago.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 1:31 am

I did enjoy that very much and re-watch it on DVD once a year or so, Tosh. Amanda Root in particular is marvelous, conveying reams of narration with her eyes.

I was a bit bothered by some errors that made it less authentic (the public proposal and kiss! And officers in the Royal Navy did not wear their uniforms except when on duty!).

(I was pleased to see in the preview for tonight that Captain Wentworth is indeed in civilian clothes when making a morning call.

)

Post by **solicitr** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 1:21 pm

Prim:

Don't be so sure. Many naval officers were quite poor (unlike the aristocratic Army)*, and often owned no civilian suit! Especially since in the Napoleonic and post-Napoleonic era it was common and even expected for officers to wear uniform to 'civilian' social affairs. Although of course poverty wasn't one of Wentworth's problems.

* The Army was the accepted profession for young toffs, whose commissions were purchased- at great expense in line regiments, and prodigious expense in the Guards and the cavalry. Whereas the Navy's officer corps was a very middle-class affair, a midshipman's posting being available to any young man who could afford a sea-chest. Most of the august naval Lords came from quite humble backgrounds (Nelson for instance was a country parson's son).

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 4:18 pm

But, soli, as you say, Captain Wentworth has made his fortune and can certainly afford to dress as a gentleman should, so his wearing of the uniform in the movie is just an obvious sop to modern misunderstanding. At least if C.S. Forester and Patrick O'Brian knew what they were writing about (as I rather think they did), wearing a uniform off duty would be something an officer would go pretty far to avoid, just like any other obvious sign of poverty.

They did all own work clothes for doing dirty jobs on shipboard. At the very least they could wear the same slops the seamen did.

Post by **solicitr** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 7:20 pm

And in virtually all cases owned an everyday uniform for wear at sea, so that the precious dress uniform wasn't ruined by saltwater, the sun etc. The BBC Hornblower series has all its quarterdecks looking much to spiffy for routine service! Weir was closer in M&C, but still perhaps a touch too clean. (O'Brian says that Aubrey's sea-uniform braid was going rather green).

Still, it was an enduring legacy of the Napoleonic period that throughout the 19th century and right on up to WWI, on formal occasions it was normal for officers to appear in full-dress: including, especially, royalty even if their military status was more pro forma than real. The British Princes still do.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 7:53 pm

I agree, the BBC Hornblower only gestures in the direction of authenticity—but authenticity is a very expensive thing in this case. (And I enjoy that series, even though it's now strayed pretty far from the books.)

It's fortunate that Jane Austen never wrote about things she'd never seen, so all her sea-officers are seen only ashore.

Post by **Cerin** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:02 pm

Darn, I wasn't aware of Jane Austen on PBS. What night are they showing it?

I recently rented another BBC production that I just loved -- 'North and South' by Elizabeth Gaskell (I believe). I thought Richard Armitage was wonderful as Mr. Thornton (and Sinead Cusack -- wow!), and the final scene was just about the most beautiful I've ever seen. I watched it again and again and bawled each time. It was so understated and genuine.