Fanny Price, heroine of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, is beautiful, kind, modest, and noble of heart and spirit. In short, she's perfect, which makes for less than compelling drama. Part of the new PBS-aired Austen marathon, this adaptation is thankfully not a total loss. Billie Piper, from the current Doctor Who series, seems like a bit of stunt casting as Fanny, but she's probably the best thing here--so genuinely ebullient that you forget to hate her. While there's something about her bleached blonde hair and contrasting dark eyebrows that's far too modern, Piper is otherwise a good embodiment of the Fanny that director Iain B. MacDonald wants to capture: bright, bubbly and not at all demure. Unfortunately, the rest of the little society at the titular manor—where Fanny came as a child to live with her rich relatives the Bertrams--are pretty dull, even as all manner of typically Austen-like matrimonial intrigue threatens to rock the family, and threaten Fanny's longtime secret love for her cousin Edmund (Blake Ritson). Yes, there's a moment when Edmund finally perks up with the a-ha realization that he's been in love with Fanny all along, but it's a long time coming, and not quite worth the slog. Still, even so-so Austen should be considered a strong optional purchase. (M. Johanson)[Blu-ray Review—Oct. 11, 2011—PBS, 93 min., not rated, $29.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 2007's Mansfield Park sports a good transfer and features a stereo soundtrack. There are no bonus features. Bottom line: a solid Blu-ray debut for a slow-paced Austen adaptation.]
Mansfield Park
WGBH, 90 min., not rated, DVD: $24.95 Volume 23, Issue 2
Mansfield Park
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