Mansfield Park (1999)

Director:

Patricia Rozema

Writers:

Jane Austen (novel)
Patricia Rozema (written by)

Release Date:

19 November 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Jane Austen's Wicked Comedy

Plot:

At 10, Fanny Price, a poor relation, goes to live at Mansfield Park, the estate of her aunt's husband...

Plot Keywords:

Writer | Slavery | Neighbor | Estate | Pool Table

Awards:

5 nominations

Cast

Hannah Taylor-Gordon	...	Young Fanny (as Hannah Taylor Gordon)
Talya Gordon	...	Young Susan
Lindsay Duncan	...	Mrs. Price / Lady Bertram
Bruce Byron	...	Carriage Driver
James Purefoy	...	Tom Bertram
Sheila Gish	...	Mrs. Norris
Harold Pinter	...	Sir Thomas Bertram
Elizabeth Eaton	...	Young Maria
Elizabeth Earl	...	Young Julia
Philip Sarson	...	Young Edmond
Amelia Warner	...	Teenage Fanny
Frances O'Connor	...	Fanny Price
Jonny Lee Miller	...	Edmund Bertram
Victoria Hamilton	...	Maria Bertram
Hugh Bonneville	...	Mr. Rushworth
Justine Waddell	...	Julia Bertram
Embeth Davidtz	...	Mary Crawford
Alessandro Nivola	...	Henry Crawford
Charles Edwards	...	Yates
Sophia Myles	...	Susan Price
Hilton McRae	...	Mr. Price
Anna Popplewell	...	Betsey
Danny Worters	...	Boy with Bird Cart
Gordon Reid	...	Dr. Winthrop
Jack Murphy	...	Ballroom Dancer
Peter Curtis	...	Ballroom Dancer
Emma Flett	...	Ballroom Dancer
Wendy Woodbridge	...	Ballroom Dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eliza Darby	...	Young Betsy (uncredited)
Richard Oliff	...	Footman (uncredited)

Directed by
Patricia Rozema

Writing credits
Jane Austen		(novel "Mansfield Park, letters, juvenilia")
Patricia Rozema		(written by)

Produced by
David Aukin	....	executive producer
Sarah Curtis	....	producer
Colin Leventhal	....	executive producer
Trea Leventhal	....	executive producer (as Trea Hoving)
Cathy Lord	....	line producer
Allon Reich	....	associate producer
David M. Thompson	....	executive producer
Bob Weinstein	....	executive producer
Harvey Weinstein	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Lesley Barber

Cinematography by
Michael Coulter		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Martin Walsh

Casting by
Gail Stevens

Production Design by
Christopher Hobbs

Art Direction by
Andrew Munro

Set Decoration by
Patricia Edwards

Costume Design by
Andrea Galer

Makeup Department
Tamsin Dorling	....	hair stylist
Tamsin Dorling	....	makeup artist
Richard Glass	....	contact lens optician
Paul Gooch	....	additional makeup artist
Chris Lyons	....	special effects teeth
Veronica McAleer	....	makeup designer (as Veronica Brebner)
Astrid Schikorra	....	hair stylist
Astrid Schikorra	....	makeup artist
Jemma Scott-Knox-Gore	....	contact lens technician
Helen Smith	....	hair stylist
Helen Smith	....	makeup artist
Liz Tagg	....	hair stylist (as Liz Tag)
Liz Tagg	....	makeup artist (as Liz Tag)

Production Management
Hilary Benson	....	production manager
Tania Blunden	....	post-production supervisor (as Tania Windsor Blunden)
Sara Geater	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Theo de Rosé	....	first assistant director: second unit (as Theo De Rose)
Mark Layton	....	second assistant director
Candy Marlowe	....	crowd second assistant director
Alex Oakley	....	third assistant director (as Alexander Oakley)
Mary Soan	....	first assistant director
Ken Tuohy	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Barry Arnold	....	stand-by props
Damon Earnshaw	....	assistant art director
Barry Gibbs	....	property master
Christopher Hobbs	....	artist: Tom's paintings and original slave drawings
Douglas Ingram	....	storyboard artist
Alice Milburn-Foster	....	scenic artist (as Alice Milburn Foster)
Steve Mitchell	....	scenic artist
Darryl Paterson	....	dressing props
Darryl Paterson	....	prop storeman
Sarah 'Toad' Tozer	....	draughtsman (as SarahTozer)
Tom Wales	....	assistant art director
Kevin Wheeler	....	dressing props

Sound Department
Peter Burgis	....	foley artist
Graham Daniel	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andie Derrick	....	foley artist
Glenn Freemantle	....	supervising sound editor
Susan French	....	assistant adr editor
Stephen Gilmour	....	sound maintenance
Peter Glossop	....	production sound mixer
Max Hoskins	....	dialogue editor
Miriam Ludbrook	....	foley editor
Ray Merrin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Shaun Mills	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Gary Cohen	....	special effects technician: Evolution FX
Matthew Granger	....	special effects technician: Evolution FX
Alan Hawes	....	special effects technician: Evolution FX
James McKeown	....	special effects
Mark Meddings	....	special effects technician: Evolution FX
Paul Scotson	....	special effects technician
Richard Van Den Bergh	....	special effects supervisor: Evolution FX

Visual Effects by
Tom Debenham	....	senior digital compositing artist: CFC
Robert Duncan	....	senior digital compositing artist: CFC
Drew Jones	....	digital visual effects producer: CFC
Alex Payman	....	digital paint artist: CFC (as Alex Paymen)
Steve Tizzard	....	digital scanning and recording: CFC
Timothy Webber	....	digital visual effects supervisor: CFC (as Tim Webber)

Camera and Electrical Department
Julian Bucknall	....	focus puller
Pete Cavaciuti	....	Steadicam operator (as Peter Cavaciutti)
Clive Coote	....	still photographer
Kevin Edland	....	best boy
Terry Edland	....	gaffer
Philip George	....	aerial camera operator
Philip George	....	aerial camera pilot
Tony Hayes	....	rigging gaffer
Gifford Hooper	....	aerial photographer
Alex Howe	....	first assistant camera: second unit
John Jennings	....	aerial camera operator
John Jennings	....	aerial camera pilot
Mike Parker	....	aerial camera operator
Mike Parker	....	aerial camera pilot
Jan Pester	....	Steadicam operator
Barney Piercy	....	clapper loader: second unit
Chris Plevin	....	director of photography: second unit
Philip Sindall	....	camera operator
Ginger McCarthy	....	electrical rigger (uncredited)

Casting Department
Maureen Duff	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lee Clayton	....	costume cutter
Lee Clayton	....	tailor
Sara Creed	....	costumes
Cynthea Dowling	....	wardrobe mistress
Charlotte Morris	....	extras wardrobe assistant
Neil Murphy	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Dan Gane	....	assistant editor (as Daniel Gane)
Celia Haining	....	assistant editor
Steve Harrow	....	post-production consultant
Steve Maguire	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Lesley Barber	....	orchestrator
Nigel Eaton	....	musician: hurdy gurdy
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Nick Ingman	....	additional orchestrator
Nick Ingman	....	conductor
Salif Keita	....	composer: song "Djongna {Slavery}"
Bob Last	....	music supervisor
Alasdair Malloy	....	musician: glass harmonica (as Alisdair Malloy)
Stephen McLaughlin	....	music engineer (as Steve McLaughlin)
Frank Ricotti	....	musician: percussion
James Shearman	....	additional orchestrator
James Shearman	....	conductor
Nick Wollage	....	music engineer
Gavyn Wright	....	orchestra leader
Paul Kegg	....	musician: cello (uncredited)

Other crew
Julia Bennett	....	production coordinator
Mel Churcher	....	dialogue coach: additional scenes
Christian Colson	....	script executive: Miramax HAL Films
Richard Daldry	....	production runner
Bill Darby	....	location manager
Teresa Darby	....	assistant location manager
Tim Desbois	....	helicopter coordinator
Diana Dill	....	script supervisor
Jane Gibson	....	choreographer
Emma Hepple	....	horse master
Andrew Jack	....	dialogue coach
Greg Jordan	....	assistant location manager
Laura Madden	....	production coordinator: Miramax HAL Films
Liz Miller	....	unit publicist
Jack Murphy	....	assistant choreographer
Marcella Riordan	....	crowd adr
Mandy Todd	....	production secretary
Judd Watts	....	location assistant (as Oly Watts)
Susanna Wyatt	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• Arts Council of England (as The Arts Council of England)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (as BBC Films)
• HAL Films
• Miramax Films
• Miramax HAL Films Ltd.

Distributors

• Alliance Atlantis Communications (1999) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Miramax Films (1999) (USA) (theatrical)
• Indies Film Distribution (2000) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (2000) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Imagem Filmes (2001) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Imagem Filmes (2001) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Indies Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Indies Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Computer Film Company, The (CFC) (digital visual effects)
• Evolution FX

Other Companies

• Pinewood Studios  movie studio
• AFM Lighting  lighting
• Air Studios  music recorded at (as Air Studios, Lyndhurst Hall, London)
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Flight Logistics Ltd.  aerial photography
• General Screen Enterprises  film opticals
• Hover-Cam  aerial photography
• J & J Catering  catering
• Kemistry  title sequence
• Movietech  camera equipment provided by
• Post Logic Studios  digital film mastering
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Sapex Scripts  post-production scripts
• Timber Tops  animals supplied by (as Timbertops)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for brief violent images, sexual content and drug use

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | South Korea:15 | USA:TV-14 (cable rating) | Australia:M | Germany:6 | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:M | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Charlestown, Cornwall, England, UK

Company:

Arts Council of England

Trivia:

Jonny Lee Miller, who plays Edmund Bertram in this version of Mansfield Park, played Fanny's young brother Charles Price in an earlier BBC mini series, "Mansfield Park" (1983).

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: The music we hear does not correspond to the fingering of the harp. In particular, the lowest notes should sound from the longest strings, i.e. furthest away from the player, not as shown.

Quotes:

Fanny Price:Life seems nothing more than a quick succession of busy nothings.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Jane Austen Book Club (2007)

Soundtrack:

Djongna (Slavery)

A travesty, from start to finish.

I have to wonder if the folks who are praising this film to the skies have ever read the book. I am not a Jane Austen purist - if I were, I could not say that the Root/Hinds version of Persuasion was my favorite Austen adaptation, which it is. This is Patricia Rozema's Mansfield Park, NOT Jane Austen's.

First, Rozema gives us a feisty, spirited Fanny Price, who tells off Aunt Norris and Sir Thomas, who accepts Henry Crawford's proposal, and then rejects it the next day (a la JA herself with Harris Bigg-Wither). In this MP, Sir Thomas deserves to be "told off." He is portrayed as a lecherous "dirty old man," who leers at Fanny and Mary Crawford throughout the film.

We have all heard about the additions Rozema made to the film. She deals with the slavery issue in a very heavy-handed way, beating us over the head with it whenever possible. Tom Bertram is not the empty-headed fop he is in JA's book; here he is just as much an abolitionist as Fanny, and it is his sketchbook filled with incriminating drawings of Sir Thomas abusing the slaves in Antigua that Fanny finds. In fact, Rozema's take on Tom is rather bizarre; in the book, his arguments with his father center around his irresponsibility and his profligacy. In the film, while Sir Thomas tries to scold his son for these faults, Tom takes him to task for his activities in Antigua. What I found odd was that, if Tom is such an abolitionist, why would he be so free and easy with money tainted by the slave trade?

Rozema left out what I consider to be some very important people and scenes. William Price and the Grants are nowhere to be seen; as a result, there is no amber cross bought with prize money, no distress over which chain to wear to the ball, no one to accompany Fanny to Portsmouth. Fanny's dislike and distrust of Henry are never fully explained. We never get to see the outing to Sotherton and, while we do see Maria flirting relentlessly with Henry, we never see him playing one sister off against the other. Fanny's disapproval of the theatricals is never explained either. In Rozema's version, it seemed as if Fanny was simply not invited to be in the play, instead of being unalterably opposed to it. The scene with Fanny playing Anhalt to help Mary Crawford rehearse is also completely wrong. Mary starts caressing Fanny, while Edmund watches with his eyes almost popping out of his head. So, instead of Edmund giving in and joining the play in order to spare his family the embarrassment of publicity, we are left with the impression that he takes on the role of Anhalt just so that he can justify having Mary run her hands all over him.

Next, we have the scenes at Portsmouth. Here, we have Henry sending Fanny a display of fireworks and doves, and then we see her accepting his proposal and sealing the bargain with some less-than-chaste kisses - in public, no less! The (in)famous sex scene between Maria and Henry takes place at Mansfield Park rather than in London and, because Rozema has played with JA's chronology of events, Fanny is already back from Portsmouth, and it is she who catches them in the act. Edmund is present for the aftermath, where Maria tries to defend her actions.

Another thing that galled me no end is that Mary Crawford's defense of her brother's actions is done in person, at Mansfield Park. She is patronizing towards all concerned, including Sir Thomas, who has finally stopped leering by this point. The newspaper item announcing Maria and Henry's behavior to the world is read by Fanny, and the culprits' full names are used, which is also not the way it happened in the book.

A couple of people walked out about 1/3 of the way through the screening I attended, and several others walked out just as the credits began. The Wishbone versions of Pride & Prejudice and Northanger Abbey resemble the source material more than this trash does. Shame on you Ms. Rozema, shame on you!