Adaptations Book to Film: Example Three - Jane Austen

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (1813), and Mansfield Park (1814) Emma (1815)

     

Left: Book - Pride and Prejudice, Middle: Book - Mansfield ParkRight: Book - Emma

Pride and Prejudice

  

Left: Film - Pride and Prejudice (Joe Wright, 2005), Tv Mini-Series - Pride and Prejudice (BBC, 1995)

Film:

Noted director, Joe Wright, who has also done films like Atonement (2007), Anna Karenina (2012) made his mark with the film Pride and Prejudice (2005). When called upon to direct this film, Wright hadn't read an Austen novel or directing his own feature film. 

This particular version, Wright concentrated on keeping Elizabeth Bennet modern and keeping the film contemporary. The casting was very good for this film with the likes of Dame Judi Dench and Donald Sutherland.

Television Mini-Series:

One of the most significant Jane Austen adaptations of all time, BBC's Pride and Prejudice, starring Colin Firth as Mr Darcy and Jennifer Ehle, is a six-episode drama, which keeps to Austen's story faithfully.

The most famous scene from the series is the LAKE SCENE:

Firth's version of Darcy is referenced in many other films:

Austenland (Jerusha Hess, 2013)

Bridget Jones' Diary (Sharon Maguire, 2001) - Colin Firth plays a character called Mark Darcy and there are a lot of similarities. Bridget (Renee Zellweger) even quotes the beginning of Pride and Prejudice book to her mother. Just watch the film - You can see it all the way through!

Mansfield Park

  

Left: Film  - Mansfield Park (Patricia Rozema, 1999), Film - Mansfield Park (Iain B MacDonald, 2007)

Film (1999): 

I prefer this version over the 2007 film. I thought O'Connor's performance of Fanny and Miller's performance of Bertram are much better than in the 2007 film.

This version of the story has Fanny Price (Frances O'Connor) breaking the fourth wall narrating the story. In the book, she is more reserved and is passive, however, in the film, she is feisty and stands up for herself, creating a modern spin on her character. 

It is a Romantic-Comedy Drama. It deviates from the book in places. It also takes on issues like Slavery and Plantation Life, the Bertram family goes to Antigua and Fanny sees horrendous drawings of what was happening over there. There is also believable chemistry between Edmund Bertram (played by a young Jonny Lee Miller) and Fanny in the film.

Film (2007):

Doctor Who star, Billie Piper, stars as Fanny Price in this version of the story. You root for Fanny in this film, she is quiet, shy and soft-spoken and you want what is best for her. You feel what she is feeling and Billie Piper does a good job of keeping to Austen's character. 

I thought the two leading men in this story, Edmund Bertram (Blake Ritson) and Henry Crawford (Joseph Beattie), were a disappointment, not bringing the characters alive the way I thought they should have been.

Emma

Mini-Series - Emma (BBC, 2009)

Television Mini-Series:

Around the same length and structure of the BBC's Pride and Prejudice (1995), this version of Emma is faithful to Austen's book. 

Noted Austen actor, Jonny Lee Miller, plays Emma's love interest, Mr Knightley, helps to keep us women hopeful! The relationship Emma and Knightley have is one of mutual respect and love for one another. They're EQUAL.