''Mansfield Park'' is a 2007 British television film directed by Iain B. MacDonald and starring

Billie Piper Billie Paul Piper (born Leian Paul Piper; 22 September 1982) is an English actress and former singer who is best known for her portrayal as Rose Tyler in ''Doctor Who'' (2005–2006, 2008, 2010). She initially gained recognition as a singer a ...

Michelle Ryan Michelle Claire Ryan (born 22 April 1984) is an English actress, best known for portraying the role of Zoe Slater in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (2000–2005, 2025–present). In 2007, she starred in the short-lived American television s ...

, and Blake Ritson. Adapted from

Jane Austen Jane Austen ( ; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for #List of works, her six novels, which implicitly interpret, critique, and comment on the English landed gentry at the end of the 18th century ...

's classic 1814 novel of the same name, the film is about Fanny Price, who is sent by her poor mother to live with wealthy relatives at their Mansfield estate. By the age of eighteen, Fanny is in love with her sensitive cousin who is studying to be a clergyman. Her feelings for him and her moral sense prevent her from accepting a marriage proposal from a much wealthier suitor. ''Mansfield Park'' premiered on 18 March 2007 on the United Kingdom network ITV at 9:00 p.m., as part of '' The Jane Austen Season''. It was filmed at

Newby Hall Newby Hall is a country house beside the River Ure in the parish of Skelton-on-Ure in North Yorkshire, England. It is south-east of Ripon and south of Topcliffe Castle, by which the manor of Newby was originally held. A Grade I listed buildi ...

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in Northern England.The Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority areas of City of York, York and North Yorkshire (district), North Yorkshire are in Yorkshire and t ...

, England. It made its TV debut in Canada on 23 December 2007 and in the United States on 27 January 2008. The drama ran for two hours (including advertisement breaks) in the United Kingdom, 90 minutes without the breaks.

Cast

Reception

For her performance, Piper received a nomination for Best Actress at the 2007 ''TV Quick'' and ''TV Choice'' Awards. Writing for ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'', Kathryn Flett wrote of the adaptation "if you didn't mind your Austen both mucked about with and a little bit mucky—then it was all good fun, though I think Billie

iper Ypres ( ; ; ; ; ) is a Belgium, Belgian City status in Belgium, city and municipalities in Belgium, municipality in the provinces of Belgium, province of West Flanders. Though the Dutch name is the official one, the city's French name is m ...

may have avoided delving too deeply into the source material in favour of renting the 1996 adaptation of Emma, so uncannily like Gwyneth doing British did she sound." Paula Byrne, in analysing the way the film industry deals with the works of Jane Austen, said "it remains to be seen whether it is possible for there to be a faithful dramatisation of ''

Mansfield Park ''Mansfield Park'' is the third published novel by the English author Jane Austen, first published in 1814 by Thomas Egerton (publisher), Thomas Egerton. A second edition was published in 1816 by John Murray (publishing house), John Murray, st ...

''". In Fanny Price, Austen dared to portray a diffident, anxious heroine who nevertheless displays an iron will. Byrne argues that "In this regard, Fanny Price is the most interesting of Austen’s heroines and the one whom the conventions of modern cinema and television are least well qualified to serve". She concluded that the 2007 ITV adaptation of ''Mansfield Park'' failed "because even as fine an actor as Billie Piper failed to capture the simultaneous strength and weakness of Fanny Price".Byrne, Paula (2017) ''The Genius of Jane Austen,'' ''Her Love of Theatre and Why She Is a Hit in Hollywood,'' HarperCollins Publishers. ch. 11 Kindle Ed. loc.4702

References

External links

* {{Authority control 2007 television films 2007 films British television films Films based on works by Jane Austen ITV television dramas Mansfield Park Television series by All3Media Television series set in the 19th century Television shows based on works by Jane Austen