Not of this movie, I adore it. But I'm looking for a good adaptation of Northanger Abbey, Persuasion and Mansfield Park. For reference I love this movie, the 1995 Pride & Prejudice and Emma with Gwyneth was just ok. I have not seen (and don't intend to) the Keira Knightley P & P. I don't mind long movies so mini-series are fine.
Thanks in advance!
I love the Keira Knightley P&P, so take my recommendations with some grains of salt.
As far as I am concerned, there is no good adaptation of Northanger Abbey. The 1980s one is just weird, and the 2007 one doesn't really understand the book. The best NA adaptation I've ever seen is a stage play by a woman named Lynn Marie Macy. It's brilliant, and really makes one see just how funny this book is.
There is no great adaptation of Mansfield Park either. The 1983 version is stagey, but I really like it. The performances are quite good. The 1999 version is, IMO, an abomination. The writer/director admitted that she didn't like Fanny Price, that she didn't like the book and that she thought she could do better. The 2007 version doesn't really get it either. Personally, I am of the opinion that Whit Stillman's "Metropolitan" understands MP and the 2 main characters, Audrey and Tom, are good stand-ins for Fanny and Edmund.
As for Persuasion, my favorite book of them all, the 1971 version is very faithful in terms of dialogue, but I don't really like some of the choices they made. For example, the scene where Wentworth helps Anne into the Crofts' gig is supposed to make us see that perhaps he still cares for her. But, in the 1971 version, we see the scene from far away, so it loses its intimacy. In the 2007 version, this same scene is done in a way that makes it seem as if Wentworth wants nothing at all to do with her. Also, the 2007 version has some issues with the space/time continuum. And I don't like some of the casting choices. But the 1995 version, while not perfect, is (IMO) as close to perfect as an adaptation can get. It's beautiful. It is (again, IMO) the single best Austen adaptation around. It's 20 years old now, but I have yet to see anything better.
You may also want to check out some of the modernizations -- "Clueless" is a wonderful update of "Emma," "Bride & Prejudice" is a delightful take on P&P, and "I Have Found It" (original title is Kandukondain Kandukondain) is a Tamil-language version of Sense and Sensibility. There is also a Mormon-themed version of P&P, a couple of versions of S&S, a Hindi "Emma" (more like a Hindi "Clueless," actually) called "Aisha," etc.
I also love the P&P from 1980 (my favorite version of P&P, actually) and the S&S from 1981 and 1971.
In short, there is something for almost everyone.
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Would echo the recommendation of Persuasion 95. That is also one of my favorite Austen adaptations. Hinds and Root are marvelous. And the supporting cast is quite good as well.
I don't think you asked about adaptations of Emma, but I'll throw out the 2009 version as my favorite. I also loved Clueless. Was generally faithful to the themes of the original, and just tons of fun. Every time I hear or use the word "sporadically" I still think of that movie. :)
Emma '09 is my absolute favorite Emma. Thanks for the reminder.
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Thank you for the detailed recommendations! I had forgotten to mention that I have watched Clueless. I don't usually like modern adaptations but I thought it was cute. I peeked around on the message boards for the Mansfield Park and it seemed very unlike the book. Poor Fanny never gets a break, lol.
I will check out the rest though
Love the 1995 Persuasion.
I have never seen a good adaptation of NA or MP.
Forget it Jake. It's Chinatown.
Just read the books.
Nothing can compare to them.
But keep in mind that Austen didn't write these giddy romances; she was a satirist and laid open character to our examination while she said satirical things about them, even in this, the driest of her books.
"Oooo, lookee, a Sneerfest I can jump in on!!!"
Oh, I have read the books. Every one of them and love them so much. It's such a shame she died so young. I know a lot of people look down on it but Mansfield Park is well, not my favorite because I love them all equally, but definitely not deserving of all the hate it has gotten. I know what you mean though, filmmakers tend to focus on the romance aspect of her stories and ignore the underlying sarcasm and irony to them. I thought Emma Thompson did pretty well with it. And like I said , maybe elsewhere, I never even thought of the Darcy wet shirt scene as a female eye candy moment. I thought it captured their awkwardness at meeting again very well.
I always recommend her books but they are so hard to describe! They are technically romances but not the gushy modern ones so those people are disappointed, they are hilarious but since it's a more quiet, ironic type it goes over most people's heads and they don't think they are funny. Sorry to go on so long but not many people around here to talk to about her so I sometimes get carried away! :)
My favorite Pride and Prejudice is the one with Colin Firth.
And my favorite Persuasion is the one with Amanda Root and Ciarian Hinds.