The 1980 BBC version is certainly faithful to Jane Austen's novel
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It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a production of "Pride and Prejudice" must be in want of a great Mr. Darcy. On that score David Rintoul is the weak link in the BBC's 1980 mini-series, which provides one of the most faithful adaptations of Jane Austen's novel to date.  The role of Fitzwilliam Darcy is tricky because we have to agree with Elizabeth Bennet's harsh judgment that he is the personification of pride early on, be surprised when he offers the most backhanded proposal in English literature, and then warm towards him as Lizzie's opinion change and her affections follow.  On the basis of that transformation rather than on his good looks I still favor Colin Firth in the 1995 BBC as the best Darcy of the bunch having seen six of the ten dating back to the 1938 television version that aired two years before the 1940 MGM movie with Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier.  There is one moment in this mini-series where Rintoul's Darcy lets down his guard, and his eyebrows, and it is for but a brief scene.  The difference between the haughty Mr. Darcy we meet at the beginning and the happy romantic we are supposed to see at the end is so minimal that you might not even see it.

The rest of the cast fulfills our expectations of the characters in the novel, although I would say that I thought Elizabeth (Elizabeth Garvie) was the best looking one of the Bennet daughters, an honor that is supposed to obviously go to her older sister, Jane (Sabina Frakyln).  But since we are supposed to love Lizzie the best, this is a minor point of contention.  Mr. Bennet (Moray Watson) is still long suffering, Mrs. Bennet (Priscilla Morgan) is insufferable, and I still want to shake some sense into Lydia (Natalie Ogle) from the moment she first appears.  As soon as I recognized Judy Parfitt as Lady Catherine de Bourgh I knew that was a spot-on casting.  I especially liked Tessa Peake-Jones as Mary Bennet and Irene Richard as Charlotte Lucas, which made up for finding Malcolm Rennie's Mr. Collins too much the buffoon.  Director Cyril Coke filmed on location in the beautiful English countryside and certainly focuses on capturing all of the nuances of 18th century life among the gentry.

The strength of the production is its overall fidelity to Austen's novel, although I was a bit worried at first when screenwriter Fay Weldon took the novel's famous opening line, split it between Jane and Lizzie, and starting to work in the rest of the opening exposition as dialogue.  But then Mrs. Bennet bursts in and we are clearly on track.  All things considered this is the most restrained version of "Pride and Prejudice" that I have seen to date, wherein Mr. Bennet and his two eldest daughters most closely match the Bingleys and Darcys of this world in terms of calm restraint.  I really like the 2005 theatrical version of the story because it is crystal clear to me when Darcy falls for Elizabeth and when she falls for him, and I have to say that in this BBC production you really have to wait to hear the words come out of their mouths and then you are not particularly inclined to believe either one of them.  Still, so much of the familiar dialogue Austen wrote made it into this one that it is worth sitting through the entire 265 minutes of the five-part mini-series at least once if you are an Austen fan.  Final Note: This is the version of "Pride and Prejudice" that is included in the BBC's "Jane Austen Collection" of DVDs, which is how I finally got to check it out (and as soon as it was over my oldest daughter and I went to the theater to watch the Keira Knightley version again).
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I purchased the original DVD Box Set (<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Pride-and-Prejudice-The-Special-Edition-A-E-Miniseries/dp/B00005MP58/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Pride and Prejudice - The Special Edition (A&E Miniseries)</a>) for my wife as soon as it came out as she enjoys all the Jane Austen books and the movie adaptations of these books.  We were very impressed by it and have watched it many times, but the original A&E series was copied over VERY poorly to DVD as there are several places where the picture slightly washes out and/or the color fades.  At first we thought it was out television, but when we got a new flat screen TV, we noticed the same issues in the same places.

As opposed to many Blu-Ray editions where the supplier has merely repackaged the same crap in the new media format in order to make a quick buck, the Pride and Prejudice Blu-Ray has been masterfully restored to not only rid the film of the above issues but also brighten the entire length of the movie.  We have loved this movie since the first time we saw it and now we can enjoy it even more!
441339
"IT is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

Will Darcy & Lizzie ever realize they truly love each other? Well, you probably know the answer already, but this 6-hour adaptation of P&P is really the only version that matters to people who love the book. Others have tried, but fail to capture that is great about the book and its time-tested characters.

Colin Firth (who is thinner here) is the handsome controlled Darcy whose pride keeps him from admitting that he loves Elizabeth Bennet even though her family is annoying. Jennifer Ehle is lovely and down to earth and makes one of literature's favorite female characters come to life. Watch as she deftly undercuts Mr. Collins' attempts at matrimony and wields a big stick with Mr. Darcy's attempts as well.

Six hours may seem like a lot at first, but you'll be glad you watched this. It will make you immune to the 2005 version.

You don't have to have read the book to enjoy, but you will want to after you watch this. Other versions to watch: Bride & Prejudice.
3458002
I have read every single book by Jane Austen and avidly collect all the movie/ series versions of her novels. Out of the three Persuasion versions I have come across to date this is certainly my favourite and the one that is most faithful to the novel. Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds are simply brilliant as Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth. The people who complain about their looks and make-up have clearly never read the book. They are both older than typical Austen characters, they have gone through a tough time emotionally, they are sad. Their romance and emotional connection is subtle and restrained in keeping with the period. I was amazed by the array of emotions and nuances the cast was able to convey through gestures and looks alone. I am particularly impressed by the contrast their body language makes with their stiff Victorian dialogue, emphasizing their inner turmoil, their need to maintain appearances while secretly being in love but not at liberty to express it.

If you have read the book and have an understanding of the era you will not fail to enjoy this movie. If you expect Hollywood flash and face lifts, along with Harlequin type groping you will be sorely disappointed.
1391124
Amanda Root played the heroine, Anne Elliot, in a great film version, and she is the reader of this audiobook.  Her diction is very fine, she is a joy to listen to, and the sensitivity and perceptiveness of a Jane Austen heroine comes across in the narration.

This version is abridged.  About 40% of the words are retained and 60% discarded.  The plot comes across intact, but much of what makes the novel great (the asides, reflections, commentary) is discarded.  If you don't mind sitting for a 9-hour version instead of this 4-hour version, check out the unabridged "Persuasion" audiobook read by Juliet Stevenson.  Ms. Stevenson comes across as more of a neutral observer, but she changes her voice more for the various characters.

That's not to take away from Amanda Root's uniquely fine reading.  If you're big on "Persuasion", get both.  That's what I did.
2619050
I just finished watching the BBC's Cranford miniseries and it was wonderful.  The series is set in a small town in 1840s England.  Cranford is a town full of unmarried women (very common at the time with all of the men who had died in the Napoleonic wars and those who had gone to the colonies--India, etc) where social decorum and gossip are equally important.  Change is afoot in Cranford as the railroad comes into the area and small town life threatens to change forever.  The miniseries aptly captures the mood of the age, showing the emotion of the townspeople in a memorable way.

This is a wonderful ensemble piece, even though Judi Dench really does steal just about every scene she's in.  All of the main characters are well developed, and as you learn their back-stories you like them even more.  When the miniseries was over I wanted more--so I will definitely be renting the other BBC Elizabeth Gaskell movies.

I had never seen any series based on Elizabeth Gaskell novels before, so if you are in doubt, I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, or even the recent BBC version of Bleak House.  The miniseries is done with all of the usual BBC taste so be ready to enjoy some quality period fun!
2252130
My wife was the one who wanted to see this DVD. I must agree now that if it is even half true, Jane Austen who is the authoress of 'Sense and Sensibility','Pride and Prejudice',et al., lead a life that was remarkable to say the least.

You didn't like it? Okay. We liked it enough to buy several DVD adaptations of her books. We especially liked 'Pride and Prejudice' done by the BBC.
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As a Jane Austin fan in general and a Pride and Prejudice fan in particular, I've read several sequels.  This is probably the best overall in my opinion as the characters remain true to the original.  Many of the Elizabeth and Darcy fans want to know more about the characters after they are married and this is one good possibility.  I dislike those that put too many unlikely problems or too much sex into the sequels.  One cannot however really improve upon the original.
3174557
The 1985 BBC production of Oliver Twist is the closest to the actual book that I've seen. It's one of those films that bring out the best of a Charles Dickens classic. The characters are memorable and engaging. Every character is portrayed the way Charles Dickens had them in his book. You have the sinister Bill Sikes (Michael Attwell) and Monks (Pip Donaghy). You also have the likable characters such as the lovely Rose Maylie (Lysette Anthony). You don't have to read the book Oliver Twist to appreciate this movie version. A couple of the other film versions of the story retell it in some way. Not this one! Its closeness to the book makes this BBC version a nice introduction to Charles Dickens.
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BBC is known for its excellence in adapting classic literature - in this case, I didn't even have to focus on the talent of the cast, because they looked so real (no overt glamour to cater to modern audiences) and behaved so realistically, that I forgot it was a story, and one that I know very well. Instead, I was as caught up in the plot as I was the first time I turned the pages of the book it's based on. There are a couple of scenes that were clearly added to help bridge the story for modern audiences (such as when Captain Wentworth speaks to Anne in the Pump Room), which I could do without, but because they don't damage or otherwise hinder the overall story, I'm happy to give them a pass.

All in all, just a beautiful, lovingly crafted tribute to a classic.
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I am reviewing the Kindle edition of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, created from the World's Classics edition published by Oxford University Press.  Although there are editions of this work and collected editions of all of Austen's novels available for low prices or even for free, I highly recommend spending the few dollars to get this World's Classics edition, which was $4.28 when I purchased it.  First of all, you get a carefully edited and accurate text, prepared by Oxford University Press, which has been publishing Jane Austen for longer than most publishers have been in existence.  Within the text, there are footnotes, easily clickable on any touch-screen Kindle, giving background information on elements possibly unfamiliar to the modern reader, such as conveyances; it does add to the book's value to know the difference between a barouche and a curricle, for example.  There are notes on occupations, landscaping, theater, and many other elements.  There is a substantial introduction, exploring the creation of this novel and interpreting some of its themes.  You also get an appendix of essays on rank and social status, dancing, and "Austen and the navy".  In sum, if you are interested in this work, pay a few dollars and get a well-prepared edition.
As for the work itself, I very much like all six of Jane Austen's novels, but I think Mansfield Park is especially fine.  She has a firm grasp of her characters and the way they interact with one another, as well as a marvelous and detailed picture of all of the different locales where things take place.  There are scene after scene, and even line after line, which are as memorable as the wonderful parts of the better-known novels (Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility).  All of her novels are wonderful, but I feel this is a work of her maturity, by which I mean at the peak of her powers.  (I also consider Northanger Abbey to be among the best of the best.)
3012467
The best version I have seen of this movie; excellent actors, true to the Austen's story.  I have seen other versions where the acting is not as good.  These actors appear in many great BBC film series.
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PERSUASION together with NORTHANGER ABBEY were posthumous novels by Jane Austin (published 1817) and reflect the position of a novelist whose thoughts mirror her younger, wonderful bright spirit yet somehow her softer social and feminist darts she so successfully hurled at society in her other famous works.  This particular film adaptation by Nick Dear of PERSUASION respects not only the spirit of the novel but also the station of the author.  Under Roger Mitchell's keen direction this cinematic reenactment of the belated flowering of a Anne Elliot's eight year thwarted longing for the love of naval officer Frederick Wentworth, all due to the 'impropriety' of Wentworth's financial standings of the past, is placed before us as a quietly gentle song, one that still places the scrutinizing Austen microscope on the social mores of the time and the bows to class distinctions that serve as the matrix for Austen's novels.

The cast is excellent, with Amanda Root suitably in the background as Anne Elliot and Ciarn Hinds as the wise and slightly weathered Captain Wentworth.  But their superb performances would not be as credible were it not for the large cast of fine actors playing the superficial silly sisters and cousins and the haughty ladies as well as the warm and worthy ones.  This is first rate ensemble acting, allowing the quiet pulse of Austen's Anne to beat softly behind longing eyes, making her plight and ultimate reward for perseverance step stage front at the end of the film.  The music of Chopin and Bach flavor the score by Jeremy Sams and the presence of Rosa Mannion, soprano, singing arias and songs lends both an aural and visual credibility to the atmosphere so ably captured by cinematographer John Daly.  This is a satisfying Jane Austen adaptation.  Grady Harp, January 08
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I was a little nervous when I began Val McDermid's version of this Jane Austen classic. It's the second release from the Jane Austen Project, which pairs six well-known contemporary authors with a Jane Austen novel. I thought the first one--Joanna Trollope's version of SENSE AND SENSIBILITY--a disaster and didn't hold out much hope for this one. It probably doesn't help that NORTHANGER ABBEY is my least favorite of Austen's works.

Surprise. I loved it. It's fun and flirty and silly. But it works. Let's face it, Austen didn't write the book as a serious novel. It was her pointed (and sarcastic) reply to the highbrows of her time, who denigrated the novel and even questioned its position as a true literary form.

In some ways, I prefer McDermid's version to the original. It might be the setting. Cat Morland travels to Edinburgh instead of Bath. The draw is a month-long arts festival. The events of the book come alive as we tag along with the characters to concerts, plays, dances, book signings and poetry readings.

In general, the characters are well-drawn and convincing. At times, Cat is more sophisticated than McDermid originally describes her. Any immaturity she shows has more to do with a lack of experience--especially social experience--than intellectual dullness or provincialism. Her vicarage upbringing has certainly not prepared her for the devious personalities she finds surrounding her in Scotland. Cat's vampire fixation, especially as it pertains to the Tilney family, is a bit ridiculous, but it's also perfectly realistic in light of current pop culture, where even morning television spots cover the relative merits of vampires versus werewolves for boyfriends and how to survive a zombie apocalypse.

Henry Tilney is probably McDermid's least successful character. His stiffness and general lack of humor is more pronounced here than in the original. Austen's Henry needled and provoked her heroine. McDermid's version lectures and criticizes. Also, the reason behind General Tilney's exile of Cat from Northanger doesn't quite convince. Yet, even here there's a logic, a sad parallel, between Cat's suspicions of vampires and the general's fear of lesbians. Each is discomfited by what is, for them, dangerous and alien.

So, three cheers (and at least as many re-readings) for Val McDermid's NORTHANGER ABBEY. What a fun way to spend an afternoon!
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This is not fine literature, but after all, there is only one Jane Austen.  However, this little book is exactly what is says it is....a sweet little theme and variation on the original P & P.  I found the characters to be recognizable as my old favorites and the variations on the original story line to be diverting.  Worth the couple bucks purchase price for two evenings reading.  I will probably purchase and read the others in the series.
2525302
Jane is an orphan raised to adulthood in a life of cruelty. As a young adult she becomes governess at a manor on the English moor owned by a strange and strident master. This film is a faithful rendition of one of the greatest novels in the English language. Its a dark, brooding tale with accomplished acting and an excellent screenplay. This film moves quickly and is engaging from the first frame to the last. This film is definitely must see viewing.
193822
Rarely does a TV/movie follow the author's book, but this film really does glory to Jane Austen's book, Pride and Prejudice.  The producer, and by extension, the director et al. foremost aim was to follow the story line.  The characters are played flawlessly, so much so that the Mrs.-- for whom we have 'no compassion for her poor nerves' occasionally even grows tiresome!

The producer mentioned that Darcy did not quite resemble the Darcy of the book, but Colin Firth's acting is so superb, the slight flaw is easily overlooked.