The more screen adaptations I watch, the more I realize how much of an image for each character I already have in my mind for having read the book first. In this case, I thought Miss Crawford and Edmund (the same actor who played Mr. Elton in a version of Emma) were well-portrayed, but the rest of the cast fell short of my expectations. Fanny's dark eyebrows were distracting, and she was much more gay and lively than the timid and frail creature presented in the book. Mrs. Norris was not at all the selfish, bustling busybody and Fanny's cruel oppressor that she was in the book, and she was actually rather reserved. Lady Bertram was improved upon nicely, but several characters were entirely omitted. The movie managed to stay very true to some scenes in the book while taking very great liberties with others. Fanny hardly seemed to be the second-class family member that was so central to her character in the book, and maybe because of that, the movie did not include her visit to her family (as it wasn't necessary for this character's development). The movie also did not include any charming childhood scenes, which set the tone in the book for Fanny and Edmund's relationship. What was included was well-done, and the movie was well-paced.
As for the final scene - I have to admit, I'm not sure what the point was of having Edmund and Fanny show off a new style of dance, nice as it was to watch.
Just watched this one. I'd say I liked it more than the others, I thought it was well-cast. I didn't realize Edmund was Mr. Elton (glad I didn't notice that!). As for expectations, I think the only glaring expectation that felt off, was I don't know why, but I pictured Fanny as a brunette, not a blond! Maybe that's just because of the other adaptations? I don't know if it ever said in the book.I thought how they got together in the end was rather rushed and sudden, although I guess in the book, I felt the same thing! So it was true to the book, I guess. I liked the other Edmund better though(the one from the 1999 movie).
ReplyDeleteI definitely also pictured Fanny as a brunette, so now I wonder, too, if the book actually ever described her hair color... It's especially annoying because, what with her dark eyebrows, it really seemed like the actress's hair was dyed to be lighter on purpose.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they made her blonde to set her apart from the rest of the Bertrams, which had dark hair.
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