Patricia Rozema's 1999 film is an adaptation of Jane Austen's 1814 novel `Mansfield Park'. Although Rozema stays generally faithful to the plot of the original text, various changes have been made. Rozema's version infuses a particular perspective and ideological stance in her interpretation of the novel, reflecting late-20th-century attitudes to the society of the 19th century. This is done by explicitly presenting extra themes such as slavery, sexism and feminism in Austen's period, and creating an audacious character out of Austen's reticent heroine, Fanny Price. Rozema's film also goes beyond the strict fidelity of the original text, heightening the sexual relationships of some characters.

During Austen's time, European countries colonized most of Africa. African people were frequently exploited, murdered, and abused to a nauseating extent. Many Europeans depended on the slave trade and exploitation of Africans for their prime economy.

Such issues are unfelt in Austen's novel. She completely...