Maria's ugly - Mansfield Park (1999) Discussion

[–] ednalyn99 17 years ago

Julia was prettier, I have to admit.

I loved "The Painted Veil." Please do try to see it.

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I have always thought the same thing. The girl that plays Maria has always looked like a leprichaun to me. lol

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She's crazy ugly. It's always bugged me. You're so right too, the actress that plays her sister is much better looking. I've kind of noticed this with British productions. Often they've got a quite different definition of beauty than what you'd expect.

http://saucybetty.blogspot.com

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[–] randommovies2002 17 years ago

Have you seen how she looks in Pride and prejudice (1995) and Persuasion (1995)?

I think Victoria Hamilton has become a bit of a beauty, but her appearance was certainly awkward (to say the least) in her earlier screen work.

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[–] thatsnumberwang 17 years ago

Random I am SHATTERED that we actually disagree on something. I don't recall her in those movies, but face facts you cannot call her beautiful with a straight face. Plain yes. Pretty, Beautiful, Gorgeous, never. Ugly most certainly. Even if she has improved in looks as you allege, she's no beauty.

http://saucybetty.blogspot.com

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[–] randommovies2002 17 years ago

I am SHATTERED that we actually disagree on something

LOL Betty! I'm feeling the weight of enormous responsibility! ;-)

I actually do think she looks rather pretty these days. When I saw her in Goodbye Mr. Chips and Victoria and Albert, I was amazed at how much her looks had improved since P&P-1995 and Persuasion. But I realize that isn't saying much. ;o)

But in To the Ends of the Earth, she looked like a harpy. (Or as my son would say, a sea hag!) lol

Then recently, I saw her on something (can't recall what) and was stunned by how well she looked. Here is a pic that conveys the look to which I refer:
http://www.sueterryvoices.com/images/artist/full/victoria-hamilton.jpg

I can't recall what it was...an episode of Parkinson, maybe? Or something along those lines. Anyhow, I'm terribly sorry to have shattered you so heartlessly like that! lol

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[–] morticcia1 17 years ago

She had a brief appearance in Matchpoint, the Woody Allen movie made in England a year or so ago. She looked her age.

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[–] LCShackley 16 years ago

Many British productions of "classic lit" feature leading ladies who are definitely not beauties in the traditional sense. (Most egregious example: Gina McKee playing the supposedly drop-dead-beautiful Irene Forsyte in the 2002 remake of FORSYTE SAGA).

What's with that? There are obviously a lot of good-looking girls in England. Is it because Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters were nothing much to look at?

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[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] marebytes 13 years ago

agreed- woof woof ugly

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[–] Jenn25 13 years ago

Haha! I hope the poor actress never reads this thread! But I do have to agree that she is not at all pretty- and the fact that she even got naked for the role- makes me shudder! Didn't need to see that!

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[–] CaughtInAbadromance 16 years ago

Yeah! Julia was really pretty, you would of thought it would be the other way round. But Mariah was more flirtatious and loud.
Erik Von Detten

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[–] governess98 16 years ago

The woman that played Julia was defiantly more attractive but Mariah was more striking. Her looks fit in well with her headstrong character.

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[–] thatsnumberwang 16 years ago

Gina McKee is GORGEOUS compared to the actress that plays Maria. I had no problem with her in the role of Irene.

http://saucybetty.blogspot.com

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[–] annegelic_702 15 years ago

lol i loved the Forsyte Saga series despite Irene not being the typical beauty, in a real obvious way. She was still attractive though.

Anyway if there was anyone wrongly miscast in this movie it was definitely Maria. Having never read the book, I thought the whole point in Henry falling for her charms wasn't because of her beauty (because she was NOT a beauty) but her strong personality/attitude, aggressive behaviour, etc.

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[–] phillyspice 15 years ago

Henry wasn't attracted to Maria because of her beauty. It was the fact that she was simultaneously unavailable and flirtatious that intrigued him. She was just a plaything for him; he didn't actually care about her - just wanted to get under her petticoats if you know what I mean. I've seen it often enough in real life. Most guys will go for a flirtatious, easy, plain girl over a more attractive girl who takes more effort to woo :-)

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[–] weaselfrance 15 years ago

Nope. In the book, both Miss Bertrams are acknowledged beauties. There's a reference to them being 'the belles' of the neighbourhood. And Maria is meant to be much more attractive than her younger sister

That Julia escaped better than Maria was owing, in some measure, to a favourable difference of disposition and circumstance, but in a greater to her having been less the darling of that very aunt, less flattered and less spoilt. Her beauty and acquirements had held but a second place. She had been always used to think herself a little inferior to Maria. Her temper was naturally the easiest of the two; her feelings, though quick, were more controllable, and education had not given her so very hurtful a degree of self–consequence.

Henry is too shallow to pay any attention to a plain woman. He toyed with both Bertram sisters and tried to make Fanny fall for him because he's vain, selfish and a heartless git. Henry's meant to be plain, but charming. So the actor playing him is also mis-cast. The book makes this much clearer, but the film deviates so far from the book that any casting decisions are the least of my problems with it.

I lost my job
What? Why?... Not the Phantom Menace?

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[–] macgirl66 14 years ago

I think the woman who plays Maria is a very good actress, have seen her in many roles, but she is a bit on the plain side.

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[–] Ilario1 14 years ago

Justine Whaddell(sp), the girl who played Julia is just a natural beauty no matter how much they try and play down her looks. This is the second movie this has happened in. In Wives and Daughters she just outshined her stepsister who was supposed to be a great beauty as well.

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[–] ajgraaff 14 years ago

Justine Waddell also played Estella in Great Expectations who is supposed to be a great beauty. I also really liked her in Wives and Daughters. She was the perfect Molly - except for not having the soft grey eyes Elizabeth Gaskell describes. Keely Hawes was the right pick for Cynthia though. It is more about personality than looks. I don't think JW would have made a good Cynthia.

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[–] Ilario1 14 years ago

I agree Keeley was the right pick for Wives and Daughters. She nailed the part. However, they kept talking about her being this great beauty that would stop men in their tracks and she was doing just that all throughout the series. Not saying at all they should have switched roles. It's just that Justine Waddell's looks are hard to play down when she is supposed to be the lesser beauty.

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[–] ajgraaff 14 years ago

I forgot. She also played Tess of the Dubervilles who was supposed to be beautiful.

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