1 An atmospheric and true adaptation
Persuasion is perhaps Austen's most atmospheric novel. Her last completed novel, it is pervaded by melancholy. This film expertly captures the moods of the novel, by means of powerful performances from the leads, perfect detail and a pointed yet simple script.
The heroine, Anne Elliot, is an intelligent and gentle woman, whose sense and generous spirit are slighted by her vain and vacuous family. We see that, in spite of having been persuaded not to marry a poor sailor eight years previously, her steadfast nature eventually convinces the hurt and stubborn Wentworth, now a naval officer, to rekindle the romance after many obstacles have been overcome.
The production values are not lavish, but seem very real. Bath, Kellynch, Lyme and Uppercross Cottage are just as the audience can imagine Austen to have envisioned them. This film is a treat.
2 Not the Best Movie, But Not the Worst Either
Less than I had expected from a Jane Austen movie but still okay. The plot was kind of hard to follow but there were some good parts, especially the ending.
3 Successful adaptation of Austen's work
Jane Austen's Persuasion, her last great novel, comes to life in great perfection in this 1995 film version. Starring Amanda Root as Anne Elliot and Ciaran Hinds as Captain Wentworth, this version of the classic is certainly admirable in both performance and faithfulness to the work itself. While the story is both a satire and a drama, the pervading question that surfaces is: what can we do when we let someone important slip away from us? For Anne Elliot, she must not only live in the present, but deal with a past love when Captain Wentworth resurfaces in her life years after their failed love.
One of the great things about this version is not only its succinctness, but the great effort by the cast. While the movie is barely over one hour and a half long, it still keeps much of the relevant plot within the script. There is not a sense of dragging the story around; we get right into the main issues of the work and the story shifts rather quickly. The cast itself was also commendable-for instance, Anne's sister, Elizabeth, who is played by Pheobe Nichols, comes across perfectly as someone who is a bit snobbish and only concerned with the issue of class and reputation for both herself and her sister.
Another successful aspect of the film is the ability to depict accurately the social values that are so crucial to the book's relevancy. For example, we really get a true look at how much family pressure made a difference in determining marital values, as is demonstrated in the case of Anne Elliot and her family's wishes that leave her feeling guilty and frustrated years later.
The most essential aspect of filming a classic is to bring forth the vitality of the book, and this one does this successfully. We see the story of a woman who must try to put her family's wishes and other's interferences aside in order to find what is truly essential to her well-being. Anne must also fight through the frustrations of others interfering in something that is paramount to her own life-love.
4 Another Ciaran Hinds Great!
If anyone has seen Jane Eyer, with Ciaran Hinds, you know how "in depth" he can portray a " hell of a man". Strong, yet soft in the heart, this is another love story with a woman, " poorly chosen for the part". The story is lacking some connection between the two, but you won't mind if your a lover of Ciaran.
5 irritatingly sucky
Poorly directed and thoroughly uninteresting. I am at a loss to explain why so many people have rated this film so highly: I personally got nothing out of it.
The plot is convoluted and has many red herrings; the pace slogs in the middle; the main character is frigid and unreadable, and the climactic moment of passion is confusing and predictable.
6 The Best Jane Austen Film
My husband and I both love watching this film. In fact, he has watched it several times with me, very intently. The tension that is maintained throughout the story is tremendous. Then finally, when they make us think we will still have to wait a bit longer (until evening) for the happy reunion, he is waiting for her near the door when she comes flying out. Finally, we can breathe and bask in their happiness. This is the most amazing feel-good, romantic movie; and it is perfectly cast. I have read the book twice and these characters seemed to just jump from the pages for me. Of course, I also think Persuasion is Jane Austen's best work, so I am a bit partial to this story; but I think the job they did on this movie is so incredible, it deserves to win awards. I will be watching this on rainy days for the next fifty years.
7 ''Wentworth, he's a nobody''
'Persuasion' as a novel is flawless and to adapt it onto film, that was undoubtedly going to be a colossal task. The reason for this being that story is about love lost and the fear that it might never be able to be regained, two subjects that are difficult to portray without great acting, scenery and music. Luckily for the viewer, this adaptation of 'Persuasion' has all of that.
It really resonates with you from how it just captures each character perfectly and displays how aggravating the unbearably suffocating social etiquette of Regency England truly was. This might have seemed 'romantic' and 'emotional' in some overly sentimental Hollywood period films but in this adaptation, you see how heartbreaking it is. It is a raw and unflinching portrayal of how Regency England would have been like for the debt-ridden landed gentry yet it is a subtle and almost repressed tale of the choices we make.
The acting is sublime, I cannot applaud it more and other reviewers agree with me so it just can't be dissed! The music was beautiful and I loved the attention to detail that the camera gave - it just shows that the BBC weren't trying to make an adaptation that would make loads of money, they did it to fulfill what Austen wanted us to see.
I can see why some enthusiasts of the novel would feel that better looking people should have played the two main characters because that is Austen describes it in the book but don't be put off! The choice of actors actually works better because it is just about pure emotion, not how fit they are in the book.
Last Thought: This adaptation won't be for everyone but if you just want to appreciate matters of the soul without having image or superficiality in the middle of things, don't be dissuaded - watch 'Persuasion'.
8 perfect regency drama...
I happened across this movie in, of all places, a bargain bin several years ago. This is one of my all time favorite movies. Ciaran Hinds and Amanda Root give knock out proformances, the supporting cast is just as high caliber, the sets are accurate and visually stimulating and the film, IMO, is on par with A&E's Pride and Prejudice.
I recently began switching my VHS over to DVD. While this DVD has no special features, it was great getting a more accurate cover than the old VHS had (an embarrasing "clutch" shot of two models who aren't ever in the movie!). If you love the Regency period or an "Austenite"-you cannot pass this film up:)
9 True to the spirit of the book
Out of the recent film adaptations of the Jane Austen's novellas, this one tops them all. It's not to be compared to BBC's Pride and Prejudice as that's not a film. But when compared to Emma Thompson's Sense and Sensibility, Gwenyth Paltrow's Emma and Francis O'Conner in Mansfield Park, this film adaptation of 'Persuasion' is my favourite.
I found it difficult to accept the actress as Anne at first, butshe does grow on you. I found this film exquisite and true to the spirit of the novel. This version delivers in quality above all the rest.
10 Very good
I do not like Jane Austin books. I read several and was bored out of my mind. Now, having said that I absolutely adore the movies that are based on her books. I guess I just like the stories but not her style of writing. This is a great love story and since I like Ciaran Hinds this was very enjoyable. However, if you don't like long movies and english accents, I advise against it.
11 wrong portrayal of Anne
Everyone was cast well, except for Anne. Yes, she's supposed to be tired, plain, worn out, lost her "bloom". But she was once a pretty girl and she's also supposed to have a sense of humour, and have enough manners to hide her own feelings in a social setting.
Amanda Root's Anne in this movie is seriously plain/unattractive, and one can't imagine how she could ever be considered pretty 8 years ago with her long nose, plain eyes, and indeterminate jawline. But that's not the problem.
The problem is that in every scene in which Captain Wentworth's name is mentioned, her eyes go all big, her jaw drops, and she goes all pale and frozen and can't function in a social setting. She becomes a total dumbwit. When Wentworth's name is mentioned, Anne is supposed to be stricken, barely functioning mentally, yet also hiding it beneath her manners and continuing to attend to others in conversation. Furthermore, Amanda Root's Anne doesn't show any conversational ability until she's talking with Mr. Elliot in Bath. A little late in the movie, isn't it?
The Anne portrayed by Ms. Firbanks in the 1971 version of Persuason is at least 10 years too old, but I preferred that Anne's social adeptness. Even when stricken, she tried to hide it and spare the people around her from being worried about her, and acted graciously. And you could see her past beauty, and her conversational/social graces.
The rest of the movie is good, the costumes, classical music, Captain Wentworth is particularly well cast, etc. Although Bentwick is dreadfully unattractive and the conversation often too quiet to understand.
12 GREAT music, GREAT story... who wrote the music??
I loved this movie. I saw it 4 years ago and decided to order it recently. It's so subtle and lovely. Even more lovely is the music and soundtrack that plays during the whole movie. Does ANYone know the name of the two operas sung during the music hall scene?
If you're boarderline on deciding -- get this movie! The performances are superb -- they really make you feel like you're a part of the times and story.
13 One of my favorite movies
This is a very subtle movie and gets better each time it is viewed as Jane Austins books become so as they are reread. The actors are incredible. Emma Thompson's sister plays Mary. She is a wonder.All the acting is engaging and I recommend this movie be watched at least twice to catch all the levels and details.
14 So Wonderful...
The beauty and innocence of the romance of Anne and Wentworth is captured so wonderfully. The acting is absolutely superb- the subtleties are delightful- and best of all, so faithful to Jane Austen's novel. The music interspersed throughout is so fitting, and the cinemetography breathtaking. Interesting camera work as well. All in all, a completely lovely, witty and enveloping film. I highly recommend it!!
15 Quietly entertaining
I've seen this Austen adaptation three times, and it never fails to entertain. Austen has captured the era in which she lived so well, this film treatment seldom hits a false note.
I'm no Austen scholar, just a lover of costume dramas. I enjoyed this one more than most, principally because of Amanda Root. Let's face facts. Emma Thompson in Sense and Sensability, and Gwyneth Paltrow in Emma are just gorgeous women. Amanda Root is more plain, and as a consequence, more believable in the role. Yes, you can forget Thompson and Paltrow in their roles, but the just aren't representative of what I imagine English women a couple of centuries ago.
The acting is solid, the British accents understandable (some films out of Australia and Scotland, especially, really need subtitles!), and the sets fit what one would expect from that era.
I rate this film very highly. There are great characters here, and very good acting, even from minor roles. The film doesn't drag, and you really feel Anne Eliot's sense of loss and regret.
Also stars the wonderful Susan Fleetwood and Corin Redgrave. Ciar‡n Hinds as Captain Wentworth was also very good.
Highly recommended if you like Austen and costume dramas, as do I.
16 wonderful:-)
'Persuasion' is one of the nicest movies I have ever seen. At the beginning, I was a little confused and dismayed when I saw the heroine - she didn't look like any movie star I'm really used to seeing- but at the end she was gorgeous. And the captain also, is played by a very attractive Mr. Hinds. I recommend this movie to anyone who is interested in a nice, plain, no-gimmick love story... and to anyone who might need their faith renewed that it is never too late for true love:-)
17 Root and Hinds Carry Film
A marriage prospect rejected years earlier due to money and class differences seems to be on the lovers' minds as they encounter one another once again. As with all Jane Austen tales, however, the path to marriage is littered with meddling family and friends and many moments of doubt.
This is a slow moving but very romantic movie. Heroine's struggle builds quietly to a very satisfying conclusion. Lead characters, portrayed by Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds, aren't meant to be the prettiest, youngest, or most unforgettable people you'll get to know; their story centers on the internal struggle of what's at stake in seeking a second chance. The movie, like the book, has an understated feel and includes several little twists and turns. Well acted, classic settings, and a gentle romantic air throughout: I heartily recommend this movie.
18 A solid adaptation of Austen's quietest novel
My copy of the novel "Persuasion" refers to it as having an "autumnal" tone, which has definitely carried over into this adaptation. It makes no pretensions to being another "Pride and Prejudice," or "Sense and Sensibility", lacking those books' underlying theme of warm friendship between sisters. Nor is it like "Emma" or "Northanger Abbey," both comedies featuring immature women and their self-discovery. In other words, "Persuasion" may be a disappointment to those who passionately love one of those other stories, and expect the same thing. This is ironic, considering that some believe "Persuasion" was based on an incident in Jane Austen's real life, where she apparently turned away a suitor in her youth, and later regretted it.
Again - the "autumnal" tone is picked up by the two leads, who are older and less conventionally attractive than, say, Kate Beckingsdale or Jeremy Northam. Ciaran Hinds has a quiet charisma that grows the longer you watch him, and has developed into a viable leading man. Amanda Root begins the film as a grey little mouse and transforms into a more lovely woman halfway through, solely through her skill as an actress, and not through a film of vasoline smeared on the camera.
Those who complain that Root is not pretty enough to fit their mental image are missing the point, and probably did not read the book, where Austen points out that Anne's beauty had faded with age. (As we read on, we realize that it's her love for life that's dimmed, which in turn has affected her attractiveness to others. Her handsome father certainly becomes less good-looking each time his prissy behavior is described.)
In the film, it would be easy to pull a "Grease"-like transformation - where, like Olivia Newton John, Amanda Root comes out all dolled up in makeup and a hot bodice, ready to jump on the Regency tilt-a-whirl. But the Captain and Anne regain their passion for another through their rediscovery of each other's hearts, not their good looks - although seeing each other's good character instantly brightens their countenance and puts a spring in their step, making them much more attractive. Neither Hinds nor Root need a gallon of makeup to make this transformation believable.
The two performances that I enjoyed most, however, were that of Sophie Thompson and Fiona Shaw. Thompson, who was only vaguely boorish in "Four Weddings and a Funeral," as a woman despairing of meeting a quality mate, goes full-hog as a high maintenance mooch. Very funny.
Shaw, on the other hand, is one of the funniest things about the "Harry Potter" movies, as Harry's dreadful aunt. Here, she is positively vibrant as a happy naval wife. She just brims with love and vigor, believable as a woman who has travelled the seas to be with her husband, and who wishes happiness for her younger brother and all around her. Both the character and the portrayal make a fine contrast to Anne's waspish sisters and father, and the overindulgent yet loving Musgroves. Only five years older than costar Root, with what seems to be a great range, I wonder what charm Shaw might have brought to the role of Anne if she had been offered the part at an appropriate age.
This is a warm, and yes, subtle movie, which will chase away the blues on a winter day.
19 A Worthy Adaptation of a Favorite Book
I thoroughly enjoyed this adaptation of Jane Austen's "Persuasion." Unlike some other reviewers on this site, I found Amanda Root to be a perfect choice for the role of Anne Elliott, who had "lost her bloom" at age 27. At the beginning of the movie, Root's Anne is timid, often self-effacing, and her physical appearance is, frankly, plain. Thoroughout the course of the film, as she rediscovers her feelings for Captain Wentworth (Ciaran Hinds)she becomes more animated and self-assured, and by the end of the movie, sure of the captain's love, she positively blooms again. I liked the cast in general, although I thought that Hinds may have been an older Captain Wentworth than Austen envisioned. Corin Redgrave gave his usual excellent performance as the vain and foppish father of Anne and Elizabeth. I did not care for Phoebe Nicholls interpretation of Elizabeth Elliott, however. Ms Nicholls, who was so brilliant in "Brideshead Revisited," played Elizabeth (who is in her late 20s) as a spoiled teenager who would have been more at home in the Los Angeles of the 1990s than early 19th century England. Sophie Thompson (sister of Emma) and Fiona Shaw were outstanding as Mary Musgrove and Mrs. Croft, respectively.
The film makers did take some liberties with the story....it has been commented on several times by critics that Anne and the Captain never kissed in Austen's novel. While this is true, most of the film adaptations of Austen's works that I have seen include scenes of kissing between men and women who have come to an understanding of their love for each other. "Persuasion" is certainly a more faithful adaptation of Austen than is "Mansfield Park," which was released about the same time, probably because it does not have a political ax to grind.
20 Not a very good adaptation
This adaptation is rather disappointing. It seemed as if under time pressure, the ending in particular was overly compressed. They would have been better served making a mini-series out of it. It's OK, but you won't be enthralled.
21 brilliant and beautiful
Persuasion is a masterpiece of subtlety, a fine example of
the kind of film that can be made when all involved place
quality over market value. The film is not for the dense, as it requires patience and the understanding of an era, challenging viewers to read the subtext and to listen to Austen's richly written characters. Notice (those who've seen the film many times) how lines giving away important details are thrown away, spoken in a matter-of-fact manner, so easy to miss if you're not paying close attention. It took me several viewings to
grasp every detail of the story (haven't read the book).
In fact, it took me a couple of viewings to even like the film, much less love it as I do now!
I wanted it so much to be as electrifying as Pride and Prejudice. I wanted fireworks from these two lovers, the kind of impassioned conversations you'd hear from Miss Bennett and Mr. Darcy. But it's just not that kind of romance. Anne and Wentworth have a private and painful history that nobody seems to understand but them. There is the surface knowledge between the other characters, but then such a heavy, quiet knowledge between the main two. They are NOT meant to engage in a battle of wits or lash out at one another in fits of anger. They are meant to rekindle the deep, meaningful feelings they once had for each other, but delicately, gradually, and almost as secretly as their initial engagement.
Amazing how this dashing, macho Captain of the Navy becomes stifled around Anne. Love is so much scarier to him than any sea battle. At first he is aloof, avoids her, downright ignores her. He comes around so gradually, yet so inevitably, as does Anne's soul. And nobody notices the reasons for their respective transformations, their growing attachment, but them. Their affection for one another is their own little secret shared only with the most sensitive viewer.
I urge those who didn't like it to watch it again. There is so much beauty and grace in this film. It is a rare and genuine treasure.
22 A Trifle Disappointing
I'm a huge Austen fan and take any chance to see movie adaptations of her novels. Persuasion is one of my all-time favorite novels.
This adaptation is rather disappointing. I was hoping for as beautiful a film as I'd read in reviews. Instead I felt the action was too hurried toward the end, the beginning painfully slow and the characters too exaggerated.
The novel was beautiful and subtle and made the reader ache for Anne. Instead, this movie makes you ache to watch. Ciar‡n Hinds is just too oafish (my opinion) to play the dashingly handsome Wentworth, Anne's father, Sir Walter, too much of a fop, when he really wasn't that bad, and Anne herself too plain and meek for her stronger novel-character.
The movie wasn't wholly bad, though. The slow, autumnal feel was glorious. I enjoyed Lady Russell's character as well as the scenes when there are in Lyme.
The ending was just odd, including the final scene when Anne and Wentworth are standing in the middle of a street parade. Where did that come from??
One thing that really bugged me was the treatment of Wentworth's letter to Anne. How that letter made my heart flutter when I read it! And in the movie, it was unintelligible!!! Don't have two voice-overs crossing each other: Half of what is said is lost. Where was the editing on this scene? It should have been his voice alone, or Anne's voice beginning and his picking up, but not overlapping as they alternated.
I'm still waiting for a truer adaptation.
23 Strong start, odd finish
This video adaptation of my favorite JA novel starts wonderfully, features a near-perfect cast and sets, and even wardrobe. But about halfway through the story the script takes a couple of odd turns, departing from the spirit of the novel in ways I found irritating. These departures seemed designed to hustle things along to fit a movie timeframe, which is unavoidable, but they didn't have to be quite so obvious.
For instance, Wentworth stiffly requests a private interview on a street corner to ask on behalf of "my admiral" whether she'll want to move into Kellynch after marrying Mr. Elliot?! And declares his intention of marrying Anne right in the middle of Sir Walter and Elizabeth's party--to everyone?!
Austen had written an early ending that used a PRIVATE interview, but she ditched this (for good reason) and replaced it with a chat with the admiral and the letter. Austen had decided the interview conclusion was too rushed--which I suppose is why they used it for the movie.
Overall, the first half is worth the annoyance of the second. Someone who hasn't read the book over and over won't notice much wrong, but brace yourself, dedicated Austen fan, for a few bumps along the road. The perfect video adaptation may come along someday.
24 This is The Best Jane Austen movie ever!
I think that this is the best adaptation ever done of a Jane Austen book. It shows the delicate, scathing and halarious language of Jane Austen in the matter in which it was intended...by portraying the manners of the times, the situations that could create this irony it really gives us a fully realized adaptation. I think that Amanda Root and Cieran Hinds are marvelous along with all the players. I cannot watch this movie and be bored. I wish that it had shown more of what happened in the end with her shoolgirl friend as I always thought that Austen put in these characters as a small reflection on what she thought her financial situation was at the time but other than that, it is perfection!
25 Watch it a second time
Although I have read several Jane Austen books and then saw the movie, that was not the case with Persuasion. I didn't know the story and so didn't know what to expect.
I watched it the first time and was a little let down because at first it really DID seem a little boring as other viewers have mentioned in their reviews. But then on a rainy Sunday afternoon (isn't that the best times to watch romantic movies??) I watched it again and LOVED it this time! I think I had just missed a lot of the subtleties the first time around and think that must be the case with the viewers who submitted poor reviews...they just missed all the undercurrents and subtleties.
The first time I saw the movie I did not see the handsomeness or beauty in the Captain or Anne but by the end of the second viewing I was in love with the Captain and finally noticed that although Anne is mousy, she is the prettiest female in the movie. Especially at the end when they both were just glowing. Is that glow, especially on Anne's face, just a good makeup artist's trick or fine acting...or just a projection of how you, yourself feel about the characters by the end of the movie?? All the characters are really not very attractive looking in this movie, but I loved that because it seemed mover REAL. How many times have you heard how beautiful some historic figure (Anne Boleyn, Marie Antionette??) was supposed to be, then saw a picture of them and thought...uggg! Different time periods have different ideals of beauty. From pictures that I have seen of this time period, the women really DID look like this, not like so-called modern beauties like Gweneth Paltrow as she was in Emma.
A couple of the scenes that I absolutely adore are where Anne is at the opera. She is there with Mr Elliot, who wants Anne also, but only for what a marriage with her can do for him. She is ignoring Mr Elliot, who is trying to tell Anne of his feelings and intentions, because she can see that Captain Wentworth is leaving because he can see what is going on between them. She runs to stop the Captain from leaving begging him to stay which he will not due because of his jealousy of Mr Elliot, who is also standing there with them having this very passionate conversation. Everyone is watching them instead of the singer! Little, meek, spinsterish Anne now has TWO men wanting her! The other scene I love is the one where the Captain is coming over to ask Anne's father if he can marry Anne. Her self-absorbed sister who seems to despise Anne and lords over her, and almost treats her as a servant throughout the movie, actually tells her to try not to monopolize the Captain's time when he arrives...probably so that she may have a chance at him. And when the Captain asks for Anne's hand in marriage, her father is actually in disbelief that it is Anne the Captain wants.
So, if you watch this the first time and didn't like it, watch it again and you will be very pleasantly surprised.
26 Subltey lost on some, not on all
This movie is subtle. I rate it the highest for all the Jane Austen on film. It's not flashy. It sticks to the heart though. The worst reviews on this site must be taken with a grain of salt. I find that none of them [bad reviews] are compelling.
I saw the movie as a VHS rental first, and watched it several times before returning it, and yerning for a DVD copy of my own.
I have all the other's, save Mansfield Park, on DVD in my own library, and Persuasion has been watched more than Pride and Prejudice, which is an amazing feat in this home.
P & P has long been my favorite, only to be eclipsed by this late discovery of Persuasion on film.
I totally admit it's a BBC production, and sort of dim looking. That's not how this movie should be viewed though, for the heart of the movie beats strong and true and the story builds to utter and complete fullfillment at the end.
C. Wentworth "telling off" Lady Russell is a highlight. His character so vivid, and restrained anger ever present when dealing with Anne. Manipulated, he still loves her. And rightly so.
And as for understanding the story from the beginning, though I'd never read it at the time, I understood it and craved it over and over again.
I've lent my copy to a friend, and am in withdraw. I miss my Persuasion on DVD. The local rental place only has it on VHS, but I may have to go get it. It's really that good of a movie. Now as to persuade others to view this movie, it's hard. My expectations are not every one elses. Most people I know look at me like I'm from a different planet when I ask them if they have seen this movie. They've never heard of it mostly. That explains why I never new it was out. [I've long been an at home movie person only] It's hard to love a movie and want to share it's greatness, but have to tippy-toe around the subject and apoligize ahead of time, since the person may not like the movie. This movie is just like that. I don't get it that other people don't "get" this movie though. It's an incredible tale, on screen or in print.
27 YAWN! Very Disappointing
Boring and dull is how I would describe this movie.It was very hard to stay awake through.Stupid story and no great acting to be found here.I'm glad I rented this and didn't buy it.Your hour and a half would be better spent elsewhere.
28 I beg to differ
Having enjoyed all of the other Jane Austen films on DVD I was surprised to find that this turns out to be a true dud. The director displays so little creative fire that he must have been selected by a BBC committee. The lead actors are supposed to convey the romantic tension of the book, yet they couldn't have been less inspiring in their roles. The odd thing is that Siskel & Ebert gave it two thumbs up, and they are usually reliable film critics. While the book is brilliant, I do not recommend this film production of Persuasion.
29 Couldn't Have Been Better
I read the book and adored it, so I was overjoyed to find the most recent film adaptation of Persuasion was nearly perfect in every way. I couldn't imagine a better casting job. The actors bring Jane Austen's characters to life in a way I can't visualize her disapproving, and the script is just as it should be. I wonder about Mrs. Smith, and that issue of her husband's fortune in the West Indies, but other than that,the film is impeccable. The music sets beautiful tone for the romance taking place, and you couldn't wish for a better Anne or Wentworth. Of course, you'll fall in love with every character in the film-if not for who they are, for how closely they resemble the characters in the novel. Enjoy! I know I did.
30 A classic
It is a difficult, daunting task to take what was a wonderful novel and adapt it for the screen, but this movie certainly accomplishes it. I have seen it so, so many times and never tire of it, though I still enjoy rereading the book. Moreover, there are many movies I enjoy watching multiple times, but I find that there are certain parts I choose to fast-forward through because I don't care for them. Not this movie. I watch every minute, every time. If this is your first time seeing Persuasion, and you haven't read/don't plan to read the book before seeing the movie, don't read too much in the way of reviews just yet. Half the fun of the story is in the surprises it holds, in the twists of plot that come along the way. But don't forget to read the book once you're done. :)
31 DOES NOT DO THE BOOK JUSTICE!
I read this book, and loved it. Persuasion was the first book I read from Jane Austen, so after I finished it, I just had to watch the movie. We rented the movie, and right as I turned it on, I knew that it was not going to be what I had exspected. The movie had poor actors, they made the characters in the book look as if they were just to old to live, and love. Among othere things, it left out many scene that are vital to the book.
I watched this with my mother, and I was the only one who read the book. As the movie went on, she had to stop it to ask me what was going on. The beginning of the movie, in my opinion, is the worst part because they leave out that she was once in love with a man when they were younger. It confuses you through out the rest of the movie, which I can say is very long and boring. The romance in this movie is lost. In the book you can read what love she is thinking and feeling, but in the movie they try and show it, although it is shown very poorly.
I highly recomend that a person should read the book before watching this sad excuse of a movie. And if you have already watched this movie, please, PLEASE, do not let it ruin your respect for Jane Austen's writings. Again I will say that the book is 1000 times better than this movie, and I hope that some day, another producer will try to clean up the mess that this movie has made, and produce a better vershion of persuasion.
32 A Superb Film Adapted From A Literary Masterpiece
"Persuasion," the film, is a faithful adaptation of Jane Austen's final completed novel, and to my mind her finest book. It is directed, with subtlety and brilliance, by Roger Michell. The film is quite able to stand alone, on its own merits - you don't have to know Ms. Austen's work to be captivated by the pure magic of the romance, the Regency English period history, brilliant characterizations, color, music and costumes of this extraordinary drama brought to life on the screen. The movie deals with the same social issues as the book, especially the British class system. Rigid social barriers existed - and everyone wanted to marry "up" to a higher station - and into wealth. This is also a very poignant and passionate tale of love, disappointment, loss and redemption. The point is clearly that one shouldn't ever be persuaded to abandon core values and beliefs, especially for ignoble goals. There are consequences, always.
Sir Walter Elliot, Lord of Kellynch Hall, is an extravagant, self-aggrandizing snob, and a bit of a dandy to boot. He has been a widower for many years and spends money beyond his means to increase his social stature. His eldest daughter, who he dotes on, is as conceited and spoiled as he is. The youngest daughter, Anne (Amanda Root), is an intelligent, sensitive, capable and unassuming woman in her late twenties when the film begins. She had been quite pretty at one time, but life's disappointments have taken their toll and her looks are fading. She and her sister are both single. Anne had once been very much in love with a young, and as yet untried, navel officer. A woman who had been a close friend to Anne's mother, persuaded Anne to call off the engagement, convincing her that she could make a much better match. After much consideration, Anne did not follow her heart or her better instincts, and she and her young officer, Frederick Wentworth (Ciaran Hinds), separated. She has never again found the mutual love or companionship that she had with him.
The Elliot family is forced to financially retrench because of their extravagance. They lease Kellynch Hall to...of all people...Wentworth's sister and her husband. Elliot, his oldest daughter and her companion, move to a smaller lodging in Bath for the season, leaving Anne to pack up their belongings before joining them. She gets the Cinderella treatment throughout the film. Anne chooses this time to visit with her middle sister, an abominably spoiled, whiny hypochondriac, Mrs. Musgrove. She has made a good, but not brilliant match to a local squire. Charles Muskgrove, her husband, his parents, and their two younger, eligible daughters, Louisa and Henrietta, are delightful. There are wonderfully warm scenes of family and friends dining, dancing, hiking over the gorgeous countryside, and at the seashore, that bring the audience smack into early 19th century English life. It is at the Muskgrove estate that Anne meets Frederick Wentworth again, after his absence of seven years. He is in the neighborhood, because his sister is now in the area, residing at Kellynch, of course. Wentworth is now a Captain in the Royal Navy and quite wealthy. When their eyes meet for the first time, you can absolutely feel Anne's longing and remorse. Intense. I cannot imagine a better actress to play Anne than Amanda Root. She slowly transforms herself from a sallow, aging spinster to a luminescent woman in love - and this is Not just the makeup. Wentworth/Hinds is aloof with Anne, although civil. The man was hurtfully rejected once before and it appears that he still feels the sting of her snub. Now Wentworth is on the marriage market and Louisa sets her cap for him. Accidents and various adventures ensue, from the resorts of Lyme and Bath to the Muskgrove estate, bringing Anne and Wentworth closer together. The passion between the two is palpable, although Very understated, (this is Regency England after all). If Ms. Root is the perfect Anne, then Mr. Hinds is the best possible Wentworth. He is as large and virile as she is petite and feminine. He oozes sexuality...but again, he portrays his character with great subtlety. The entire production is brilliantly cast and the acting is superb
I think this is Ms. Austen's most passionate piece. Some scholars say that she modeled Anne Elliot after herself.
This remarkable film, like the novel, and the issues it tackles, is just as germane today as it was when written. Each time I view it, it just gets better. And the romance...well, no one does romance better than Jane Austen.
33 A delicate and touching love story.
IMO, this production only improves with time. As much as I liked watching it the first time, subsequent viewings served to heighten my pleasure and esteem for this very delicate and special film. Amanda Root is just perfect in her role as Anne Elliot; you can truly feel her every emotion, repressed or otherwise. And Ciaran Hinds is, as always, simply excellent as the dashing Captain Wentworth. Their passion and pain lingers just under the surface and is really exquisitely portrayed and filmed. But, as I've stated, this film has great delicacy and is definitely NOT an in-your-face love story by any means! (Oh, I shudder to think how Hollywood would have handled - botched! - this production.) The cast in general is outstanding, btw.
One note, however, is that if you have not read the book you will not immediately understand the gist of Anne & Frederick's previous romance. The film opens without mention of their past relationship some years earlier. However, the situation is clarified in time.
Persuasion is my alltime favorite Austen adaptation and, in its own quiet way, a stunning film of rare quality.
34 Amanda Root as the protagonist
At this writing, there are 162 reviews of this movie. I liked it very much, but I'm going to comment only upon the uneven reviews that Amanda Root got in playing the lead role.
I think she's great in the role. Personally, I don't think the beautiful Emma Thompson (in Sense and Sensibility) is really representative of the women of Jane Austen's time. Amanda Root is. Let's face facts. Emma Thompson is a modern woman, forthright and forward. Amanda Root in Persuasion is much more of a 'mouseburger', which I just can't help but believe is more true to the times. She's passive, she's not showy, she's not pushy, she's not a 21st century feminist. And that's all to the good...much more believable.
I really liked this production, especially Ms. Root's performance. She really makes one sympathize with a woman of that time, whose future life depended almost entirely upon whom she married. Women who didn't marry well, and early, didn't stand much of a chance. She would have be dependent upon her relatives for the rest of her life, and would have been the lowest ranking member of the family. Ms. Root played the fear and lost hope of a woman in her situation very well.
Highly recommended.
35 An unfortunately lackluster, spiritless production
Persuasion is by no means Jane Austen's most interesting book, but does it have to be so deadly dull? Amanda Root does her best with what she's given to work with, but she generally comes across as a "poor little match girl" type with an annoying hang-dog expression. We never get a glimpse of what could provoke Capt. Wentworth's passion. Her sister Elizabeth is nothing more than a charicature, though the potrayal of her sister Mary is quite good. The movie is too short to develop any of the secondary stories, so that certain plot lines and characters are just stuck into the main story and go nowhere.
36 "-Loving Longest When All Hope Is Gone-"
Jane Austen wrote PERSUASION towards the end of her life, while in her final illness. Thus an atmosphere of bending weariness and quiet resignation pervades this tender romance, infused within provincial life in Regency England, swaying against the backdrop of the Napoleonic wars. I could not help but love this BBC film version unconditionally, so deftly are the gentle qualities of the novel brought forth.
As with her earlier novel, MANSFIELD PARK, Austen filled this story with subdued satire - intertwining a comedy of genteel manners with the unassailable decrees of the human heart. This is the story of Anne Elliot (Amanda Root): a single woman in her late 20's who, eight years previous, on the counsel of her patroness and late mother's friend, Lady Russell (Susan Fleetwood-who sadly died of cancer shortly after this film was made), had refused an offer of marriage from her true love, Captain Frederick Wentworth (Ciaran Hinds) on the grounds of his poor financial prospects.
Captain Wentworth returns to Anne's rather confined realm of society when his sister, Mrs. Croft, and her husband, an Admiral in the Navy (John Woodvine, of 1992's WUTHERING HEIGHTS) lease Anne's baronet father's estate, Kellynch Hall. Before she can join her father and elder sister Elizabeth (Phoebe Nicholls) in Bath, she must first spend a few weeks with her hypochondriac younger sister Mary, whose husband Charles' family, the Musgroves - parents Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove, and two younger sisters, Henrietta and Louisa - reside nearby. It is here that Anne becomes re-acquainted with her long-lost love, who's by now an advantageous match for any young woman, having made his prize fortune during the war. Wentworth initially fancies himself "a lost man" to the first attractive young lady who bestows upon him her "compliments to the Navy." To all appearances, Louisa Musgrove is that very lady...
Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds, even though they lack the physical beauty distinctive in other Austen adaptations, express the gamut of suppressed emotions most flawlessly here. Ms. Root conjures all the feelings of empathy and affection with every delicate expression she makes. Mr. Hinds, whom I've seen in a number of other roles -including that of an overwrought Mr. Rochester in a 1997 adaptation of JANE EYRE - gives here what's quite likely the best performance of his career. His Wentworth's subtle yet barely suppressed anger hits Anne like a bombshell. The emotion is slow paced and very flowing - but it's nonetheless quite palpable.
The entire cast, in fact, gives every cause for high praise -- most notably Corin Redgrave (brother of Lynn and Vanessa) as Anne's vain and spendthrift father, Sir Walter Elliot, Sophie Thompson (sister of Emma Thompson) as Anne's self-centered younger sister Mary Musgrove, and Fiona Shaw (Mrs. Reed in 1996's JANE EYRE) as the indomitable Mrs. Croft - each are absolutely perfect in their respective roles.
Many a time, upon a weekend afternoon, I've placed this tape into my VCR and played it while occupied with various household chores. As ever and as always, this film offers up its many beauties, and they never fail to enchant me: the long walks through the pristine and stately New Forest - the excursions with the Navel men striding proudly along jetties of the shores at Lyme - the atmospheric turns about the drizzly sidewalks, the pump rooms, and the concert halls of Bath. Such are the scenes that eternally soothe a spirit ~
37 Broken Hearted Spinster Gets a Second Chance at Love
"Persuasion" is not as flashy as the some of the other Jane Austen stories that have been made into movies, but it is so rich and fulfilling to watch that it ranks up there with the best. It is a definite must-have to round-out your Austen collection--not a waste of money by a long shot.
The overall mood of the film is hushed and a little brooding, but not boring in the least. A caveat--any Austen fan will certainly endure, but non-Austen companions may not have the patience. Try having a Jane Austen party with your most refined friends, as this one may not fly with a wood-chopping, motorcycle riding husband or boyfriend.
The camera angles and lighting are reminiscient of other British productions, markedly different from "American-made" films. For instance, the rooms are not always well-lit, but this is more realistic to the era of candle-lighting and actually enhances the viewers understanding of the setting. As well, the camera techniques appear a little distracting to the average viewer, such as remaining fixed upon the actors' faces a little longer than "American" films and, but this is useful because it helps the viewer to feel what the characters are feeling. I'd have to say that this film is shot in a method that is somewhere between a stage-play and a typical movie.
The costumes and settings are authentic and believable. Every attention has been paid to period details and never does one think that it is all a hoax, I promise. Nothing is worse than seeing a telephone pole in the background or asphalt roads when you're enjoying a period film!
Amanda Root, who plays the main character of Anne Elliot, is an excellent actress and is very convincing as the broken-hearted spinster whose undeserving family cruelly mistreats her. She has a unique brand of beauty and elegance and pulls off her performance impeccably.
As the story unfolds it seems that Anne is destined to live a lonely life forever, until someone from her past unexpectedly enters the picture.......there are some surprises, but ultimately a satisfying, semi-vengeful ending. This one makes you think a little more about some of the cruelties of old English noble life and makes you appreciate the freedom to make our own choices in matters of love.
38 Hey, sailor, looking for a good time?
PERSUASION is another in a series of film adaptations of Jane Austen novels that take place in the Regency England of the early 1800s, a world where landed gentleman bemoan the fact that they haven't sired sons to inherit the estate, and whose unmarried daughters moon about waiting for well-mannered, moneyed Hunks to come within striking distance.
The lovelorn protagonist in this particular story is Anne Elliot (Amanda Root), the middle daughter of Walter (Corin Redgrave). Anne's mother being dead, the dominant female of Elliot's Kellynch Estate is Elizabeth (Phoebe Nicholls), Anne's older sister, who is becoming a sour and malicious Old Maid. However, Walter is financially strapped and must move the household to Bath, while renting out the Big House to Admiral Croft, since returned to land after the end of the latest squabble with France. While Walter and Elizabeth carriage off to their new digs, Anne visits with her younger sister, the selfish and silly Mary (Sophie Thompson), who's married to the son of another country gentleman, Mr. Musgrove, who himself has two unmarried daughters waiting for Prince Charming. As it so happens, Mrs. Croft (Fiona Shaw) has a brother, Frederick Wentworth (Ciaran Hinds), also in the Royal Navy. Eight years previous, Wentworth, then a junior officer with no financial prospects, and 19-year old Anne had a secret infatuation that ended when the latter reluctantly rejected the former's marriage proposal on the advice of a meddling socialite, Lady Russell (Susan Fleetwood). Wentworth, now holding the rank of Captain and possessing considerable means from the prize ships his command captured in the latest war, is back in town. Will his love affair with Anne be resurrected, or will he be snared by one of the Musgrove sisters? In the meantime, Anne is taking hits from William Elliot, her handsome cousin and heir apparent to Kellynch Estate.
Whew! Have you got all of this written down?
PERSUASION is impeccably acted, costumed and photographed, and, as such, should rightfully be ranked as one of the best of Austen's Big Screen soaps. In my opinion, however, it's flawed as an entertainment vehicle when compared with the recent cinematic versions of EMMA, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, and MANSFIELD PARK. Anne failed to inspire in this viewer the admiration and affection engendered by the heroines of those others, who were individually more clever, more intelligent, more plucky, or more vivacious. Of single women in her position, Anne states, "We live at home - quiet, confined - and our feelings prey upon us." Stewing in one's own juice is more like it, and Anne raises this exercise to an art form. Jeez, go out and get a job at Starbuck's already! And, while none of the JA epics are action thrillers by the wildest imagination, PERSUASION moves at a pace akin to rock formation.
Perhaps the most interesting character is Mrs. Croft. At this point in history (1814), the Admiralty apparently had a policy of allowing its warship commanders to take their spouses along on deployments. Thus, the Admiral's wife has seen much of the world, much to the envy of the stay-at-home-and-be-wretched ladies. Unfortunately, Mrs. Croft has too little screen time and makes no effort to impart any wider perspective to sad sack Anne.
I enjoyed PERSUASION to a certain degree for no other reason than it's an excellent period piece, but am thankful that it's the last of the Austen flicks that I'd obligated myself to see.
39 Brilliant
This is by far one of my favorite movies. It is slow paced, but it certainly pays off in the end. I did want to point out something raised by another reviewer, regarding the "unnecessary" insertion of the scene where Wentworth comes on behalf on the Crofts to Anne--Jane Austen actually wrote two endings to Persuasion. The alternate ending you can find in the appendix. One ending does feature Wentworth coming on behalf on Admiral & Mrs Croft, and the other ending has the letter. This movie has taken both endings and combined them. I personally love that they did that, as they took my favorite parts from both. So the movie didn't really deviate from the book in that regard. And I think that Anne certainly did have her "second bloom." She's prettier and more outgoing during the second half of the movie. My only small contention is Mrs Smith's story, they left out a large chunk which would have helped shed light on Mr. Elliott's character. That being said, there's nothing better than curling up in front of this movie and coming away smiling.
40 Decent adaptation...ONLY SEE IF YOUVE READ THE BOOK
First of all, if you haven't read this book, I strongly recommend that you DO NOT see this movie. I don't think it would give you a very good impression of what is one of my favorite books. The pacing is wrong, it manages to jump around and drag on seemingly without going anywhere at the same time. I also think that they expect you to infer quite a bit about the characters and events prior to the movie, but don't do a very good job of setting them up. Also, the sound quality of the dialogue isn't very good. Basically, if you don't already care about the characters, you still won't; if you don't already have some idea of the plot, it will be confusing and move incredibly slowly.
If you have already read the book, I would suggest seeing this movie, it is a decent adaptation (not as good as both recent Emmas and the most recent P&P, but to each their own). As far as I can remember, the two most major changes made were that the alternate ending (Wentworth speaking on the behalf of the Admiral regarding Kellynch) was added, and Mrs. Smith's story was changed to be much, much shorter and more straightforward. I think that both of these changes worked fairly well. What I couldn't stand about this version was its drab personality and horrible miscastings. Ciaran Hinds plays a dull (and unattractive) Capt. Wenworth. Amana Root is almost always too passive and serious as Anne (why is she such a good companion? why does everyone like her so much?) and spends half the movie staring sad and confused into the camera. She never gets her second "bloom" either. Mrs. Smith is laughably goofy. Elizabeth slouches and chews loudly and snorts and isn't at all elegant. Still, I think the Musgroves and Crofts are played well, as are Harville and Benwick. Also, the letter scene was completely ruined for me...they both read it aloud, but not perfectly in unison.
Overall, I gave this movie three stars because even though it's not done at all how I picture it, and is very unclear in parts, it still tells the story faithfully for those who have read it, and it's such a great story....for all of its shortcomings I've still seen this 3 times.
41 Unspoken Emotion
I loved this movie!! I am a huge Jane Austen fan and this movie perfectly captured her ability to show the inner turmoil of her characters through thier unspoken emotions. The last couple of scenes take my breath away every time I see it and those leading up to the climax make me yell at my TV each time. The cast is great and the costumes and scenes are wonderful. I highly reccomend this film to Austen lovers and anyone else who adores British flims. A great movie!
42 One of the best Jane Austen adaptation.
Really likes this adaptation of persuasion. The actors conveyed the sentiments of Anne & Captain Wentworth very well.
43 Not convincing
I am a true Jane Austen lover. Persuasion is one of her best novels, yet this movie failed to live up to the emotion and feeling of the book. Amanda Root's portrayal of Anne is insipid and she does little more move around the movie looking pained. There is no chemistry at all between Anne and Captain Wentworth, and I felt that the pieces where the movie deviated from the story were not only not needed, but poorly done. Really quite disappointing.
44 Jane Eyre with Timothy Dalton
I think this one of the best movies that I have ever seen! The acting was superb! It is a long movie, but when I finished the first video, I could hardly get the second one in fast enough. I just sat enrapt! I highly recommend.
45 one of the better movies based on Jane Austen's work
"Persuasion" is probably one of the most exceedingly brilliant Jane Austen screen adaptations to date. It is the story about a love that has known disappointment and is now quiet, cold and even a little bitter, but has never really died.
The fact that "Persuasion" was made on a relatively small budget does not take away from the film. The cinematography is simple and very matter-of-fact which does not outdo the various locations in which the film is set. The main and supporting cast work wonderfully with a magnificant script written by Roger Mitchell. Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds as Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth share a certain chemistry that works terrifically for the emotionally charged scenes which have little to do with dialogue and more to do with stolen glances. Sophie Thompson gives a stand-out performance as Anne's sister, Mary Musgrove, a hypochondriac whom nobody can stand. Her lines flow flawlessly out of her mouth.
Overall I would give "Persuasion" five stars. It is a film that requires patience because you'll grow to care so much about Anne and Frederick that it will be hard to wait and see whether or not they come together as they are so obviously meant to. Unlike other Jane Austen screen adaptations such as Sense and Sensibility which is a "louder" and more passionate romp through the 1800's (and just as good), everything about Persuasion is very quiet and subtle. The movie relies on the character's silences and facial expressions which often contradict their actions and words, and in doing so have made, overall, a very satisfying love story.
46 Persuasion
Jane Austen is a wonderful writer. Her stories are just as true today as in her day. She has a great way of getting her ideas about family & relationship across to the reader with such tact & humor. In my 5 favorite books from Jane, love wins out in the best possible way!
47 True to the spirit of Jane Austen. A gem!
Jane Austen's wonderful novels have been adapted many times over and many recent adaptations have been excellent. "Persuasion" is one of those heartwarming and romantic love stories that you'll want to revisit again and again.
This is a story of Anne Eliott, second daughter to a debt-ridden baronet. She fell in love with the dashing and handsome Frederick Wentworth at age 19 but was persuaded to break the engagement because of his limited prospects. She is, after all, from a noble family while he has a far humbler background.
9 years later, Anne is still unmarried and considered a spinster at age 28. A visit to her younger sister Mary puts her in the path of Frederick - now a successful navy captain. She discovers that she is still in love with him but he appears civil but cold (not having forgiven her for breaking his heart).
You'll have to watch the movie to find out how it all turns out but I guarantee that you will find this a thoroughly romantic and enjoyable period piece. The acting is topnotch and it has the high production values that you would find in an A&E or BBC production. If you've read the book, you will find that this adaptation is very faithful to its source.
I would also recommend "Sense & Sensibility" (Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet), "Emma" (Gwyneth Paltrow) and the fantastic "Pride and Prejudice" (Jennifer Ehle, Colin Firth) to round out a great selection of Jane Austen films. Be sure to check out "Wives and Daughters" (Justine Waddell, Keely Hawes) for another splendid romantic adaptation (this time from Mrs. Gaskell's early Victorian novel).
48 Fine piece of work
Haven't read the novel yet, but this is awfully good--a dark, romantic examination of 19th century courtship. The acting is first-rate, thanks to the Royal Shakespeare Company. Enjoy.
49 Absolutely marvellous
This movie is one of my Austen's favorite. I should say that, in fact, its completely different from other Austen adaptations but all the same it captures best the character's feelings in the book. Of course is not as so "dynamic" as other adaptations but we must understand that this novel is the last one that Jane Austen wrote and is entirely different from the others. Many critics say that this novel was written in a new style and much of the situation and places are highly connected with Austen's own life so involves much more mature emotions ,and if we consider that this is one of the oldest protagonists of Austen's novel and has suffer a vast deal more than any other character, it is absolutely rational to expect a much more serious movie with deep "hidden" feelings in which the audience can understand and connect with Anne's feelings.
I absolutely think that Amanda Root's performance is superior, it has credibility, and most of all she is capable of expressing the love, and passion that she feels for Cap. Wentworth, and at the same time the pain and suffering that she bestowed all those years , to me she fully represents my idea of Anne Elliot.
Ciaran Hinds its mostly the same, he is wonderful! Everything that a Cap. Wentworth should be. His performance really makes you suffer and love him through the movie with his looks, and at the same time with his indifferences towards Anne. Pitty that the movie does not shows Anne and Wentworth kissing for a longer time !!!!!
To me this movie is one of the greatest adaptations of Austen's novel with P&P, faithfully to the book and intense as the book itself.
50 Loved it!
It took a few minutes to catch up to the plot - watched it BEFORE I read the Jane Austen book, but it's another Jane Austen collectable! Thanks A&E for preserving the true spirit of the author!
51 A Disappointing Adaptation
As a lifelong admirer of Jane Austen's novels, and one who also greatly enjoys the Colin Firth version of Pride and Prejudice, I was looking forward to seeing this video. However Amanda Root's interpretation of Anne is so at odds with my reading of her that it spoiled the film for me. While her depressed and downtrodden demeanor may have been at least somewhat appropriate in the beginning, there was no sign of the remarkably improved features and color that Austen described during the Musgrove party's sojourn at Lyme, and there was nothing in Anne's looks, complexion or expression that would have caused the Walter Elliot character to look at her twice, as the novel demanded. The sprightly personality and sense of humor which is an integral part of the character that Austen created was missing entirely. The director also took too many liberties with Jane Austen's story, having the characters behave in a manner which seems foreign both to the times and to their personalities. I am particularly thinking of the way in which Wentworth announces his intention to marry Anne during the gathering in her father's salon. After seeing this movie I intend to check out the 1971 version, which several reviewers have felt was far more faithful to Jane Austen's. And after all, that's why most of us want to view it.
52 The eyes have it!
Oh yes, this is my kind of movie!! It is a film that requires your complete attention to the actors on the screen; you've got to pay close attention to them because there is not any overt display of feelings/emotions until the very end of the movie. No chewing of the scenery--just superb acting! The eyes of Amanda Root and Ciarian Hinds (as Anne and Captain Wentworth) express a world of emotions--they simply speak volumes. There is not a great deal of "physical action" in this film. On the surface, everthing is sooooooo proper, refined and controlled; however, there's "loads" going on emotionally inside the characters and that is expressed completely through the actors' eyes and facial expressions. Amanda Root and Ciarian Hinds performances just blew me away! If you are not watching Root's eyes (as Anne) when she first sees Captain Wentworth, you will miss completely what he has meant to her, what he still means to her and what the movie is about--it's all portrayed in her eyes. Ciarian Hinds, as Captian Wentworth, at first keeps "his cool" doing the macho thing and not giving the audience a hint of what Anne has meant and stills means to him. But watch that facade start to crumble--again portrayed in his eyes. Some reviewers on this board find Hinds' portrayal of the captain as too distant and cold. I don't. Remember, he was the one rejected by Anne and, to me, he's putting on that "I'll show her" routine. But as I previously stated that soon changes and you really find out how much he still loves her.
I just love acting of this caliber. For me, you can forget the actors that chew up scenery. Give me the ones that can stun you with their depth of emotion and feeling through subtle means of expression--Amanda Root and Ciarian Hinds are such actors. In fact, everyone, in Persuasion, gives superb performances!
If you are into wonderful acting, buy this film!
53 YUK!
I love Jane Austen... read her books over and over. Appreciate almost every attempt to portray her genius on film. But this dark, wimpy, portrayal is an insult. The perfect Anne Elliott of the novel smiles only twice in this entire film, the rest of the time walks around with a 'deer-in-the-headlights'-with- depression look- this is not the admired, strong, smart, persevering Anne it should have been... the novel makes you want to copy Anne- this film makes you want to run! Yuk! The old BBC version is so much closer to the real story, and the characters perfect. This version is not worth borrowing for free from a friend!
54 Wonderful movie, love to watch over and over!!
This is a wonderful movie for those who truely love historical romance and/ or Jane Austen! I recommend it whole heartedly.
55 Can't quite warm to it.
Evidently, to love this adaptation, it helps if you're a Hinds fan. I'm not, which partly explains why I'm not satisfied by it. I say this as someone who has read all six novels and who enjoys almost all of the adaptations, including the old BBC ones.
I picture Wentworth as a livelier, younger-seeming man, a smile never far away. Someone you'd enjoy being around. Hinds' portrayal is rather dour, even cold. In the scene at the Bath concert, where Anne's cousin is paying her attentions, Anne practically begs him to stay, but he is cold to the point of humiliation. Sorry, at that point I wouldn't care if he came back or not.
Amanda Root would not be my first choice for Anne. I pictured her as a bit more elegant and poised. However, I did like her better with repeated viewing.
It's a fairly small budget production, and for some reason they often shot in small, cramped, dark locations. I believe this was to give it a realistic feel, but it only succeeded in contributing to a dark, claustrophobic mood.
One other (small) criticism I had was the scene with Lady Dalrymple and her daughter. It was over the top. Lady Dalrymple especially looked like she belonged in an opium den. I guess it was supposed to be humorous, but it gave me the creeps. The point of those characters was to satirize wealth, connection and snobbery. It seemed pointless to make them so weird.
So, on the whole, I would watch other Austen adaptations before this one. I think the definitive Persuasion is still to be made. A note on the book: it is one of the most accessible of all the six novels, and I recommend reading it.
56 beautiful adaptation
First, I have to confess I only read half the book so can only speak to that part of the adaptation. But I can attest that part is a very faithful to the book, not just the storyline but also Austen's humor. The film is well casted, the costumes and sets look authentic, the scenery around the English countryside is idyllic - all in all, it's a splendid film to behold.
The film also tempted me to finish the book, but so far I'm resisting. I'm on a Dickens kick right now and compared to him, dainty Jane just doesn't quite cut it. I started "Persuasion" at the same time as "Dombey and Son", thinking I would read them at the same time. But Dickens won out. I never picked up Jane again after the first 200 pages (of Dickens).
57 An Excellent Adaptation of Austen's Book
I thought this was a great movie. The pain and anguish of lost love is seeping out of Amanda's Root's performance. She has a misarable family, who are only concerned with social rank, hair styles and fashion, and that's just her Dad! One sister pretends to be sick when she's bored with her children and husband, but still manages to eat like there's no tomorrow! Her other sister is more concerned with the latest in marzipan, than she is in anything else.
There's other stuff going on, intrigue, romance and the beautiful English countryside. The characters spring from Austen's book and if you like Jane Austen, you'll certainly appreciate this British version of Persuasion.
58 Persuade Me A Little Better
~~
Storyline:
(Past story) Rich Girl meets Navy Boy, they fall in love. Nosy stepmother-figure decides he's not good enough for her little angel; Girl dumps Boy.
(Movie, present time) Eight years later, Wentworth returns a wealthy Man. Anne, now extremely pale(someone throw a little sunshine her way) and unwanted, is forced into a re-acquaintance when spendthrift effeminate father has to lease family mansion to Wentworth's relations. She's packed off to her married sister's place while daddy and the beloved sister waltz their way to Bath.
Anne spends the next forever (7? 8? hours) moping around while Wenworth makes a play for an empty-headed cheerleader-type. Cheerleader throws herself off a walkway for the joy of it and Anne takes control while everyone else goes into hysterics. Wentworth (suddenly looking at Anne in a whole new way and realising that maybe the dominatrix fantasies aren't out of the cards with English women after all) runs for it while the girlfriend's unconscious. Anne returns to her father (in Bath), and surprise, surprise, but Wentworth appears soon after. Man and Woman are reduced to Boy and Girl again while they tiptoe around the fact that they're itching for a shag. But life ends happily and all is well; boy and girl settle for a public kiss (scandalous stuff) and riding off into the sunset on the trusty horse.....er, ship.
Personal impression: Book was better. Movie went too long, and this is coming from someone who fell in love with the 1996 version of Pride and Prejudice, which has 2 tapes and goes for longer than Gone With the Wind.
I made the mistake of watching the movie before the book. Don't. If you're going to watch the movie, read first so that you'll understand all the little nuances that don't really explain themselves. Overall, I've seen better, but also worse.
59 Great Movie Surprise!!
I stumbled on this movie in a rental store, and I was very pleasantly surprised with this adaptation's faithfulness to the book. The main characters are wonderful, and their chemistry will stick with you for days after you soak up their performances! Kudos to British productions of British novels!!
60 Not up to standards
While I absolutely love the book (I am a huge Jane Austen fan), and I love watching other movies based on her books, this book was just not up to standards. The acting is rather weak, as is the production, and it tends to be rather boring... I've watched it a total of 3 times, twice i didn't watch it all the way through. The characters are not well portrayed at all, and through the movie they seem way too weak and whimpy... I was rather disappointed with this as I don't believe there are any good productions of Persuasion.
61 Second Chances
"Persuasion" is one of Jane Austen's loveliest tales! Indeed, one full of hope and second chances. I think everyone can relate in one way or another, because we all have made decisions (which later we discovered were actually MISTAKES!) that were partly based on outside influences and opinions, and have lived to regret them. :`(
This is precisely the case with sweet-tempered Anne Elliot (Amanda Root), a not-so-young woman in her late twenties, who chose (in her younger years, when she was about nineteen) not to marry the man she truly loved, Frederick Wentworth, because he was thought to be "unsuitable" (by some anyway), for no other reason than his lack of fortune and connections! He was just a sailor, with nothing to offer- if LOVE and COMMITMENT are nothing (gee! the English were really shallow!). Her young, inexperienced heart was led, or "persuaded" if you will, to believe that his seeming lack of position in society would interfere with her happiness, and that opinion, which was not her own, no doubt contributed to her decision to turn down his proposal. As the years fly by, Anne is left to bear the burden of her choice. In her household she is made to feel less than appreciated, considered by this time to be an "old maid", she is not thought to be as pretty as her sister Elizabeth, and is generally neglected by her father (her mother died). Add to that, the fact that her family is teeter-tottering on the edge of financial ruin, and Anne has quite a load to bear! All her hope of finding happiness, love and contentment, is seemingly dead until... the once "unsuitable" sailor returns (this is eight years later mind you) as a Captain, of rather large fortune I might add! Captain Frederick Wentworth, charmingly played by Ciaran Hinds (gotta LOVE Ciaran!). He is yet unmarried, and is quite dashing, quite the talk of the town, quite the gentleman. As you can imagine, plenty of YOUNG ladies (younger, fresher than Anne) are more than willing to become Mrs. Wentworth. Could Anne be a consideration still? At her age? With their history? Just as Wentworth reappears in her life, and she is forced to look her past straight in the face, another man, young, handsome, seemingly wealthy Mr. Elliot (her cousin) also appears, and takes an interest in Anne! (When it rains it pours, huh!?) Could it be Mr. Elliot is right for her?
Ah, and here's where second chances come into play. What to do? What to do? Is it possible Wentworth could still love her after so many years? She has certainly never forgotten him. Could it be that her heart which was once "persuaded" to let him go, could now be "persuaded" to reach out to him again? Would HE be receptive after being rejected so many years ago, by the one he truly loved? Could he be "persuaded" to forgive her? Wouldn't YOU like to know? You have to see the movie! I won't give it away. But, let me just say it is quite rewarding, because too often in life (and even in movies/books too I suppose) those worthy of second chances do not get them, or, they are too blinded to recognize them when they come back around. Even worse, they may be too hesitant to go for it when they do recognize! Love though, "persuades" us to do what we never thought possible! It emboldens us, encourages us, and pushes us to go after our dreams!
To be honest, parts of the film are a tad... well, dull, but the overall theme, the storyline, allows you to endure them in order to see the outcome. Ciaran Hinds, and Amanda Root have a good chemistry. So often in the movie Anne has this wide-eyed, "I think I'm about to faint" expression on her face whenever she sees/talks to Wentworth... it is quite funny to see. And Wentworth's stares are enough to make any woman feel that way! This is a beautifully done adaptation, and you can't help but adore Ciaran Hinds! "Persuasion" is the perfect name for this story, because though our thoughts and opinions, and as a result our actions, can be influenced by others, it is really the heart that is the most persuasive influence! Really, each person must decide for THEMSELVES what is best and right for them. Love is never of little importance, but of the GREATEST, and a heart that has known true love will be persuaded to seek it again! All-in-all this movie is great! Why rent it when you can own it? I hope I have persuaded you (pun intended) to do so. Enjoy!! :-)
62 The Best By Far!
This is the most authentic adaptation of Jane Austen's wonderful book. There is much more realism as far as daily life and class issues than in a movie that is more glammed up like Thompson's Sense and Sensibility. They are both great to watch, but this one is for the more sophisticated viewer rather than the one who doesn't know or care who Jane Austen is. People complain that Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds are not "beautiful" enough but that isn't the point (and they are very appealing in anycase-just not a Kate Winslet or Colin Firth). The point is, they depict the tension and longing so well that even if you are romantically inept you should feel this anticipation and desire. And actually C.Hinds is very handsome and strong and Root is rightly understated but pretty. There attraction is very subtle on one level but palpable if you pay attention. As I said, one of the best J.A. adaptations as long as you aren't a simpleton or snob.
63 Any truly great adaptation...
will motivate those who have not experienced it in literary form, to do so, and that is precisely what this movie will do to most who view it! Honestly, I have just ordered "Persuasion" in book form from this very site because of seeing this movie. And even if you are not so inclined, you will definitely be entertained, if not touched by the long-suffering of the two characters portrayed.
I truly adore Ciaran Hinds, who is one of the best actors around, especially when placed smack-dab in the middle of a romantic period piece! He is what some guys would call a "man's man", with just the right amount of strength and tenderness to make you love him just as much as Anne! Speaking of Anne, initially I was not impressed with Amanda Root in the role of Anne, but, I soon gave in to simply adoring her also. She played a very patient, long-suffering young woman, and her sweet, mild-temper really grows on you.
Even if you find parts of the movie dull (as I did truthfully) the storyline is truly one of the most touching you will ever know, and so allows you to almost completely forget about the less than intriguing parts. It answers so beautifully the often-asked question: 'can true love stand the test of time?' with an affirmative 'most definitely!' Ah, indeed true love can withstand miles, and years, and even the skepticism of on-lookers! Cpt. Wentworth and Anne are two very endearing fictional characters, and the movie itself is just as sweet and charming as they are! How wonderful to see those worthy of a second chance, receive it! I am sure that I will get just as much, if not more pleasure from reading the book. "Persuasion" is an essential addition to any Jane Austen admirer's collection... and certainly is a jewel in mine! I would recommend anyone to purchase! Enjoy! :-)
64 Miss Austen would be proud.
I rented this movie because, as a Jane Austen fan, I am always anxious to see how her work has been translated to film. I was very pleased. However, I BOUGHT this DVD based on other's recommendations because, despite some flaws ( like the added superflicious scene and Charles and Mary having been only married
for four years { see page one of the book) their boys are about 7 and 5) the movie catches the spirit of the book. Amanda Root and Ciaran Hind are great; so is Sophie Thompson and the actors ( names ? I'm sorry) who play Charles Mugrove, the Admiral and Mrs. Croft. Loved their performances. Thank you, other reviewers. See someone does read these!
65 Persuade yourself to finally stop renting it & buy the movie
From Mr. Rochester to a professor in "Circle of Friends," Ciaran Hinds finally gets a role that is truly spectacular! "Persuasion" is a wonderful movie that will not disappoint any Jane Austen aficionado. It is worthy of a space on your self next to A&E's "Pride and Prejudice."
66 The test of time
This movie was magnificent because it wove such a sweet story and told us of love that stood the test of time. This story doesn't give a lot of attention to the high society or wealth of the characters, nor did it dazzle us with splendid manors; it showed us only enough to show the situation of Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth. The storyline is more focused on their enduring love. It is simplicity; yet, way beyond with all the puzzlement and confused thoughts from Anne and the tortures of Captain Wentworth, who tries to treat Anne with indifference after she refused his love years ago. I liked this story because it was genuine, with characters you can sympathize with. Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds give wonderful performances; truly hard when most of the battle is within themselves.
67 Jane Austen done well
Persuasion is a much quieter movie than either Pride & Prejudice or Sense & Sensibility. It begins slowly and requires careful attention initially to understand what is happening. It opens with the falling financial situation of the Elliots of Kellynch Hall and displays the great vanity of the Baronet and his eldest daughter. But it is the quiet middle daughter, Anne Elliot, that we are here to watch. Through early dialog we learn that she is scorned by her elder sister and forgotten by her father. Only their neighbor Lady Russell sees her value. But 10 years earlier it was Lady Russell who counseled her to give up an attachment to young sailor "who had only himself to recommend him". Now the young sailor is Captain Wentworth, wealthy from the Napoleonic war, and his sister and brother-in-law, an Admiral Croft, are to rent Kellynch Hall.
Amanda Root plays Anne quietly and it is in the small gestures that we come to see her depths: a hand to her face when Wentworth's name is first mentioned, holding a old paper boat with great care as she cleans out Kellynch Hall; gripping a chair to hold herself steady the first time she unexpectedly sees Wentworth; and her expression when her sister cruelly repeats that Wentworth "hardly knew her, she was so changed." But we also see her quiet strength when she cares for her constantly complaining sister Mary Musgrove and then nurses her nephew after a fall. Anne is the quiet one that everyone depends upon.
Ciar‡n Hinds (recently seen as the Russian president in Sum of All Fears) is likewise excellent as the man once scorned by the wealthy Elliots. He is determined in his coldness toward Anne and likable in his warmth toward the Musgroves.
The dinner party scene when the Crofts and Wentworth dine with the Musgroves shines as it exposes each character in turn. When Mrs. Croft describes her adventures sailing with her husband, you can see in Anne's eyes how she yearns for this life that she gave up 10 years earlier. (I finally figured out where I had seen Fiona Shaw, the actress who places Sophie Croft - she also plays Harry Potter's aunt Petunia Dursley. What a great range this actress has!)
The period costumes, location filming, and wonderful music give this movie an authentic feel like other recent Austen films. Unlike the magnificent 6-hour adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, much of the novel's details are missing from this 2-hour film. Nor does Persuasion have the spectacle of Sense & Sensibility. What makes Persuasion wonderful is the quiet drama of this film, the great Austen dialog, and the care given to develop each character from this wonderful novel.
68 The best love letter you have never recieved
Of course we need to thank to JA for the letter, but we should also thank to Root&HInds and to the rest of the cast and the members of the production to bring us this great film. Ture it is not like American S&S and Emma that reflects humor and that are glorious/bright/colorfull...
But the British(Europeans) have their own way of doing films and Persuasion from casting to directing reflects such distinct elements which you either love or hate. Gladlly I love all. Casting is perfect, maybe sister Elizabeth might have been little more attractive, but alas...
After watching this you would definetly would like to see more of Root and Hinds. They may look older than what we thought of such ages in our century but remeber this is early 19th century and people especially in Navy would not look like our ordinary 30 somethings of 1990's.
The director/screenwriter took a liberty with the text for sure, but I like it and saw it neccessary to do justice to the story on big screen. Many scenes/conversations reflects its time and ever-changing conditions of the falling aristocracy in 19th Century England.
But mostly the cahnging attitude and appearance of the leading characters were most appealing. Anna's transformation from the start to the end of the film captured perfectly.
It will be hard to understand at first: Read the book; Watch and listen the film closely; Use closed-caption...
It will be worth it
69 A Wonderful Jane Austen Adaptation
I will be sweet and short to the point. I love this movie. I like all of the Jane Austen Adaptations, but this one is different from the rest. It's gritty, not as showy. The characters are well portrayed. Get this one. You will not be sorry.
70 A Great Movie
I've seen my fair share of period romances and I think this movie just about blows the rest out the water. It's certainly a great deal better than the over-hyped Sense and Sensibility (1995) and Pride and Prejudice (1996). Everything about this movie is a thumb up. I don't understand why people have problems with the cast, the story, or the music. The leads are definitely not the regular Hollywood types, but that only makes them that much more believable. I think this production is the finest showing of ensemble acting I've seen. The script is a rather faithful rendering of Austen's novel (e.g., 90% of the dialogue comes straight from the book) and so I don't understand why some people say that they like Persuasion, the novel, but find problems with this part or that part of the story of the movie. And the music is by the Romantic period composer, Chopin -- enough said.
This is not a movie to watch just once. In this regard, it's like a book. I watched it several times before I was able to pick up on how effectively the relationship between Anne and Frederick is juxtaposed against the various other relationships in the movie.
I read the novel subsequent to watching the movie, and I found no jarring differences in the stories of the two mediums, with the exception of Mr. Elliot and Mrs. Smith. The book presents Mr. Elliot far more critical light. And I think Austen's alternate ending was very well integrated into the movie. The brains behind the movie really did their homework in selecting the cast and condensing the novel to a script that still retains much of the nuances of the novel.
71 TGF Jane Austen
In this day and age, intellectually stimulating, emotionally satisfying movie fare is hard to find. Unless, of course, you look for the adaptations of classic books. As far as those go, the Amanda Root/Ciaran Hinds version of "Persuasion" is as good as it gets. True to Jane Austen's last novel, the movie builds slowly but surely towards it's inevitable conclusion of two people bound by inexorable love that has not waned over eight years of separation.
As a devotee of Austen, I went directly to the theatre for this one and was not disappointed. It's at least as good as the BBC-Colin Firth "Pride and Prejudice". If the Regency era is your cup of tea, don't miss this sleeper.
72 I can't stop watching this movie...
...and even when "Persuasion" first came out, I watched it three times in the movie theater. It is like reading any Jane Austen novel -- no matter how many times you read one, you can reread it and enjoy it all over again...and again. It is amazing to watch Amanda Root as Anne actually bloom -- you can even see the color come back to her cheeks when she gets to Lyme and gets a taste of the sea air. Even the problems I used to have with this adaptation have worn away: I didn't like the way they tried to incorporate both the unfinished 10th chapter and the final version of the novel with Capt. Wentworth's confronting Anne about her supposed engagement...but now I like seeing the opportunity to have the Captain and Lady Russell confront each other; I didn't like the way Anne rushes to Capt. Wentworth in front of the whole concert audience as they watch...but now I like seeing just how little she cared about others' opinions and how impulsive she becomes toward the end of the movie; I didn't like how they emphasize Mr. Elliot and Mrs. Clay's complicity...but now after thinking about it, this *is* implied strongly in the novel. One of the best parts of the movie, however, are the significant looks exchanged between Anne and Capt. Wentworth -- one of the best happening when Anne is discussing love and loss with Capt. Benwick. It is so subtle but so heavy with meaning. It is not so surprising to me to find out that both Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds have acted with the Royal Shakespeare Company as they both do superb jobs here.
73 Beautiful adaptation of great book...
Persuasion is possibly Austen's most grown-up romance, the best work of a great writer. And this fluid adaptation completely charms. Ciaran Hinds and Amanda Root captured my heart as Frederick Wentworth and Anne Elliot, the star crossed lovers who meet up again after years of separation and must cope with their society's not so subtle but unspoken strictures. The settings, on the beach, at Lime, or in Bath are particularly interesting. And Corin Redgrave gives a highlight performance as Anne's narcissistic father, Sir Walter.
74 This is too much praise!
Oh lordy do I love this movie! Don't be fooled by it's length- the novel isn't very long either. This is one of the best Austen adaptations I have ever seen. I was particularly taken with Ciaran Hinds's performance. Amanda Root was marvelous as well. You could see her character, Anne, change through subtle actions and expressions.
My only concern was that I had to crank the volume a bit to hear everything. If you aren't an avid Austen reader/ fan, then you may not catch onto everything all at once. Other than that, I was incredibly pleased with this movie, and DVD. It's a favorite!
75 Heartwarming and totally Jane Austen!
I loved this film. Two people who were once in love but youth and the insulting ways of society kept the two from each other. Now, older they are reunited. The heroine is still in love but the hero will not give her the time of day, focusing instead on the sisters of her brother-in-law. But as the movie progresses they continually meet up with each other. When it is announced that she is to marry another she is outraged at the rumors and soon the characters rediscover what love and confusion are all about. My favorite scene is when they are in the drawing room and he presents her with a letter. Oh! If you are a Jane Austen fan this is the movie for you. Also recommended is Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Mansfield Park.
76 True of Spirit
I cannot but watch this film over and over and be forever entertained. The true spirit of Jane Austen's novel has been captured in this wonderful period piece. One has to but laugh at some the foibles of the human character, as well as shake one's head at the class structure and resulting prejudice that creates such stress, misunderstanding. causing the separation of two soulmates. But gladly, in this film, true love wins all.
77 Lovely to see, difficult to understand
Don't let my rating of 3 stars mislead anyone...this is a good movie. There is no fault to be found with the story line. The movie sticks fairly close the the original Jane Austen novel, while taking a few, acceptable, creative liscences with the plot. It is wonderfully cast (almost perfectly cast to be precise) and it is shot beutifully. The scenery is inspiring and the costumes are elegant without being overdone. However, I have some complaints about the quality of this production...needless to say, this story deserved better then what was done to it. First of all, the story starts so slow that I could barely keep my interest (I find this a screenplay error, the original novel doesn't start out so dully and slowly). Luckily, the plot picks up after about half an hour and the rest of the story was wonderful, romatic, and interesting. Secondly, the sound on the entire procuction is terrible. In almost every key point in the plot I had to turn the volume to the maximum just to try and hear what the characters were saying, and even then I could barely understand them. During the climax of the movie, which involves one of the most moving and romantic love letters ever written, two voices read it at the same time, making the letter incomprehensible. I had to rewind the video and watch it at least three times before I understood what the letter even said...poorly done. For a movie where dialogue is the driving force for the movie more attention should have been given to sound quality. The good news is that I was at least interested enough in the movie to be drawn into reading the book, which was a million times better and a lot more interesting so I must give that credit where credit is due. My basic opinion of this movie is that it was a good idea and well done from the standpoint of the story, but more time should have been given to certain production details. The lack of such attention only frustrated me as a viewer when it was clear the movie was a good one.
78 An excellent movie!
Persuasion is my favorite Austin book, and this movie does an excellent job of bringing the characters to life. Amanda Root does a persuasive job as Anne. My only complaint is how the infamous letter from Captian Wentworth ("You pierce my soul") is read by both voices. I thought that detracted from the climax. But well worth repeated watchings anyway.
79 Simply Dreadful
I'm wondering if all the people who gave this great reviews really watched this movie . . . it's long and draggy - it should have learned from the A&E Pride and Prejudice - that movie was 5 hours long, but it never lags. Rent Persuasion, don't buy it.
80 Just defending one of my favorite movies
This "review" is coming from a person who doesn't usually write reviews, but I was flipping through the section for this movie and was struck by some extremely negative reactions.
This movie is amazing... Amanda Root is amazing, her portrayal of Anne is touching, as her character is able to develop throughout the film. It is presented very well; characters are real, their various motivations human and real, which all add to make a colorful, beautiful movie.
I am not recommending "Persuasion" to everyone: one must be extremely patient, as the plot ambles along at its own pace. However, for those who appreciate richness in story telling and charming characters, this movie is amazing. Enjoy!
81 Perfect day for an imperfect romance.
I loved this DVD and watch it periodically. So many aspect's of the novel are captured in this movie. It takes you away.
82 if you have problems sleeping this is the movie for you!
Ok, ME and my friend love to watch period pieces and for the past two weeks have been looking for new movies to buy. We saw this and thaught hey it is rated five stars, the same rateing as Pride and prejudice it must be great! well we were so wrong, we both allmoast fell asleep and , my poor friend spent 20 dollers on it! it is so dull, their is hardley any plot. just do not waste your money on it! but hey if you want to go on ebay my friend is selling hers!
83 Almost my favorite Jane Austin movie ever
I read the reviews before watching the DVD and I was well prepared about the strong and weak points many reviewers have written. After watching the DVD, I must say that I am still unsatisfied with the performance by the leading actress Amanda Root. As many reviewers have said before, she's totally unattractive no matter it's in the beginning or in the end where some reviewers have said that she has "blossomed" or "transformed". Beside her apparance, her acting skill was not impressive, either. She just had her eyes wide open at almost every shot. As to Capt. Wentworth played by Ciaran Hinds, I have to say that he's totally charming and handsome. He steals the show. Whenever he appeared in any scene he's the focus. No question asked. I love watching Jane Austin's movies very much. I have BBC's Pride and Prejudice, BBC's Emma, Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility and I just need to add the Persuasion to my collection. The story itself was extremely romantic. The casting and the set are wonderful, too. However, I just can't help but wandering if Anne Elliot was portrayed by a slightly younger, more eye-pleasing actress, then this movie might have been my favorite Jane Austin movie of all time. Hope there will be another adaptation (maybe on the big screen) in the future.
84 Extremely bad casting
I was anticipating watching this movie ... and i was really disappointed by the fact that the casting was completely horrible. Anne was cast badly, Captain Wentworth was cast badly...in fact the whole cast just seemed out of place. There was no good music in the background, not a significant, good amount of development about Anne and Wentworth's feelings. Lady Russell was cast badly as well. This isn't just a biased opnion, i'm sure many people would agree if they saw this movie just how badly it was cast and that the actors just ruined the beautiful story.
85 Very delicate
After reading many of the reviews here, I wasn't sure how I would feel about this movie. Some people absolutely adored this production, and others were very critical of the casting and directing (and defended their points of view eloquently).
I do agree that Anne in the novel was probably more assertive, among other things- but I thought Ms. Root's Anne was something very special. This is a wonderful adaptation, for it is subtle. You see, Anne had experienced true love, but because she was once young, and persuaded by a family friend to not lower herself socially, she lets love pass her by. Quite innocent and inexperienced, you can imagine Anne's inner struggle to chose between her own impulses, which were considered improper, anyway, and her station in society. Wentworth, thus scorned, takes off and Anne is left to find a better match. She has had other suitors (Charles), but does not accept any proposals. Years have passed, and Anne is older, what was deemed a "spinster". Ms. Root appears sad, sallow- her face appears to have been set in a frown for a very long time. One wonders how she was able to capture the hearts of men at all, but it is her kindness, her sensitivity and her intelligence that make her so precious.
When she is sent to stay with her sister, there is some humor in how she is confided in by all the members of the Muskgrove family... When she meets Capt. Wentworth after so many years, you can see the emotion in her eyes, despite her demeanor. You can see her heartbreak when her sister Mary reports later on that Capt. Wentworth had found her so altered after all those years that he barely recognized her (ouch!). He is so perfectly indifferent at first that you just know he is punishing her for her past rejection (his rare, stolen glances are fabulous!). And she does not have the guile to see this- I remember almost crying when they all go off on their long walk, and she is ignored, bossed around, and forced to watch the Muskgrove girls cavort with the man she desperately still loved.
I thought Ms. Root was exquisite- as her love is rekindled, the sallowness in her expression fades and is replaced by radiance and her eyes become luminous. Mr. Hinds is very dashing as Capt. Wentworth, with a face that is not necessarily "good-looking" in the traditional Hollywood leading man sort of way, but handsome in a masculine way.
I was pleased with all the actors, and with how the story was portrayed. Austen wrote to a niece that Anne was almost "too good" for her, and this production allows you to see why- there is not the (wonderful and necessary!) outpour of emotion or the impatience of younger heroines such as Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice, or Marianne in Sense and Sensibility; Anne is older, more cautious. This is not the love affair of two first-time lovers. I appreciate the fact that, despite the improvement of her countenance toward the end, it is not Anne's beauty that wins hearts, but rather her mind and spirit.
Perhaps I enjoyed this because I did not expect much, and was therefore pleasantly surprised. As already mentioned by fellow reviewers, this is not the BBC's P&P or Lee's S&S- but what it is, is something very rewarding in its own right.
86 Great story marred by poor casting and direction
I'm afraid I must agree with arabellafig. It isn't exactly poorly done, but it could be far far better, and suffers badly from comparison with Emma Thompson's "Sense & Sensibility" and of course with A&E's exquisite "Pride & Prejudice" but it could be far, far better. I too had high hopes after reading so many glowing reviews, the story will always be memorable, but it is almost a filmed version of Cliff's Notes on Austen's original tale. It runs 104 minutes to S&S 136 to P&P's 6 volume set. Why? Perhaps it was designed around television commercial space.
What particularly grated was the casting and much direction which was strangely off. The eldest sister Elizabeth is pissy and crude although she has been in charge of Sir Walter's social responsibilities and second only to him in "precedence" since her mother's death. It is not necessary to have her slouch in a chair and throw papers about in a pout to establish her character as a bad egg. Neither one, especially Ann, is believable as daughter of nobility and the upper class. Ann in particular clomps about clumsily, starts, scuttles, and hides. One can hardly imagine her daring to give an order to anyone (other than calling for a doctor after Louisa's fall) although giving orders to servants is her station in life. The very elegant and lovely and believable Lady Russell has been her close companion and surrogate mother since Ann lost her own mother at 14 - and this is the result? Compare to Lady Russell herself, to the S&S apparently lower ranking Eleanor Dashwood (Emma Thompson) saying her farewells to the servants or the elegant creature who Marianne Dashwood discovers to be her replacement, or to P&P Elizabeth and Jane Bennet. Rather than an image of a Lady of gentle quietness, forebearance and resignation, she seems more a scared rabbit. I could see her in the role of the starting, clomping, bewildered maid in P&P being ordered to stop working on Lizzy's hair and attend to Miss Jane. She does the staring traumatized eyes quite well however, so they are featured in nearly every scene. The hypochondriac youngest daughter Mary is well acted - but she even seems older than Ann.
What is NOT featured is any kind of dialogue that would establish the character that is claimed for her. We have only the doormat behavior to establish deference to others; the blandishments of the scheming Mr. Elliott on skill at Italian; the final speech overheard by Capt. Wentworth. We should be allowed to see more of her than what is filtered through her blind and belittling family, not less.
P&P actually added character development - for example, not until the scene at the Rosings pianoforte did it occur to me that part of Mr. Darcy's problem just might be that he is as naturally shy as his sister, or why Georgiana had specifically NOT been entrusted to the tender care of Lady Catherine. Edward in S&S was beautifully developed through Margaret's Atlas (in a wonderful scene that does not exist in the book).
I don't suppose I will never ever watch it again, but it has sent me back to re-read the novel. A good thing, that, as is the reminder that a wonderful story does not automatically make a wonderful movie all on its own - and the critical impact of good direction, the overall artistry of casting, lighting, staging, landscape. One of the things I love about DVDs (such as S&S) is the opportunity to listen to scene commentary by the actors and directors, to understand how very much goes into the making of a good or great film, how little into poor or merely adequate ones.
87 None of us want to be in calm waters all our lives?
If the pleasures of tea, a letter from a friend, sparkling oceans and ships appeal to you, this movie will be a delight. From the sunlit kitchen tables to the birds chirping at the country estates, you will find the atmosphere and sound very realistic.
This is the story of two people seeking a second chance at happiness and almost seeming to pass by one another like two ships in the night. Neither is willing to say what they are feeling as both are still emotionally distraught from their unfortunate breakup.
Anne (Amanda Root) is an angel of mercy to everyone around her. She not only provides care, she also seems to be everyone's confidante. In her eyes we see her own private torture, which she tries to hide at all costs. She feels that perhaps she made a mistake in rejecting the love of Capt. Wentworth (Ciar‡n Hinds), who could not provide for her financially at the time. When he appears in her life again, she fears she may lose him forever.
Her own family has gone in various directions due to their own financial difficulties. She is burdened with guilt and financial worries. At first she is shy and melancholy and then when she realizes love may again be within her reach, she blossoms into a beautiful woman who knows exactly what she wants.
The temptation at the start of this movie is to just stop the tape and rewind. However, something in the story kept me watching and the conclusion was very worthwhile. The story is not complex, yet the finer details are worth following and are at times very amusing. Some of the dialogue is so wonderful you have to rewind just to listen to it again!
Mr. Elliot: "Good company is always worth keeping."
Anne: "My idea of good company, Mr. Elliot, is the fellowship of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation and a liberality of ideas. That is what I call good company."
Mr. Elliot: "That is not good company. That is the best."
Or when Mr. Elliot is trying to seduce Anne into marrying him he tries to work his way into her heart with some blandishment and yet Anne is only engaging in a casual dalliance.
Anne: "You presume to know me very well, Mr. Elliot"
Mr. Elliot: "In my heart...I know you...intimately."
A relaxing, beautiful and contemplative movie
you can enjoy on a cold day with a pot of tea and some
heart shaped shortbread cookies.
Dreadfully Romantic!
88 Well Adapted, Though Not The Best Austen Movie Going
One could make an argument that PERSUASION is Jane Austen's best book, and her fans (including me!) usually have their own ideas of how best to adapt her work. This adaptation is not as well done as Thompson's SENSE & SENSIBILITY, or the perfect A&E version of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. However, it is well done, and respectful of the original work. A lot of the book takes place in Anne Elliot's head, so the screenwriters had to supply a good deal of the dialogue--there was no way around that. My biggest complaint is that the casting seemed off in the case of Anne and Frederick. They are both well-known, talented actors, but considering that Anne is supposed to be 27 and Frederick 35 they seemed...too mature. But over-all, I recommend it as a good film!
89 The best of all the Austen films
This sweet and less well-known film is the very best of all the Austen re-creations done in the last ten years. Unlike Sense and Sensibility, which introduced 20th-century comic schtick that would have appalled Jane Austen and any other person of her era, Persuasion moves at a slower and more subtle pace. The casting is perfect and nothing is prettified--this is the real Regency period, not a fantasy coloring book. Absolutely outstanding--one of the best evocations of a book on screen ever done, second only to Howards End.
90 Persuasion
This is a masterpiece is subtlety. When I first watched it, I was bored and very nearly turned it off without watching it through to the end. But stick with it, it's well worth it.
It's the story of a young woman who, at the urging of her family and a close family friend, spurned the love of her life. 8 years later she's still regretting it when he reappears in her life. Resigned to a life of spinsterhood by her family, she becomes nearly invisable to those around her while her former love is exhaulted for his prowess in the intervening years. Now highly eligible, Anne must watch as he seemingly courts others while her heart breaks again.
But all is not as it seems in this slow moving drama. And when the twist of another suitor turns the tables, who is it that is really the broken hearted one? Anne? Or her beloved Captain Wentworth? And who is this Mr Elliot that suddenly shows such interest?
Stick with it through the end. Then watch it again. You'll fall in love over and over again. A brilliant piece that makes your heart sigh at the end. I give it my highest rating.
91 I may be overly critical, but...
I was thouroughly dissapointed with this film. I had very high hopes going into it, especially after reading so many glowing reviews. Jane Austen is my all-time favorite author and Sense and Sensibility is my all-time favorite film. As I excitedly opened the box and popped the DVD into my machine I was all a flutter, but as the movie progressed my enthusiasm quickly diminished, and until the terribly wrong ending I still had hopes that it could redeem itself.
I must admit that the acting was good, but the casting (Anne's father being an exception) was all wrong to me. It seems like they took a crop of well-known, critically-acclaimed British actors and made them fit into the parts, whether they looked and felt right for them or not. It may be that I'm used to hollywoody pretty people, so I probably could have excused this point if it weren't for the fact that the score was dissapointing and the adaptation was terribly wrong. Why is it that screenwriters feel they have to make the characters say and do things that Austen would never have made them say and do in order to relate to present-day audiences? This was a big problem in the recent Mansfield Park as well. The screenwriter remained faithful to the book in parts where it caused the film to drag and deviated when a faithful adaptiation would've shone. The ending was the worst example of this, though I will not elaborate for those who are planning to see it.
As I said, Sense and Sensibility is my favorite film of all time, and unarguably the perfect Jane Austen adaptation. If only Emma Thompson would write all of Austen's novels! Although she didn't copy the novel exactly, one would never know it. It deviates from the text but still remains faithful to Austen's style and spirit. Not once do the characters kiss or embrace, but it is still extremely moving and completely romantic, not to mention beautifully directed by Ang Lee. I highly recommend Sense and Sensibility on DVD if one is looking for an Austen fix.
Persuasion, on the other hand, was very painful for me, especially as it is my favorite of Austen's novels. It nearly destroyed the novel for me. I still have to concentrate very hard to picture the characters as I originally envisioned them. I wish I had never seen it. It also has made me reluctant to see other film adaptations of her work. I am itching to watch the BBC/A&E miniseries of Pride and Prejudice, but I am afraid that it will be just as bad, despite all the good reviews I see. I relied too heavily on the good reviews I read for Persuasion.
I may be too critical, or maybe just crazy. So far I am the only one I know who disliked it so much. Still, I dissuaded my mom seriously from watching this movie and I would caution others to watch at your own risk. You may think it is wonderful, but I didn't.
92 Superbly Done
Simply well coordinated,perfectly casted,well acted,as dignified as the book.It`s a five stars all around. Job well done!!!
93 Delightful
I first bought this title on VHS and enjoyed it very much except for the audio quality. When I saw it in DVD it was an easy decision to add this to a collection worth archiving. The DVD is far superior in audio quality to the VHS. One can actually understand the rapid style of speech and the words are far clearer in the important moments where the plot line is revealed.
It is a sweet story of a "spinster" who is forced to bypass two offers of marriage by an interferring socialite neighbor who has placed herself in the advisor role since the death of the girl's mother. Ann Elliott is pale, withdrawn and very sad as she watches her life pass her by, lost in regrets over refusing the hand of a man she truly loved. The socialite wants her to marry a cousin who has another agenda entirely.
The story unfolds as her lost love, Captain Wentworth, reappears in her life and one watches a very gifted actress, who is a member of the Royal Shakespearean Theater in England, literally come to life again as she reawakens to the love lost and the promise to regain it. Watching her transform from drab to glowing is simply wonderful in this engaging story of the eternal quest for love and being loved.
94 a pearl of a film
in four words... i love this film.
i stumbled across it recommended by a friend because"you like that sort of thing" i was intrigued.
i didnt know the story. i hadnt read the book.and i didnt know any of the stars. but slowly the magic of this wonderful film drew me in. i have since read the book, watched it tens of times and can only say it is the most excellent of productions. it follows the book closeley. the casting is excellent, the acting wonderful, the costumes and sets beautiful, the music-ah the music-carries you through the film joining the scenes seamlessly.
i know this film so well now i almost havnt the words to say how absolutely fine i find this production. if you like period drama you must buy this. it doesnt come any better.
95 Absolutely wonderful
The first time I watched this on the BBC I was bored. I'm a guy and romantic stories don't usually excite me much if at all - I'd never had an single interest in Austen until I saw the BBC 1995 edition of Pride and Prejudice - I only watched an episode by accident and by the end I was hooked, I went out and bought the video and I absolutely loved it, and it's still my favourite costume drama. I loved the film of Sense and Sensibility too and when I came to watch this I was expecting something of the same -and I was disappointed.
However, the ending had me hooked, and I watched the entire film again. And again. And again - and I've watched it dozens of times and I have to say it's absolutely wonderful. Its also incredibly subtle - and this is the reason why this film is so underrated, much like Austen's books were for almost a century. Once you get a grip on what the drama is about, you'll be spellbound by the breathtaking subtlety of the characters actions and motivations, the agony of Anne Elliot as she not only has to meet the long lost love of her life but listen to his attractiveness and flirting with the Musgrove girls and the pain that she suffers as a result - the dinner scene is perfect in this, and when Wentworth says "I had no wife in the year (18)06", and the camera cuts to Anne's face.
Whilst "Pride & Prejudice" and "Sense and Sensiblity" are immediate, in your face drama, this is subtle and understated, but equally as powerful and dramatic. Those drama's are fine to watch a few times, but quickly lose their charm, whereas this one only increases with enjoyment the more times you watch it, and the more times you watch it the more you understand and the more you see in it - and the more amazing it becomes. Not because of the romantic side (hey, I'm a guy, what did you expect?) but because of the wonderful sensitivity and incredible intelligence of Austen's drama. This really ought to among Amazon's Essential list of videos.
