Persuasion

For some reason, people seem to leave "Persuasion" out when they are naming Jane Austen adaptations. I find that lamentable, since it is such a wonderful film. It is exceedingly British, which means that Americans might find it a little hard to understand, but personally I think it is superb.

All the acting is stellar; I can't really identify a bad performance. Ciaran Hines especially shines as the warm but reserved Captain Wentworth.

Of all the Jane Austen adaptations (except "Pride and Prejudice") I believe "Persuasion" is the truest to the time period. The characters act within the conventions of regency England and seem to be comfortable doing so.

I would recommend this movie to any Jane Austen lover or a person who enjoys period films or classic literature. A person who does not fall into those categories might enjoy it as well, but is likely to find it slow and difficult to understand.

This is a very well put together, and yet very fragile movie that shows its budget constraints all too well. Beautifully acted and written, the direction unfortunately reveals the boxy nature of a TV screen. But despite the lack of impressive cinematography, the scenes are set up extremely well. The use of staging and visual metaphor are jaw-droppingly fantastic. Austen's relatively simple potboiler has been turned into a work of visual art that reveals the director's love for the material.

The music is done perfectly - it doesn't overpower or ever impose interpretation, instead it is just enough to maintain focus on the story. And I love the understated nature of the characters. It is easy to spot the hypocrites, but you can see why they are the way they are. It would be very easy to make Mr. Eliot into a simpering, unctious idiot - instead, he is played as a gentleman. It makes Anne a better character, and it makes the movie a better experience.

A real pleasure to watch and by far superior to the later version with Sally Hawkins. (Sally Hawkins was fine but the whole later production looks like a cartoon version compared with this elaborate rendering of Jane Austen's world.) Amanda Root as Anne Elliot is perfect as the underestimated and unloved daughter of a spendthrift snob of a father and a stepmother right out of Grimm's fairy tales. (Not to speak of being henpecked by her hyper nervous younger married sister.) They filmmakers also managed to make Amanda Root look rather unattractive at the beginning and one wonders how any man could have been so much in love with her as the still lamented Frederick Wenthworth, whom she sent away on the heavy influence of her family, because he was a nobody with no regular income at the time. Years have past when we comes back into her neighbourhood, apparently haunting her serenity and feeling her more wrong then ever before. Cairán Hinds is equally good as the former lover Wenthworth, still hurt and trying hard to ignore Anne and seemingly having a good time without her. Once Wentworth pops up every now and then we notice that Anne begins to look more pretty, even the presence of the man she thinks she has lost forever make her look so much better.

The beauty of this version is not only grounded on the excellent cast but also in the magnificent eye for details, and, although only running a mere 100 minutes, gives the viewer the appropriate feeling of time passing by very slowly (don't get me wrong, I don't speak of the pace inside the story), but time that painfully slows down when being with people you despise or you feel dispised by. I always cherished this book by Jane Austen very much and I'm so glad that finally I found this film that really does it justice!

Jane Austen's novels lend themselves to cinematic adaptations. This production, directed by Roger Michell, and with a screen treatment by Nick Dear, comes close to be what Ms. Austen wanted us to see, if she had any saying in the matter. The film is blessed with great talented English actors who feel quite at home interpreting for us the rich text of the novel.

Amanda Root, is perfect as Anne Elliot, the down to earth woman at the center of the story. Ciaran Hands is a virile presence that plays well in the story. Their romance is seen coming all through the proceedings and their love seems to be real.

Corin Redgrave is perfect as Sri Walter Elliot, the fatuous man who was impressed with money and power. Susan Fleetwood has some excellent moments as the kind Lady Russell. Fiona Shaw is perfect as Mrs. Croft and Samuel West excels at his portrayal of the impoverished Elliot cousin.

Ultimately, the production has a great view because it was filmed in the area that is described in the book. The beautiful city of Bath is seen in glorious exteriors.

Recommended to all Jane Austen's fans because the beautiful job Roger Michell did in bringing the novel to the screen.

It is annoying to read the comment describing this movie as Victorian since Austen died before Queen Victoria was born. It is remarkable that all her novels describe rural English life almost untouched by the violence of the Napoleonic Wars raging on the continent during her lifetime. This one at least alludes to the careers of British naval officers. It also calls attention to the "great age for poetry" in which the characters lived. This is one of a small handful of truly beautiful love stories on film which end happily; An Affair to Remember and A Room With a View are two others in my canon. Every actor/actress in this movie should have been nominated for an Oscar, a perfect ensemble cast, typical of the best subtle British cinematic style.