Persuasion | 
 enlarge | Director: Adrian Shergold
Actors: Sally Hawkins, Alice Krige, Rupert Penry-Jones, Anthony Head, Julia Davis
Studio: BBC Warner
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.98
Buy New: $13.72
You Save: $6.26 (31%)
New (23) Used (4) from $13.72
Rating:  295 reviews
Sales Rank: 1893
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Subtitled), English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Running Time: 93 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 5.7 x 1
MPN: WARDE36150D
UPC: 883929005475
EAN: 0883929005475
ASIN: B000YIGNKE
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Release Date: January 15, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 01/15/2008 Run time: 93 minutes
Amazon.com
Jane Austen fans will delight in the sumptuous production design and first-rate acting in the 2007 Masterpiece Theatre version of Persuasion. Sally Hawkins is controlled and moving as Anne Elliot, the quietly heartbroken but sensible heroine who was "persuaded" (read: forced) to turn away her true love but still carries an unseen torch for him. Hawkins's performance is genteel yet steely, and the quiet strength of the entire production. Hawkins looks alternately quietly lovely and sadly pinched--as one might expect the long frustrated Anne to look. Other highlights include a post-Buffy Anthony Head, as Anne's clueless, blustery father, Sir Walter. Head gets to turn on his deft comic talent here in ways most American audiences have not yet seen him; he's clearly enjoying himself immensely, blustering about "my shrubberies" and other trivial affairs. The cinematography is lush (several breathtaking tracking shots are used, especially early on), as are the period costumes. The production was filmed exclusively on location, and the reality of the sets enforces the story. Some fans may prefer the 1995 Amanda Root version, for the casting of Ciaran Hinds as Capt. Wentworth, but this later effort is a worthy entry in the Austen film oeuvre--and Rupert Penry-Jones is a dreamboat in his own right. As the wistful Anne says, on behalf of all women, "We do not forget you, so soon as you forget us." --A.T. Hurley
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 295
 Too any missed chances with supporting characters September 1, 2010
Atheen M. Wilson (Mpls, MN United States)
Though I've read most of the other novels by Jane Austin--my favorites being Pride And Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) (B&N Classics)--I've never read Persuasion. I think that the descriptive statements that accompany the book have put me off for some reason in the past. I was on an Austin kick, however, and decided to view a DVD of the novel. I have to say that I'm much encouraged to read the book itself from what I've seen of the story.
That said, however, I didn't feel that the film itself was exceptional. Perhaps I've seen too many stellar cast versions of other Austin books. The Emma Thompson version of Sense & Sensibility (Special Edition) with Huge Grant, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman and a totally amazing cast of British character actors and the Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle version of Pride and Prejudice - The Special Edition (A&E, 1996) would spoil any viewer for anything less.
Rupert Penry-Jones was not as riveting as Fredrick Wentworth as one might have hoped. He lacks the dark brooding and sometimes almost sinister character of an Austin romantic hero. I suspect that his open face and blondness gave him too much of a pleasant "guy next door" air. He gave a very masterful performance as the rejected lover while on horseback accompanying the heroine in her coach, but the stormy weather background and his costume had much to do with it. One can't help feel that Victorian riding boots, panel fronted trousers, white linen cravats and a flowing cape would give most men the look of a romantic hero. It's almost too bad they've given them up these days!
Most of the female characters were very unremarkable, almost forgettable. Sally Hawkins makes a very unprepossessing Anne Elliot. Her Anne seems to revel in the martyrdom of spinsterhood like a sullen 19 year old. Instead of being a beautiful woman of great dignity and poise who has chosen to remain unmarried rather than marry someone other than the love of her life, she seems dumpy. Emma Thompson's Ms Dashwood as the practical mainstay of her own natal family is far less frumpy and moody. When Anne descends the stair in what looks like a gown made from the living room drapes we are doubtlessly intended to contrast this with her sister's fine ball gown and see that Anne is the epitomy of the sensible woman. Instead we feel like she's attempting a "poor little me" routine to gain sympathy. Part of this is the attempted shorthand of the film. We're meant to understand her through her costume. It didn't work.
Jennifer Higham as Louisa Musgrove is almost annoying. Though she doesn't look it, she acts like a girl of 13 or 14 who has a crush on a handsome "older" neighbor and who has yet to decide if she wants to be a little girl and play or an adult and court. She just comes across as totally inappropriate. It is hardly surprising that Captain Wentworth is shocked to discover he has inadvertently "committed himself" to this playful child. It would be like Edward Ferrars finding himself engaged by accident to the youngest Dashwood sister Margaret because they played tag and swords on the manor grounds! What the character did do well was to feed information to the audience about Anne. By contrasting the quiet, unassuming and practical Anne with the light weight antics of Ms Muscove, we see why the hero might have returned after eight years for a second chance.
Probably the greatest missed chance was Julia Davis' Elizabeth Elliot. So much more could have been made of her character than was. I could almost see a performance akin to that of Harriet Walter's Fanny Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility or Juliet Stevenson's Mrs. Elton in Emma. These characters did so much to illuminate the lives and personalities of their respective heroines, they almost carried the story. That's what they're supposed to do. Almost all Austin characters are there to further the story and provide the reader with information. Had the director made better use of Elizabeth's behavior as favorite daughter and debutant, more of Anne's personality and place in her family would have been apparent. Certainly Amanda Hale's neurotic presentation of Mary Elliot Musgrove did a great deal to further the audience's understanding of Anne and her situtation.
A good story, but only a fair film because not everything that could have been done with the characters was.
 lovely August 27, 2010
usa (usa)
I thoroughly enjoyed this version even with its supposed flaws and return to it often
of an evening.
 Unprofessional August 27, 2010
Energeticus (Wenatchee, WA United States)
I must admit that I didn't get very far into this film. I could not believe that the director chose to go with a hand-held, shaky camera. So we're supposed to believe this is some kind of reality show?! If you're fairly blind to cinematography, you might like this thing, but otherwise avoid it..especially if hand-held camera makes you sick. It's sad that cinematogaphy is getting so unprofessional in so many movies, especially on television. We're entering a dark age.
Persuasion -Sally Hawkins August 12, 2010
Vince Caruso
First the movie - This version I'd rate at 4.5, as I felt it was much stronger version of the book (mostly due to Sally Hawkins) and had they been able to use some of the actors from the 2007 version (notable Capt. Wentworth) this could have been even better. (Sadly the 2007 had a superior cast in most respects, but a lesser script).
But I gave it a 5****, for my own stupid reason - the box. I own 560 DVDs and this is the most beautiful case I've seen, let alone own. BBC has hardbound it, so that it actually looks like a book. It's funny because when you see the pictures of the Harry Potter or James Bond "Collectors" sets, they actually turn out to be cheap cardboard boxes. If this was set on a shelf of books, you wouldn't know it was a DVD. Amazing packaging.
Love It July 25, 2010
L. K (USA)
Fantastic movie! I have seen many different versions of this movie and I think this version is the best! I have watched it over and over.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 295
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