Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Awesome Movie

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

The 1995 Persuasion movie is not only my favorite adaptation of that particular book, it's one of my top five Jane Austen adaptations. And one of my favorite period movies. And just one of my favorite movies! It's just that good. The cast is excellent. I love the look and feel of realism it has too, similar to the 2005 Pride and Prejudice and Bright Star movies- realistic lighting, no makeup, messy hair, etc.Every adaptation has its flaws, and I guess I should just get them out of the way beforehand. This film contains one big historical error! The sailors often go about in their naval uniforms. While this looks really nice on screen, it is actually not accurate. As we know from Mansfield Park, these uniforms could only be seen while the officers were on duty. Probably most casual viewers wouldn't know this and it's cool to see them though. Another issue that doesn't really bother me in particular is the somewhat lacking exposition. I feel a little bit, that this movie was written with book fans in mind. If you weren't already familiar with the story, you might find it a bit confusing, especially in the beginning, what was going on between Anne and Wentworth. As I said, I had no problem following anything but since I had already read the book that doesn't really mean much.The casting is admittedly not perfect. Many of the actors are a bit too old, but nothing jarring like in 1971. Their brilliant performances more than made up for this- with one big exception- Phoebe Nicholls as Elizabeth Elliot was way over the top.Both the canceled and actual ending of the book were used. Some liked the addition, but I could take it or leave it, personally. Some of the other changes from the book may have worked as just a movie, but were lacking for me as an adaptation. Actually, I can say that about pretty much everything- there's nearly nothing in this movie that I don't like as just a movie.Before I say again how much I love this movie (I ended up rewatching it 3 times!), I remembered another scene that bothered me. Anne is taken to Upper Cross in a farmer's cart instead of Lady Russell's carriage. Really? That was stretching it quite a bit. I know Sir Walter doesn't pay much attention to her, but he would never allow his daughter to be seen traveling in that way! And Lady Russell would never have allowed it! She couldn't spare her carriage to go 3 miles away?? All in all, admittedly, this movie is not perfect. But it's still a darn good movie and it's the closest to perfection any of the adaptations of Persuasion have gotten so far.

This is one of my favourite Jane Austen dramatisations. I really like it for three reasons: 1) Amanda Root is outstandingly good as Anne Elliot. She really captures the character to perfection, and it is a hard part to act, too, since in many scenes, especially in the first half, she is simply listening to other people, and all of her emotions are conveyed by means of facial expressions and body language.2) The musical score. So many Jane Austen adaptations use an orchestral score. This one sticks to simple piano accompaniment and it works very well indeed.3) The supporting cast. A lot of the supporting characters really come to life, thanks to excellent ensemble playing from the likes of Susan Fleetwood as Lady Russell, Robert Glenister as Captain Harville, Fiona Shaw as Mrs Croft and Simon Russell Beale as Charles Musgrove.

The novel "Persuasion" is one of my favourite Jane Austen works, yet there has never been a film adaptation of it that at all does it justice. The 1995 version is probably the best among the few, but it is greatly flawed. The script takes too many liberties, especially towards the end of the film. I see why Dear has included some attempt at both the novel's endings, as the original ending is worth its reading, but it very clearly does not work. Anne can hardly refute Wentworth's expectations of her marriage to Mr Elliot, which would render the more romantic letter proposal unnecessary, so instead runs off without answering him! Anne running out of the concert in pursuit of Captain Wentworth made me laugh. The quiet and proper Anne of the novel would never make such a scene. Mr Elliot's absolute proposal, which in the novel is only implied, makes Anne seem unfeeling and almost as if she has been leading him on.Furthermore, Captain Elliot's announcement that he wishes to marry Anne at the party, together with the kiss in the busy street, are completely out of character and period. Amanda Root does an emotional performance of the gentle and feeling Anne Elliot, yet she constantly looks worried, and I feel betrays her feelings towards Captain Wentworth too obviously. However, I do like the way her appearance improves throughout the film, as her "bloom" returns with her spirits. I also enjoyed the scenery of Bath and Lyme, which alone gave me satisfaction in the movie. I did enjoy Sophie Thompson's portrayal of the hypochondriac Mary, but felt Mrs Smith's character to completely lack development or seriousness.Persuasion is a novel consisting of much narration of Anne's feelings, and less dialogue than other books. Hence it is difficult to be adapted, and I feel should be left alone as an excellent work of literature, rather than be rendered mediocre through botched attempts at conveying its emotion.

PERSUASION together with NORTHANGER ABBEY were posthumous novels by Jane Austin (published 1817) and reflect the position of a novelist whose latter days mirror a younger, wonderful bright spirit and yet soften the social and feminist darts she so successfully hurled at society in her famous earlier works. This particular film adaptation by Nick Dear of PERSUASION respects not only the spirit of the novel but also the station of the author. Under Roger Mitchell's keen direction this cinematic reenactment of the belated flowering of a Anne Elliot's eight year thwarted longing for the love of naval officer Frederick Wentworth, all due to the 'impropriety' of Wentworth's financial standings of the past, is placed before us as a quietly gentle song, one that still places the scrutinizing Austen microscope on the social mores of the time and the bows to class distinctions that serve as the matrix for Austen's novels.The cast is excellent, with Amanda Root suitably in the background as Anne Elliot and Ciarán Hinds as the wise and slightly weathered Captain Wentworth. But their superb performances would not be as credible were it not for the large cast of fine actors playing the superficial silly sisters and cousins and the haughty ladies as well as the warm and worthy ones. This is first rate ensemble acting, allowing the quiet pulse of Austen's Anne to beat softly behind longing eyes, making her plight and ultimate reward for perseverance step stage front at the end of the film. The music of Chopin and Bach flavor the score by Jeremy Sams and the presence of Rosa Mannion, soprano, singing arias and songs lends both an aural and visual credibility to the atmosphere so ably captured by cinematographer John Daly. This is a satisfying Jane Austen adaptation. Grady Harp