Persuasion

I was very impatient to see this adaptation because I had seen adaptations of Jane Austen's Persuasion from 1971 and 1995. I had read this novel and I can say that it belongs to my favourite. I love this adaptation. It made me cry. I very enjoyed Sally Hawkins's and also Rupert Penry Jones 's performance. They fabulous showed us their suffering, hope for their happiness and their love to each other. Yes,there were some differences between the book and the film but it doesn't matter. The camera was very unusual but from my point of view was very good used especially in the final scene when Anne was reading the letter from Captain Wentworth. I especially love the part, when Anne had wounded leg and Captain Wentworth helped her to the carriage. This is the best adaptation of Persuasion I 've ever seen.

Not the story. This film.

"Persuasion" is my favorite book in the world, and this adaptation has very little in common with it. It's hard to decide where to begin when listing what's wrong with this film, but I will try and say that the absolute worst thing is changing the constancy conversation. In the book, this conversation is between Anne and Harville; it takes place in Bath (towards the end of the story); Wentworth hears it. But, for some bizarre reason, the writers of this film places the conversation in the middle of the story (in Lyme); it's between Anne and Benwick, and Wentworth never hears it.

If he never hears the conversation, then what is the impetus for him to write his letter? None, that's what. They butchered what is arguably the most beautiful love letter in English literature and I cannot figure out why. Instead, they have Anne run. And run. And then run some more. And they have Mrs. Smith run too. Yes, the same Mrs. Smith who's supposed to be an invalid. When I saw this film in a public setting, people laughed, and that's just wrong.

I desperately wanted to love this film, but I just couldn't. Yes, RPJ is eye-candy, but his good looks are just not enough to save this film from being the wretched mess that it is. Don't waste your time or your money on this one.

Having read some of the earlier comments I felt I had to jump to the defence of this highly enjoyable production of Persuasion. Having seen the 1995 BBC adaptation I cannot deny that this adaptation was done in a somewhat different style, however that does not take away from the pleasure gained by watching this ITV production.

I have read all 6 of Austen's novels and have read much literary criticism where her work is concerned, so like many other people who have commented on this film, I no longer compare adaptations of Austen's novels to her actual novels. Therefore I can have no quarrel with this latest film.

It has been addressed that Rupert Penry-Jones and Sally Hawkins lacked on screen chemistry, this is in a way quite true, but only because their chemistry is more understated, which is, in my opinion more in keeping to the period in which Jane Austen was writing. I do not agree with the many comments insulting the acting of almost all of the cast. In my opinion, the ITV has come up trumps with this cast and each actor and actress portrayed their character in a way which suited the overall character of the film.

Unfortunately I do have to agree with many comments on the camera work of this production which was certainly below par, however this is my only complaint.

So, overall the film was most enjoyable, the story itself being told in such a way that I almost cried at the end! I am sure that this adaptation has helped only to uphold the respect for Austen's Persuasion and her other great novels. For that any true Austen-fan can be grateful.

I think Jane Austen's characters are not supposed to be devoid of feeling, as much as they are to be concealing them. I find Sally Hawkins a much better Anne than Amanda Root. Her face depicts emotion, happiness, sadness and above all the self conciousness that seems to be absent in the 1995 version. The characters are more relatable and the pace of the film seems more engaging.

I must point out that the costumes of Anne and her presentation in general were much more appropriate for her social status than in the 1995 version. She looked significantly better without being a stunner. Wentworth also looked much better and made it more believable that he would be the party everyone was looking after. Ciaran Hinds was way too stiff for the part in 1995, both in looks and in his manner.

I know I am with the minority, but I found this version much more pleasing.

Rupert Penry-Jones's Captain Wentworth behaved as a military man would be expected to behave. He is intelligent, disciplined, decisive, ego-driven. We aren't given histrionic acting, but a performance where a slight widening of the eyes, twitching of a jaw muscle, a gaze held a little long, convey what we need to know about Captain Wentworth's inner thoughts. His blondness contrasts with the darker coloring of the other young males and lends him a golden air. I think Penry-Jones is a fine actor, and found it sad that he writes in his quotes on his profile that "I've worked for years to get the career I have now, so to find I need a break is quite disappointing!". He has won two acting awards to date and he has several projects in the works, so I hope that he has received the break he wished for.

Some see Persuasion as a book of a revenant made human, others as a second chance at love in a time of social change.

If I had written the explanation of how Anne's home became Captain Wentworth's wedding gift to her, Sir Walter would have been totally bankrupt and forced to sell, William Elliot so disgraced that he renounced his entailment, and the duplicitous Mrs. Clay out of the Elliot's life forever.