Product Description

This beautifully remastered dramatization of Persuasion conveys all the passions and frustrations of Jane Austen's most mature heroine. When Anne Elliot turned down Captain Wentworth's proposal of marriage she allowed herself to be persuaded by her snobbish family's conviction of his unworthiness. But now after a separation of eight years Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth are to meet again and the tables have turned. Her former lover's fortunes have prospered and he is now returned from a career at sea both eligible and affluent. Anne's father Sir Walter Elliot of Kellynch Hall has been forced to lease their home and move the family into a rather small abode in Bath. Just as Anne now recognizes the false values that persuaded her to reject Captain Wentworth so she must accept that his heart now seems set upon the youth and beauty of the impetuous Louisa Musgrove.Running Time: 225 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA UPC: 794051168627

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37396 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 2004-08-24
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Original recording remastered, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds
• Running time: 225 minutes

Features

• This beautifully remastered dramatization of Persuasion conveys all the passions and frustrations of Jane Austen's most mature heroine.When Anne Elliot turned down Captain Wentworth's proposal of marriage, she allowed herself to be persuaded by her snobbish family's conviction of his unworthiness. But now, after a separation of eight years, Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth are to meet again and t

Amazon.com
Jane Austen's Persuasion receives a devoted treatment in this 1971 BBC production. A financial blow to the Elliot family brings the eldest daughter, Anne (Ann Firbank), back in contact with Captain Wentworth (Bryan Marshall), whose offer of marriage she was persuaded to decline seven years before. Will the conflicting forces of social rules, family interference, and personal temperament allow her to set things right? The capable cast of this clean, straightforward adaptation bring Austen's satirical characterizations to vivid life. Firbank earns our sympathies with quiet grace and exquisitely restrained yearning. While the stronger, headlong pace of the 1995 film version of Persuasion makes for a more concentrated emotional pay-off, this two-part miniseries, at four hours, captures more of the novel's details, making it just as satisfying. Austen's skillful plotting makes the romantic hopes and fortunes of the 19th-century English middle class as suspenseful as any mystery or thriller. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews

Very impressed. Especially after seeing the 1995 version...
I saw the review above and thought that I should offer another opinion to anyone thinking of buying this video. I felt that the 1995 version was extremely shallow and the characters not faithfully suited to Austen's intended personalities at all. This version's Anne shows extremely well the reactions and feelings of a mature woman who is remembering a distant past. She remembers more and more as the story continues just how afflicted she has been and how lowly she has felt over the previous years. She tries to keep her feelings in check but they slowly overwhelm her. I found this version very touching despite the 1971 production. The Anne of the 1995 version seems to be always pouting. Her unmarried sister is shown more as being rude and apt to throwing tantrums even though Austen protrayed her as indifferent, selfish and conceited. That is just the beginning of the incorrect portrayals of Austen's characters in the 1995 version. If you loved the novel, see this movie.

This is the easily the best version of Persuasion
This is the best version of Persuasion that I've seen, and I've seen them all. It follows the book almost perfectly, without any unnecessary, aggravating modern day innovations. This is Persuasion as Jane Austen wrote it. Attitudes and opinions were different in the early 1800's and it is absurd to force the attitudes of today onto characters from the past, as so many modern movies do. I hope this version is produced on DVD soon.

Interesting, but not exciting
If you've seen the 1995 movie starring Hinds and Root enough times, read the book and want to see another execution of the story and that's all, then this isn't too bad. It's very length is satisfying; it's about four hours in all, enough time for a little more shading of character and manner. We see the Musgroves and Anne arriving at the inn at Lyme for example, and the character of Sir Walter is a little less obvious and hilarious, though equally narcissistic. What is remarkable is how much alike the two versions are; they really both are very accurate adaptations. And it's good to see the Italian concert scene as executed by different actors. There are different production values of course, this version is much more cheaply done, perhaps that is why the sailors are in civvies throughout the show. And this version does delve into the connection between Mrs. Smith and young Mr. Elliot, a connection which was entirely ignored in the film, but at least makes more sense than his chasing after his broke cousins for their money. And if you're an afficionado you may notice that this Mrs. Smith entirely lacks the charm of the film one. Lady Russell is also quite different, a sweet old lady, rather than a society queen and fashion plate with philosophical inclinations. This version doesn't capture at all the dull depression and cruel neglect experienced by Anne Elliot that the 95 film does so well. And I'm sorry to say that the actress playing Anne seems rather more like a model than a great lady with a warm heart. Still it's fun if you can't get enough Persuasion, but read the book and see the movie a bunch of times before attempting the miniseries.