- Actors: Amanda Root, Ciarán Hinds, Susan Fleetwood, Corin Redgrave, Fiona Shaw
- Directors: Roger Michell
- Writers: Jane Austen, Nick Dear
- Producers: Fiona Finlay, George Faber, Margot Hayhoe, Rebecca Eaton
- Format: PAL
- Language English
- Subtitles: English
- Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 1.77:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: U
- Studio: 2 Entertain Video
- DVD Release Date: 1 Nov 1999
- Run Time: 107 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (89 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00004CZSD
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 5,155 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Reviews
Amazon.co.uk Review
After a slow beginning, in which the complex tangle of relationships is initially confusing, this BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's last novel, Persuasion, develops into an elegant romantic comedy. Austin combines a subtle dissection of the folly of class with a slow-burning, intensely passionate love story. Anne Elliot (Amanda Root) has loved Captain Wentworth (Ciaran Hinds) ever since she was persuaded to reject him years before. Now he has returned from the Napoleonic wars, but will love be allowed to blossom? Especially when Anne is surrounded by the selfish, petty-minded Mary, misguided by Lady Russell, and burdened by a father obsessed with fairness of countenance above all other considerations. Excepting a basic booklet, on-screen character biographies and a Dolby Digital soundtrack, there is nothing to distinguish this DVD from the video version. The picture is very good, but showing some grain, not exceptional, so unless you have a large television there is little advantage over tape. In any format, what makes this adaptation work is the sharp screenplay by Nick Dear and the naturalistic style of director Roger Mitchell (who joined the A-list with Notting Hill, 1999), together eliciting fine performances from the ensemble cast. Less flamboyant than Pride and Prejudice (1995), this is a civilised treat. --Gary S Dalkin
Special Features
14:9
DVD 5
English
Region 2
English
DVD 5
English
Region 2
English
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
202 of 204 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I have watched this dramatisation of 'Persuasion' over and over again. It is beautifully acted with superb performances from Ciaran Hinds and Amanda Root. The whole things is very understated and subtle but the body language is electric. The later BBC adaption of 'Pride and Prejudice' is more obviously romantic with sexy leads etc but 'Persuasion' is actually far more affecting. The supporting cast are wonderful and I particularly enjoyed Fiona Shaw's performance as Mrs Croft. As with many of the performances you really have to concentrate on what she is saying and she lends the words a thoughtful intensity. If you are a lover of Jane Austen the writer rather than simply adaptions of Jane Austen you will like this version. I much preferred it to Ang Lee's adaption of 'Sense and Sensibility' which took huge liberties with the book or the rather overheated recent version of 'Mansfield Park'. 'Persuasion' is a wonderful example of less being more.
104 of 106 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Simply the best Austen adaptation on film. The quality of this production is in the delicacy of small gestures and exposition of character in telling an entertaining story which is nonetheless energetically driven by its carefully drawn yet dramatic plot. The deft direction sucessfully brings out the character of even the supporting roles and, as a result, rewards repeated viewing as the layers become revealed and enjoyed with increasing familiarity. To name just a few: Amanda Root's development from dowdy to radiant; Corin Redgrave's vanity in checking the reflection of his hair in his dinner knife; Simon Russell-Beales perfect interpretation of a country gentleman and the gentle humour of the scene in which all the family confide their concerns with each other to a tactfully diplomatic Ann Eliott notwithstanding the contradictions inherent in the process. If you are an Austen fan you must own this.
112 of 116 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
When I heard that a new version of Persuasion was in the pipeline, my first thought was why bother? This BBC adaptation by director Roger Michell and writer Nick Dear (thankfully, Andrew Davies does not write all the BBC’s literary adaptations) is the best 19th century novel adaptation for television that I have ever seen. Whilst it takes some liberties with the text, these expansions of character and dialogue are not unseemly and mould themselves nicely within the plot parameters of Austen’s novel. The acting is superb with Amanda Root at the forefront and Ciaran Hinds, Fiona Shaw, Samuel West and Corin Redgrave providing extraordinary support. The photography is stunning, completely modern in its roving camera style at times, but never jarring as it was in the BBC’s recent adaptation of Bleak House (an adaptation that could have learnt from the daring, yet restrained style in direction and cinematography of Persuasion). I cannot recommend it highly enough.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Perfect casting
Persuasion is my favourite Austen novel, so it's a particular joy to me that this adaptation includes the best cast heroine and hero of any Austen adaptation I have seen. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mrs Norris
Austen's most romantic novel, beautifully done
Price & Prejudice (especially THAT version with Colin Firth) is Jane's most famous novel and believed to be her most romantic. Read more
Published 5 months ago by LizWilliams
By far the best adaptation of Persuasion
Wonderfully subtle and gentle in the best spirit of the book. Two people creaping towards middle-age who feel that their only chance of love has been lost to them. Read more
Published 5 months ago by KT Reader
Austen Perfection
Though overshadowed at the time by its much more populist TV contemporary, Pride and Prejudice, this 1995 one-off BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion has ably stood the test... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Alwin Templar
A Superb Adaptation
This is a truly wonderful adaptation of Jane Austen's last completed novel, and goes along with the BBC's 'Pride and Prejudice' mini-series, scripted by Andrew Davies, as well as... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Rochester
Persuasion
One of many versions of the Austen classic, I found this one to be the best (despite a more recent version starring the hunky Rupert Penry Jones). Read more
Published 7 months ago by panda
very good
I love all period dramas and this one is fantastic, well worth sitting down on a quite sunday afternoon and watching
Published 8 months ago by Mrs. L. Yeo
badly lit, badly acted second class Austen adaptation
After reading many glowing reviews of this adaptation, I bought this DVD with great anticipation.
Well, what a disappointment. Read more
Well, what a disappointment. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Virgoletta
BBC knows best
With so many years' experience, it is not surprising that the BBC has done it again; this is an excellent adaptation of Jane Austen and one which I feel sure the Jane Austen... Read more
Published 9 months ago by RR Waller
Beautiful version of a great novel
This is the best version of Persuasion so far. It is a joy to watch - beautifully acted, authentic, sensitive...... I could go on and on! Read more
Published 9 months ago by JD
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