Persuasion : Complete ITV Adaptation [2007] [DVD]

I agree with other reviewers on this version; it's not as faithful to the book (and therefore as 'good') as the Ciaran Hinds/Amanda Root version that was out a couple of years ago.
My gripes are:
1. The conversation Anne has with Captain Harville at the end of the book is the moment at which Captain Wentworth realises there is still hope. To have put that earlier in the play, addressed to Captain Benwick AND with no chance of Captain Wentworth overhearing was a pointless bit of interference with the storyline on the part of the writers and one that made no sense and made it harder for the characters to be reconciled at the end.
2. Some of the minor characters were, frankly, terrible. Mary was one of the worst - watch the Ciaran Hinds/Amanda Root version for the best way to play Mary. The actress in that was superb; this actress was very odd. Mr Elliot was wooden and that's about the best I can say for that actor - really terrible. He said his lines as though he had learned them by rote and had no idea what they meant.
3. What on earth did the script writers think they were doing having Anne rushing around Bath in pursuit of Captain Wentworth at the end and then brazenly telling him she accepted his proposal?!? Wrong, all wrong from the point of view of the storyline, characters and period of time the novel was set. No wonder he took so long to kiss her - he was probably repenting his decision to marry such a shameless hussy!
4. Then to crown it all; CAPTAIN WENTWORTH BOUGHT KELLYNCH HALL AT THE END!!!!!! What fairytale world was the writer living in??? He couldn't have done that as it was destined for the evil Mr Elliot and all tied up with legal entails...
Things that were right;
1. Rupert Penry-Jones. Phwoar!! What a wonderful Captain Wentworth he was ... it's worth watching just for him.
2. Antony Head. What a brilliant Sir Walter he was, although Colin Redgrave was equally excellent in the previous version.
3. The way it was structured did allow for a lot more 'explaining' than often happens; like when Captain Harville talls Captain Wentworth that he has entangled himself with Louisa and what to do to extricate himself. That worked well.
Basically, if you are in love with Rupert Penry-Jones (and who wouldn't be?!) buy this version and watch all the scenes with him in.
If you would rather have a version that is true to the novel, buy the one with Ciaran Hinds and Amanda Root in.

The most wonderful thing abt this version of Persuasion is the deliciously divine and utter heart-throb that is Rupert Penry-Jones!! He is the perfect romantic hero!! So much passion under that cool exterior! I love love love love love his style of acting. He is so compelling to watch! No other actor has the ability to say so much simply by his presence (maybe Colin Firth as Mr Darcy)!! And those fine eyes! Sigh. He is perfection! I could watch him all day!

Ciaran Hinds, in the 1995 version, is equally good but I cannot help but prefer RPJ. He is the more elegant, the more refined and the more dashing! This in large part must be due to the much improved costume! How hideously ill-fitting were the ones which Ciaran Hinds (and Amanda Roots) had the misfortune to wear! Thank God we didn't have to watch the men wearing beige sacks for pants! RPJ has never looked so handsome and sexy than in his superfine Regency costume. Who knew a man could look so sexy in cravats and top boots! Never thought I'd see sideburns look so good on a man! Watching him in Spooks certainly does not have quite the same sigh-inducing effect.

Sally Hawkins is a fantastic actress. She plays the part of Anne Elliot so compellingly! She had me in tears!! However, I don't think Anne Elliot has ever been properly represented. She is neither dowdy (Amanda Roots) nor desperate (Sally Hawkins)! Why on earth did Simon Burke (the screenwriter) sent her running around all over Bath like a hoyden! So unbecoming and completely out of character! I wish Sally Hawkins had played Anne with more refinement and elegance instead of forever having her mouth either gawking or gaping! And she looked so stupid in that ridiculously hideous straw hat!! Urgh! I have never wanted to murder a thing more! Seeing her without it is no relief since her hairdo is equally offensive!! It has never made any sense to me why she would have been allowed and managed to get away with dressing so shabbily by her father - who is after all notoriously fastidious abt associating with only the best-looking company.

In both adaptations, Anne Elliot's portrayed as always nervously unsure, timid and inelegant. But there is more depth to her character than any adaptations have managed (or bothered) to present. Where is the sweetness that so captivated Captain Wentworth?? There is hardly any enough evidence of her intelligence either! Argh! But who knew Anne's talent is in medicine, from being an accomplished bone-setter (when little Charles broke his collarbone) to a trauma nurse (Louisa's cracked skull). How convenient! But sorry, I don't buy it!

I cannot like the liberties which Simon Burke has taken with the characters and storyline. I can understand the need to inject the dramatic, energy and tension (aka giving it a new spin!) but surely not by sacrificing the integrity of the book. For instance, why was it necessary for the "kissing" scene to be so protracted and with poor Anne stretching so (talk about tension!) and looking an absolute desperado! I did not expect Wentworth still to be so cool after such a declaration of love! It makes no sense!

The worst and most baffling character is Mary, who instead of being shallow and harmlessly selfish, is ridiculously stupid and annoyingly bafoonish. The actor playing Mr Elliot is so wooden he just sounded so ridiculous! How is such a person to be taken seriously? Surely Wentworth deserves a more worthy nemesis! The Musgroves are slim and refine - the complete opposite of their characters in the book. Also disappointing were Admiral Croft and Mrs Croft - so boring (Fiona Shaw (in the 1995 version) was superb as Mrs Croft)! I didn't think she looked remotely related to Wentworth! Stumpy and coarse-looking when Wentworth is so very tall and dashing!!

The absolute offense must be the ending - Wentworth buying Kellynch Hall for Anne!! Why??? How completely and utterly absurd!

There are some things different in this adaptation that are really good - we get to see Wentworth and Harville's friendship which gives the film depth and charm it sorely needed. I wish there were more moments of originality like this. Much of the film copies the 1995 adaptation (hence the kissing in the middle of the street!!), but with a lot more of the plots and characters simplified or left out. Resulting most unfortunately, the film looking clumsy, rushed and lacking in substance! Thank God for RPJ as Captain Wentworth or this film would surely have sunk!

Firstly let me say that it has just occurred to me to wonder whether I'm biased against this version of Persuasion in favour of the 1995 Amanda Root/Ciaran Hinds version simply because I saw that one first and have loved it ever since; similarly I much prefer the BBC's version of Pride and Prejudice to the more recent film, so maybe that which we see first, we love best? That aside, I tried to watch this production of Persuasion with an open mind, particularly looking forward to Rupert Penry-Jones' portrayal of the very attractive Captain Wentworth.

In that respect, I was not disappointed; you could not hope for a more handsome leading man; what a beauty. I could even forgive Anne Elliot's uncharacteristic chase scene as she ran full pelt around Bath looking for Captain Wentworth; if my lost love looked like Rupert Penry-Jones I think I'd be persuaded to leg it around Bath in hot pursuit. But even so, it is uncharacteristic of Anne's restrained and resigned character which was portrayed so much more accurately by Amanda Root in the 1995 BBC version. A previous reviewer said that they felt Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds too old but let's not forget that in Jane Austen's time 27 was almost heading towards middle age, and Anne would have been considered very much "on the shelf" by that age.

I thought that the casting of Sally Hawkins was very good but in a way there was not enough contrast between the pale, plain Anne at the beginning of the book and the radiant blooming Anne at the end; she was just reasonably pretty throughout.

The ITV have also fallen for the old chestnut of dumbing down the script when there is really no need and from that perspective the BBC have always been streets ahead in their scriptwriting skills. The end result is that this version of Persuasion is just not quite faithful enough to the spirit of the book and has just too many deviations and liberties for my liking.

All in all, a very ornamental version but the BBC 1995 version is far superior in the writing, casting - especially of the peripheral characters, and sticks much more faithfully to the book, so if you only buy one version, buy the BBC version - but if you are happy with the shortcomings of this production and would like to see Rupert Penry-Jones looking gorgeous (and who wouldn't?), then this story of love lost and found with suitably Austen-esque misunderstandings along the way will appeal.