Persuasion (2007) (TV)

Director:

Adrian Shergold

Writers:

Jane Austen (novel)
Simon Burke (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 January 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A new adaptation of Jane Austen's classic

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Reflection | Unrequited Love | Period Drama | Illness | Georgian

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Sally Hawkins	...	Anne Elliot
Alice Krige	...	Lady Russell
Rupert Penry-Jones	...	Captain Wentworth
Anthony Head	...	Sir Walter Elliot
Julia Davis	...	Elizabeth Elliot
Michael Fenton Stevens	...	Mr. Shepherd (as Michael Fenton-Stevens)
Mary Stockley	...	Mrs. Clay
Peter Wight	...	Admiral Croft
Marion Bailey	...	Mrs. Croft
Amanda Hale	...	Mary Elliot
Jennifer Higham	...	Louisa Musgrove
Rosamund Stephen	...	Henrietta Musgrove
Stella Gonet	...	Mrs. Musgrove
Sam Hazeldine	...	Charles Musgrove
Louis Shergold	...	Little Charles

Also Known As:

Persuasion: A Jane Austen Classic (Australia)

Runtime:

120 min (including commercials) | 93 min (excluding commercials)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:G | Finland:K-3 | New Zealand:G

Filming Locations:

Assembly Rooms, Bath, Somerset, England, UK

Company:

Clerkenwell Films

Trivia:

The white windowpane-check gown worn by Rosamund Stephen (Henrietta Musgrove) during the long walk to Winthrop is the same gown previously worn by Honeysuckle Weeks (Alice Cottisloe) in Victoria Wood with All the Trimmings (2000) (TV), in Sense and Sensibility (1995) by Emma Thompson (Elinor Dashwood), in "The Regency House Party" (2004) by Victoria Hopkins, by an extra at the London party where Annabella Milbanke meets Byron in Byron (2003) (TV), and in Mansfield Park (2007) (TV) by Billie Piper (Fanny Price).

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: On the walk to Winthrop, as the camera focuses on Ann overhearing Frederick and Louisa's conversation, a crew member with a red jacket is seen in the background (at 33:38) behind her.

Quotes:

Sir Walter Elliot: Come, come Anne. We must not be late. You cannot have forgotten that we have an invitation from Lady Dalrymple.
Anne Elliot: I regret I am already engaged to spend the evening with an old school-friend.
Elizabeth Elliot: Not that sickly old widow in Westgate building?
Anne Elliot: Mrs Smith. Yes.
Sir Walter Elliot: Smith? Westgate building?
Mrs. Clay: Excuse me.
Sir Walter Elliot: And who pray is Mrs Smith? One of the 5,000 thousand Smiths everywhere to be met with. Upon my word, Miss Anne, you have the most extraordinary taste. To place such a person ahead of your own family connections among the nobility of England and Ireland. Mrs Smith.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Version of "Persuasion" (1960)

Soundtrack:

Symphony 25 in G Minor

Performance of Chief Characters Brilliant

I prefer this version of Persuasion to the 1995 Amanda Root/Ciaran Hinds one.

To respond to the previous comment, I agree that the hand-held camera at the beginning was dizzying.

I thoroughly enjoyed the numerous close-ups on both Sally Hawkins' and Rupert Penry-Jones' faces. Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth are characters with rich inner lives. I felt that those feelings/thoughts were amply conveyed in their faces.

As far as being a consummate Jane Austen leading man, I think that Rupert Penry-Jones' Captain Wentworth should be thought to rival the Fitzwilliam Darcy of Colin Firth in 1995.

I believe that Anne's cousin, Mr. Elliot, is meant to be more charismatic than Captain Wentworth. Elliot is a chameleon, whereas Wentworth is more reserved.

I agree that the chemistry between Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds is better, but only just. Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones came across as younger, so perhaps the history they convey is a simpler one.

I prefer Corin Redgrave's playing of Sir Walter Elliot in the 1995 version. It is delightfully foppish.

I believe that 1995 is a better film, but I prefer 2007 for the depth of performance I get from the two main characters, Sally Hawkins as Anne Elliot and Rupert Penry-Jones as Captain Frederick Wentworth.