Persuasion

Director: Roger Michell Roger Michell

Overview

"Roger Michell's adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1. The closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Surround. English, Spanish, and French subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include bonus trailers and production notes. This Columbia/TriStar release does a fine job of presenting the film, making it worthwhile for anyone interested in elegant literary adaptations."

Product Details

Release Date:	02/01/2000
UPC:	0043396039520
Original Release:	1995
Rating:	PG
Source:	SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMT
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:44:00
Sales rank:	179

Special Features

English 2-channel [Dolby Surround]; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish; Bonus trailers; Scene selection; Production notes; Digitally mastered audio & anamorphic video

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Amanda Root	Anne Elliot
Sophie Thompson	Mary Musgrove
Corin Redgrave	Sir Walter Elliot
Felicity Dean	Mrs. Clay
Susan Fleetwood	Lady Russell
Samuel West	Mr. Elliot
Phoebe Nicholls	Elizabeth Elliot
Fiona Shaw	Mrs. Croft
Emma Roberts	Louisa Musgrove
John Woodvine	Admiral Croft
Judy Cornwell	Mrs. Musgrove
Simon Russell Beale	Charles Musgrove
Roger Hammond	Mr. Musgrove
Victoria Hamilton	Henrietta Musgrove
Robert Glenister	Captain Harville
Richard McCabe	Captain Benwick
Helen Schlesinger	Mrs. Smith
Jane Wood	Nurse Rooke
David Collings	Mr. Shepherd
Darlene Johnson	Lady Dalrymple
Cinnamon Faye	Miss Carteret
Isaac Maxwell-Hunt	Henry Havter
Roger Llewellyn	Sir Henry Willoughby
Sally George	Mrs. Harville
David Acton	Naval Officer
Justin Avoth	Naval Officer
Lonnie James	Jemima
Roger Watkins	Landlord
David Plummer	Apothecary
Bill McGuirk	Tradesman
Niall Refoy	Tradesman
Ken Shorter	Lady Dalrymple's Butler
Dermot Kerrigan	Footman
Tom Rigby	Little Charles
Alex Wilman	Little Walter
Ciarán Hinds	Captain Frederick Wentworth
Rosa Mannion	Concert Opera Singer
Jeremy Sams	Composer

Technical Credits

Nick Dear

Jane Austen

Roger Michell	Director
Nick Dear	Screenwriter
Fiona Finlay	Producer
Siobhan Bracke	Casting
Helen Caldwell	Stunts
Rebecca Eaton	Executive Producer,Producer
George Faber	Executive Producer
Colin Gorry	Special Effects
Jane Austen	Screenwriter
Lee Crichlow	Sound Effects

Editorial Reviews

Restricted to under two hours in which to communicate the nuances of familial and social connections, and how they impact one's major life choices, in the 18th century world described by Jane Austen, Persuasion does an admirable job. Ordinarily, the only way to do her novels justice is to resort to the miniseries, or else cut away large portions of character interaction (to call it plot suggests a linearity that Austen's stories, by and large, do not possess). Persuasion fits in as much as possible, especially at first, presumably in order to get all of the characters into action as quickly as it can. This makes things a little confusing, as the viewer spends some time figuring out who is related to whom, and why this individual and that seem to despise one another on sight. One might be lost entirely, except that the fine performances from the principals -- Amanda Root (Anne) and Ciaran Hinds (Wentworth), both of the Royal Shakespeare Company -- are sufficient to steer one through. They bring Austen's tale of love denied, and then rekindled, to life with the smallest gestures. In particular, Root brings to her character a marvelous transformation over the course of the film. From a quiet, rather dowdy character at the beginning, we see her blossom as she recovers the confidence and passion of her youth. It's a more complicated tale than most of Austen's stories, and occasionally the clutter of the plot threatens to get in the way, but overall this is a fine adaptation, avoiding the stiltedness that too often overwhelms this type of production.