Jane Austen's Books & Adaptations discussion

This thread is for movies, TV shows, and web series based on Persuasion.

Post your reviews and impressions here. Discuss about old & new Persuasion adaptations.

Movies and TV Shows


Persuasion (1971 Mini-Series - Ann Firbank, Bryan Marshall, Marian Spencer, Richard Vernon)
Persuasion (1995 Movie - Amanda Root, Ciarán Hinds)
Persuasion (2007 TV Movie - Sally Hawkins, Rupert Penry-Jones)
Modern Persuasion (2020 Movie)
Persuasion (2022 Netflix Movie - Dakota Johnson, Cosmo Jarvis, Henry Golding)

Web Series

Adaptations on YouTube:


1971 Persuasion (Part 1): https://youtu.be/q-JQ0fgzX4M
1971 Persuasion (Part 2): https://youtu.be/sk9EyG0Ce6k

Theatrical adaptations
2014 Ross Valley Players: https://youtu.be/AO3negE8NWI

I watched all three period adaptations.

Here is my ranking:



1/ Persuasion (1971 Mini-Series - Ann Firbank, Bryan Marshall, Marian Spencer, Richard Vernon) 1/20/18 ★★★★

2/ Persuasion (1995 Movie - Amanda Root, Ciarán Hinds) 1/16/18 ★★★★ (it's rather 3.5 stars)

3/ Persuasion (2007 TV Movie - Sally Hawkins, Rupert Penry-Jones) 1/17/18 ★★★

The 1971 Mini-Series has the best portrayal of Anne. Sweet-tempered & thoughtful, past the bloom of youth yet very elegant. She has strong opinions and isn't afraid to voice them when in the right company. Unfortunately the production is quite cheap-looking, especially the interior shots, it's just too apparent they are all done in the studio. Unlike the old BBC Emma TV series here they did shoot in exteriors, too, so there are quite realistic Uppercross, Lyme and Bath.

The 1995&2007 movies did Anne's character disservice. Especially the 2007 movie shows her as a drab and awkward creature, with abominable fashion sense always speaking either in whisper or panting. The last 10 minutes are dreadful, Anne jogging through Bath without her bonnet and gloves?! Terrible! Could you imagine the scandal that it would have caused?


[2007 Anne running through the streets of Bath]

Throughout the book several characters mention how "improved" Anne's looks are. In Lyme Mr Elliot stares at her in open admiration while he has no inkling who she is. There is a scene in Bath where Captain Wentworth overhears some ladies speaking among themselves about Anne being prettier than her sister. Also in Bath, Anne's father compliments her complexion and her figure. You see nothing of this in the movies. Or rather there are some of these things stated but none of them is shown well.

I like Wentworth in all three adaptations. 2007 movie has a great cast of minor characters: Sir Walter Elliot, Mr Elliot (in the book he's described as not handsome, but with great manners), Musgroves. Although the best Mrs Clay is in the 1995 movie - freckles, buck tooth and all. :D


[1995 Mrs Clay]

added a couple of YouTube links

You can watch 1971 BBC Mini-series on YouTube.
And there is an adaptation made for theatre available, too.

I haven't watched the 1971 miniseries, but prefer the one with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds, though Rupert Penry-Jones was also a dashing Capt. W. But I disliked Sally Hawkins' take on Anne.
And agree with you- the last 10 minutes, where she's running round like mad..... attrocious.

Will check out the '71 version on youtube.

Melindam wrote: "Will check out the '71 version on youtube."

I hope you'll like it. It depends how much tolerance you have for outdated sets and costumes. I find them jarring for the first five minutes and then I somehow manage to ignore them and enjoy the story.

I really like the actress who portrayed Anne - Ann Firbank. She's older than would be ideal for Anne but I let it slide because Anne is supposed to look older and past her bloom (presumably her unhappiness had something to do with that).

BTW This is one of the few adaptations I can't get on DVD . It's not available anywhere, not even on the British Amazon. The only copies I found are US imports encoded to US DVD players. It's frustrating.

I liked both the 1981 S&S and the 1980 P&P versions, so I don't mind outdated sets. The reason I disliked the 1972 Emma was because I found Doran Godwin a terrible Emma and the rest of the cast wasn't much better.

Yeah, Doran Godwin was a lost opportunity. She was perfect age for Emma, yet she played her like a middle-aged spinster and the make-up and hair people did her no favors with that terrible hairdo either. Despite being 21 or 22 she looked 40. As for Mr Knightley he was/looked too old. Jane Austen made a point of him being youthful looking and quite fit - not fitting in with men of his age group - as Emma noted during the ball. All that walking between Hartfield and Donwell Abbey did him a world of good. ;)

A 37yo man can look very young - e.g. Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp looked easily 10 years younger at that age.

Agree. :)

And I did not like Robert East as Frank. His constant smile was both saccharine & creepy

Everytime I re-read Emma I like Frank less and less. He's spineless and one can but wonder whether he didn't enjoy the deception way too much. Let's hope that under Jane's influence he'll grow into a better person.

Which movie/TV Frank did you like best? I can't say I have a favorite.

I prefered Raymond Coulthard as Frank & Olivia W as Jane. IMO, the Beckinsale version is the best.

Melindam wrote: "I prefered Raymond Coulthard as Frank & Olivia W as Jane. IMO, the Beckinsale version is the best."

Mark Strong is one of my favorite actors and yet I don't like him as Mr Knightley. He plays him as way too angry most of the time. But I really like minor characters in the Beckinsale version - Jane Fairfax, Miss Bates, Mrs Elton and Mrs Weston (poor Miss Taylor) and especially Miss Smith (Samantha Morton might be my favorite Harriet). Even Mr Elton is quite good - young and handsome, one could see him vain and ambitious enough to think of Emma as his bride.

I really enjoy watching all of the Emma period adaptations. Even those that I gripe about (like 1972 one) I can re-watch and find characters, moments or interpretation of events from the book that I like.

I love Mark Strong, even though I admit he's putting it on a bit strongly. But Jeremy Northam (though great) is not my idea of Mr Kinghtley and Johnny Lee Miller is MEH!
I haven't seen the latest Emma. The trailer was enough to put me off from even trying. It is clearly intended for a younger audience who may not know the book. It's my favourite JA novel, BTW. :)

Mine too. I can't count how many times I've read the book. There's so much to enjoy. Despite her many flaws Emma is my favorite Austen's heroine, too. And I love P&P and Lizzie, Emma is just closer to my heart.

I like Jeremy Northam even if he's a bit too "romantic" for Knightley. Ideally, I would have loved a blend of Jeremy Northam's and Mark Strong's takes on the character.

I have watched trailers and some scenes from 2020 Emma on Youtube and I have bought the DVD - I just need time to watch it. The movie obviously leans heavily into the comedic aspects of the novel. I don't mind this approach. I am sure I'll find things to like in this new version. And even if it doesn't blow me away I'll still have the book. :)

added 2022 Netflix Persuasion



Honestly, I don't like the trailer. It seems they changed Anne's personality to be more like Lizzie. It irks me.

Trailer: https://youtu.be/Fz7HmgPJQak

Hailey, I will watch it but the trailer is meh. Whoever thought that “There could have never been two hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no feelings so in unison, no countenances so beloved. Now they were as strangers; nay, worse than strangers, for they could never become acquainted. It was a perpetual estrangement.” means We're worse than exes, we're friends or that it would be an appropriate "translation" deserves their bottom smacked.