I thought Persuasion was exquisite! I have to agree with Caroline that she is my favorite heroine as well. How many of us have been persuaded to do something else, when we know we should have been true to our heart... A beautiful movie.

I just recently saw Persuasion for the first time and was amazed! For me, Amanda Root, was Anne as I imagined her, and by the end of the movie, I began to think her almost pretty. Wentworth did not look as I thought he would, but I got used to that. And Mary was so grating I wanted to slap her-especially when she was going on about staying at Lyme, or playing the piano, or hurting Anne in a thousand small selfish ways. The scene that really got to me, however, was when Anne stayed with the sick child, and they showed the party at the house through a window outside-to me it felt and looked as lonely as Anne must have felt, and it showed her loneliness. I found myself almost hurting for her during the movie. Btw, did anyone else think that Charles looked like a stuffed mouse?

Marsha: Btw, did anyone else think that Charles looked like a stuffed mouse? hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee

Mary was so grating I wanted to slap her. The general consensus, Marsha! Btw, did anyone else think that Charles looked like a stuffed mouse? "Chipmunk cheeks" was how someone referred to him, I believe.

After fiesting at the fair in Charlotte's web, but prettier

I love that Templeton character, Johanne. Did you know Hil make an enormous puppet of him?

I love this adaptation, just like I love this book. I am torn between Persuasion and P&P as my favorite Austen novel. I think Amanda Root is great in this...you feel like she is a real person, like she has lost some of her bloom. And the way she looks in the mirror after Mary repeats Wentworth's comment "he should not have known her"!!! I love how quiet this movie is, no loud obtrusive music (although it is sometimes hard to hear the characters speaking, especially in the beginning). But I agree tota ly with the earlier comments about the voice overs on the letter.....it's such a fabulous part of the book!!! I could watch this over and over just like I could P&P (only in a much shorter time!)!!

My husband and I rented Persuasion this past weekend; I had just finished the book beforehand. I'll admit, it took me a while to get used to the realism in terms of makeup, sets, etc.....I'm rather partial to the "ethereally glowing" sort of heroine acheived by makeup. Still, this production grows on you! I did find, however, that I had to explain certain character relationships to my impatient husband, who had never read the book. I think that the screenplay explains the relationships adequately, but like Lynn, we had trouble hearing some of the beginning exposition and had to really crank the volume on the t.v.

I can hear it now, Tracey. "You must... retrench," Lady Russell said in a soft, calm and carfeul voice. "You must WHAT?" yelled Mr. Tracey.

LOL Amy! Yes, I had to explain "retrench" to my non-Austen friend whom I strong-armed (who, me?) into watching with me. In fact, I finally gave her the remote so she could pause any time she had a question! But once we hit Lyme, she stopped pausing and the "Ooohs" that issued from her lips during The Letter were very nice indeed! Another JA convert-- Mission Accomplished!

Amy - it was more like this: "You must... retrench," Lady Russell said in a soft, calm and carfeul voice. "Is there a war on? Who ARE these people?" - my husband, english major and military history buff. And, to be fair, it took me a minute to figure out that Lady Russell was not talking about plumbing equipment ;-) "Why on earth would the Elliots need a wrench?" I guess we loud American types take longer to adjust to moderate tones........

That's funny, Tracey. Different times and places. Though my 8 year old is getting to like P&P -- he loves Lydia! -- my big guy at 12 finds the guys a "bunch of wusses."

Templeton Amy, my mom (the snowbird) bought Laurence the video (its all new to me, haven't been brought to this tale either). Haven't heard Paul Lynd' voice since the Hollywood Square. How wonderful and creative Hil, a giant size rat :)

wrench and wusses - LOL

Isn't that Charlotte's Web cartoon great, J? I love the music.

Oh Yes Amy, felt like being a child all over again, and it really grows on you, you should see LA trying to sing charlotte's song and she just love it, first on the list these days (and she does not understand the language yet so it says a lot)

and she does not understand the language yet so it says a lot) __ Yes! She just feels it. Neat.

Plumbing, wrench..??!! Now whose piercing the heart here!! hahaha Was there an earlier adaptation to the 1995 Amanda Root's Persuasion? Having only read the book last year so that viewing the video would make sense, I was overwhelmed by the tension between Capt Wentworth and Anne from the kitchen scene and moved to almost tears by the carriage scene which he helps her into, no words needed - just body language and understanding for each other!! That sideward glance too, so believable!! Sir Walter Elliot was played well too, as the self-centred and vain a man as he was.

Serena: Was there an earlier adaptation to the 1995 Amanda Root's Persuasion? The BBC did a version of it in the 70's. We had a Virtual View of it earlier this year, the topic should still be up if you care to read our reviews. The consensus is that it was pretty bad...stick with amanda Root and Cairan Hinds! ;-)

A family friend purchased the 1995 version, hated it, and so gave it to me without hesitation...can you imagine? What generosity!

I hate the description on the back of the box: "A young couple's stormy romance scandalizes English society in this acclaimed adaptation..." No it doesn't! Society barely pays any attention at all.

How about "flirtatious fun"? I didn't catch that...

kali, you are lucky indeed!

I have this 1965 paperback edition of Persuasion with a gothic horror front cover and quotes on the back cover from Henry's teasing tale of terror to Catherine as they drive to the abby.

I think Henry has that NA cover scanned in.

Persuasion a gothic tale of horror? I suppose it is all in how you look at it ;-)

Katy, is this it? -- http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~churchh/nhabgoth.jpg http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~churchh/nhabgoth.html