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The 2007 TV version of Persuasion is directed by Adrian
Shergold. It stars, Sally Hawkins (Cassandra's Dream), Rupert
Penry-Jones (The Four Feathers), and Anthony Stewart Head
(Sweeney Todd.) This is a film adaptation of the Jane Austen
novel of the same name, originally aired on British television.
It's the story of a 27-year-old woman who has not forgotten
one of her lost loves of the past, and ultimately grows
to see that he, once a commoner, now has numerous suitors,
and she must find a way through her own personal struggles.
***
You can't tell this classic story in ninety minutes.
Period. It's a great story, one of the finest Austen ever
contributed to the world of literature. But there have been
countless adaptations of it in the past, nearly all of which
were superior renditions. The run time is the biggest problem
here - due to it being cut so short, various characters
and vital scenes have been cut from the original story,
and if this weren't bad enough, the story still has to be
sped up considerably. Condensing a classic story like this
is never a good idea, and it shows through the duration
of the presentation. ***
The cast for the film is well-chosen, and they actually
give good performances. Hawkins, Penry-Jones, and Head all
perform well - but it's clear they're working with condensed,
incomplete material. All of these actors and actresses are
great, and have proven themselves in countless other films
- but when the material they work around has been tampered
with this much, and not for the better, it doesn't help
things. ***
It's also worth noting that this isn't the first attempt
to bring Persuasion to life. There have been numerous other
adaptations of the story, nearly all of which run longer
and are superior products. Unless you're a die-hard fan
of all adaptations of Austen's work, who wants to see every
last version of Persuasion ever filmed, you can pass this
one by. The 1995 version, although the run time isn't a
whole lot longer, is a superior product. ---
Image And Sound:
This category actually quite surprised me on the DVD.
For a made-for-TV film, the picture quality is impressive.
All images are clear and clean. The audio quality is easy
to understand - as with most dramas, most of the audio is
dialogue, and it all comes across clearly. ---
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