Persuasion, BBC 2007

M: V and I have a little tradition of reading a Jane Austin book at the same time and, when we have finished, watching the movie, or movies, together. Persuasion is a great book, with very sharp and clever writing. We watched what I just discovered to be a 2007 tv version, 90 minutes without commercials. This version took great liberties in straying from the book. It really didn't need to. It was beautifully filmed for the most part, with a few random Blair Witch type scenes where the camera was suddenly following the action in that bouncy way, oddly out of place here. Maybe I was looking too much for variance from the book, and I am usually not such a stickler on those things, but it was distracting the way they completely changed things, and not for the better. The show was just ok. Kind of disappointed. 2 stars.

V: This was really a poor adaptation of a good book. Now, I don't think an adaptation has to strictly follow the book - see our Sense & Sensibility review (they improved on the book, and I greatly appreciated it!) The problem with this film is they ruined any suspense. What is the story? A woman finds herself meeting up again with a man she was formerly engaged to but was "persuaded" not to marry. Years have passed. We the readers/viewers want to find out 1) Does she still love him? 2) Does he still love her? 3) Will they get back together? Right? Well, they blurt the answer to #1 in the first 5 minutes. The second, they also blurt too soon. And as for the 3rd, well, of course there are impediments, but they also just blurt their way through them and keep spoiling the surprise. Will he marry so-and-so? The movie, like a bad movie friend, pats your shoulder anytime the slightest hint of the unknown arises, and tells you, "Don't worry, this is what happens . . ." I didn't care for Sir Walter, who was portrayed as caustic rather than just overly vain and foolish. Then there was this weirdness of our heroine chasing after this man -- literally chasing, in an extending running montage. Did women really do that in that place and time? And she was in high society. And then the closing scene with a "gift" that was just silly and totally unjustified by the facts of the story. I was disappointed. We've gotten our hands on another version, here's hoping it's better. I think the leading man is played by the same guy who played Col. Brandon in Sense & Sensibility. That bodes well. I'm sure it must be better than this version. 2 stars.

post-edit: nope, not col. brandon. oh well.

M: V nailed this. I absolutely agree.