Persuasion (1995) (TV)

Director:

Roger Michell

Writers:

Jane Austen (novel)
Nick Dear (writer)

Release Date:

27 September 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Romance | Drama

Plot:

Eight years earlier, Anne Elliot, the daughter of a financially troubled aristocratic family, was persuaded...

Plot Keywords:

Old Flame | Family | Austen | Aristocrat | Reflection

Awards:

6 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Amanda Root	...	Anne Elliot
Ciarán Hinds	...	Captain Frederick Wentworth
Susan Fleetwood	...	Lady Russell
Corin Redgrave	...	Sir Walter Elliot
Fiona Shaw	...	Mrs. Croft
John Woodvine	...	Admiral Croft
Phoebe Nicholls	...	Elizabeth Elliot
Samuel West	...	Mr. Elliot
Sophie Thompson	...	Mary Musgrove
Judy Cornwell	...	Mrs. Musgrove
Simon Russell Beale	...	Charles Musgrove
Felicity Dean	...	Mrs. Clay
Roger Hammond	...	Mr. Musgrove
Emma Roberts	...	Louisa Musgrove
Victoria Hamilton	...	Henrietta Musgrove
Robert Glenister	...	Captain Harvile
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 Hayter
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
Richard Brenner	...	Coachman
Bill McGuirk	...	Tradesman
Niall Refoy	...	Tradesman
Ken Shorter	...	Lady Dalrymple's Butler
Dermot Kerrigan	...	Footman
Tom Rigby	...	Little Charles
Alex Wilman	...	Little Walter
Rosa Mannion	...	Concert Opera Singer

Directed by
Roger Michell

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jane Austen		novel
Nick Dear		writer

Produced by
Rebecca Eaton	....	executive producer: WGBH
George Faber	....	executive producer
George Faber	....	producer: BBC
Fiona Finlay	....	producer
Margot Hayhoe	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Jeremy Sams

Cinematography by
John Daly

Film Editing by
Kate Evans

Production Design by
William Dudley
Brian Sykes

Art Direction by
Linda Ward

Costume Design by
Alexandra Byrne

Makeup Department
Kay Bilk	....	makeup artist
Joanna Casserly	....	makeup artist
Sally Collins	....	makeup artist
Jean Speak	....	makeup designer

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nicki Ballantyne	....	second assistant director
Julie Edwards	....	first assistant director
Roger Goldby	....	third assistant director
Jo Harden	....	second assistant director
Donald Taylor	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Graham Bishop	....	set dresser
Dave Channon	....	construction manager
John Durrant	....	graphic designer
Laurie Griffiths	....	stand-by carpenter
Laurie Miller	....	property master
Denise Slattery	....	scenic artist

Sound Department
Lee Crichlow	....	dubbing editor
Terry Elms	....	sound
Mik Gough	....	boom operator
Michael Narduzzo	....	dubbing mixer
Ben Norrington	....	dubbing editor

Special Effects by
Chris Reynolds	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Colin Gorry	....	visual effects designer
Paul McGuinness	....	visual effects assistant

Stunts
Helen Caldwell	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Hugh Adams	....	second assistant camera
John Arnold	....	grip
Chris Capstick	....	still photographer
Carlo Chinca	....	still photographer
Stephen Foote	....	underwater camera operator
Bob Hunt	....	electrician
Jan Pester	....	steadicam operator
Dick Reed	....	gaffer
Andrew Taylor	....	electrician
Mark Taylor	....	electrician
Steve Wallace	....	first assistant camera

Casting Department
Siobhan Bracke	....	casting advisor

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Maggie Bone	....	dresser
George Brent	....	dresser
Sharon Long	....	dresser
Debbie Scott	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Sally Brocklehurst	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
Howard Jones	....	music recordist
Tony Philpot	....	music recordist
Jeremy Sams	....	conductor

Other crew
Paul Almond	....	unit publicist
Charlotte Blair	....	script advisor
Debbie Brodie	....	food stylist
Margaret Confoy	....	production secretary
Jane Hawley	....	production executive
Julian Holmes	....	location manager
Alf Potter	....	design rigger
Monica Rodger	....	production associate
Jayne Selwyn-Roberts	....	location manager
Geraldine Stephenson	....	choreographer
Catherine Wearing	....	script editor

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• France 2 Cinéma
• Millésime Productions
• Mobile Masterpiece Theatre
• WGBH

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Classics (1995) (USA) (theatrical)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1997) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• BBC Video (1999) (UK) (DVD)
• BBC Video (199?) (UK) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Films de España (1997) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (VHS)
• Krause & Schneider Multimedia (KSM) (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Video (1997) (Japan) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. (1996) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1996) (Sweden) (VHS)

Other Companies

• ARRI Lighting Rental  light equipment
• General Screen Enterprises  titles and opticals

MPAA:

Rated PG for brief mild language.

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA | UK | France

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:G | Finland:S | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

Abbey Green, Bath, Somerset, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Made for British television and originally screened by the BBC in April 1995, the film was released theatrically around the rest of the world.

Goofs:

After Louisa jumps off the steps, a blue car is seen driving up the Cob behind Captain Wentworth.

Quotes:

Lady Russell: Captain Wentworth
Captain Wentworth: Lady Russell
Lady Russell: You, have an extraordinary ability to discompose my friend, sir.
Captain Wentworth: And you have an extraordinary ability to influence her, ma'am, for which I find it hard to forgive you.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Real Jane Austen (2002) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Prelude in B

Beautiful and understated

This is a very well put together, and yet very fragile movie that shows its budget constraints all too well. Beautifully acted and written, the direction unfortunately reveals the boxy nature of a TV screen. But despite the lack of impressive cinematography, the scenes are set up extremely well. The use of staging and visual metaphor are jaw-droppingly fantastic. Austen's relatively simple potboiler has been turned into a work of visual art that reveals the director's love for the material.

The music is done perfectly - it doesn't overpower or ever impose interpretation, instead it is just enough to maintain focus on the story. And I love the understated nature of the characters. It is easy to spot the hypocrites, but you can see why they are the way they are. It would be very easy to make Mr. Eliot into a simpering, unctious idiot - instead, he is played as a gentleman. It makes Anne a better character, and it makes the movie a better experience.