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Persuasion

  • TV Mini Series
  • 1971
  • 3h 45m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
564
YOUR RATING
Ann Firbank in Persuasion (1971)
HistoryRomance

Eight years earlier, Anne Elliot, the daughter of a financially troubled aristocratic family, was persuaded to break off her engagement to Frederick Wentworth, a young seaman, who, though pr... Read allEight years earlier, Anne Elliot, the daughter of a financially troubled aristocratic family, was persuaded to break off her engagement to Frederick Wentworth, a young seaman, who, though promising, had poor family connections. When her father rents out the family estate to Admir... Read allEight years earlier, Anne Elliot, the daughter of a financially troubled aristocratic family, was persuaded to break off her engagement to Frederick Wentworth, a young seaman, who, though promising, had poor family connections. When her father rents out the family estate to Admiral Croft, Anne is thrown into company with Frederick, because his sister is Mrs. Croft. Fr... Read all

  • Stars
    • Ann Firbank
    • Bryan Marshall
    • Marian Spencer
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.5/10
    564
    YOUR RATING
    • Stars
      • Ann Firbank
      • Bryan Marshall
      • Marian Spencer
    • 26User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Episodes5

    Browse episodes
    1 Season1971

    Photos10

    Ann Firbank in Persuasion (1971)
    Persuasion (1971)
    Ann Firbank in Persuasion (1971)
    Ann Firbank in Persuasion (1971)
    Persuasion (1971)
    Ann Firbank in Persuasion (1971)
    Ann Firbank, Elizabeth Garvie, and David Rintoul in Persuasion (1971)
    Ann Firbank in Persuasion (1971)
    Bryan Marshall and Richard Vernon in Persuasion (1971)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ann Firbank
    Ann Firbank
    • Anne Elliot
    Bryan Marshall
    Bryan Marshall
    • Captain Wentworth
    Marian Spencer
    • Lady Russell
    Richard Vernon
    Richard Vernon
    • Admiral Croft
    Basil Dignam
    Basil Dignam
    • Sir Walter Elliot
    Valerie Gearon
    Valerie Gearon
    • Elizabeth Elliot
    Georgine Anderson
    Georgine Anderson
    • Mrs. Croft
    Morag Hood
    Morag Hood
    • Mary Musgrove
    Rowland Davies
    • Charles Musgrove
    Mel Martin
    Mel Martin
    • Henrietta Musgrove
    Charlotte Mitchell
    • Mrs. Clay
    Zhivila Roche
    • Louisa Musgrove
    Noel Dyson
    Noel Dyson
    • Mrs. Musgrove
    David Savile
    • Mr. Elliot
    Michael Culver
    Michael Culver
    • Captain Harville
    Ernest Hare
    • Colonel Wallis
    Gabrielle Daye
    Gabrielle Daye
    • Mrs. Rooke
    Polly Murch
    • Mrs. Smith
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Persuasion

    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Though Anne Elliot is Jane Austen's oldest female protagonist, she was only 27 years old during the period of the novel, while Ann Firbank who plays her here was 38 years old at the time of the release of this miniseries.
    • Goofs
      Walking down country lane, actors pass WWII tank traps.
    • Connections
      Version of Persuasion (1960)
    • Soundtracks
      A Downland Suite: III - Minuet: Allegretto grazioso
      (uncredited)

      By John Ireland

      [theme]

    User reviews26

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    4/10
    Has its merits, but overall inferior to the 1995 movie
    This four-hour miniseries production is about two hours longer than necessary, primarily because the filmmakers seemed not to have a clear idea how to adapt a novel to the screen. They seemed not to know what should be kept in and what might safely be left out. The film opens with Sir Walter reading from the Peerage book that is his primary solace in his troubles. This introduces the family - all of whom we get to know intimately over the next four hours anyway - but serves little other purpose. Similarly, the scenes where the Musgroves lament "poor Richard" serve no purpose but to drag the story down. Some of Austen's actual dialogue is allocated to different characters and some of her narrative is recycled as dialogue that falls awkwardly from the tongues of the characters. There is some fill-in dialogue, too, and this is uniformly dreadful. The scene where Charles Hayter is boring Henrietta with his concerns about getting Dr. Shirley's curacy was only barely interesting as narrative in the book; as a scene in this production, it is stultifying The scene on the Cobb, when Louisa falls and is "taken up lifeless!", is entirely without urgency, and I wondered whether Wentworth's line "Is there nobody to help me?" might have been directed at the writers, as well as the other actors.

    This production often looks and feels like a play that has been filmed, rather than an actual film, and this is most evident in the acting, which is the opposite of subtle: booming delivery of lines, exaggerated gestures, and actors who have no idea what to do with their hands, feet, or faces when they are not speaking their lines. Charles Musgrove stands in his parlour, feet shoulder width apart, and appears to project to the balcony (if there were one) when speaking to the other people in the room with him. Louisa Musgrove's face, when not actively simpering or giggling, seems to be in confused repose. Louisa is a giddy, giggly, ditzy creature, and I did not for a moment believe that Wentworth would be interested in her.

    The costumes are a mixed bunch, but mostly awful, and Anne Elliot's green tartan gown is quite possibly the most hideous alleged period costume ever devised. We are given the dates at the beginning of the show - it is the late 1790's or perhaps very early 1800s - and yet many of the costumes seem to be of Victorian design, and thus about 60 years too early! The hair is just so wrong that I won't even mention it here. Except to say that I won't mention it. :-)

    This production does do some things right, however. Mrs. Smith is given her proper importance, and her history with Mr. Elliot, his dissipation and his intrigues, are fully addressed. I was also pleased to see the fleshed out "reconciliation" scenes with Anne and Frederick at the end, which are precious reward for the reader but were glossed over in the 1995 production.

    If you love the book Persuasion, and even vaguely like the 1995 movie, don't waste a moment (or a penny) on this production; you will find it sorely wanting.
    helpful•17
    15
    • wendy-spammage
    • May 22, 2005

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 18, 1971 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Persuasión
    • Filming locations
      • Bath, Somerset, England, UK
    • Production company
      • Granada Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      3 hours 45 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 4:3

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