Produced by the BBC, Persuasion is probably the best movie adaptation I have seen and is the one exception that I make for romance movies. Show me a movie preview with a kissy-smootchie scene in it and I can promise you I won't be seeing it in the theater. Unless you can bring Rock Hudson back from the dead and pair him up with Doris Day.
Persuasion is a screen adaptation of Jane Austen's novel of the same name. If you want to read a plot summary or other movie details, see its listing at IMDB.com. Now on to my reasons for listing this as movie #5 on my Top 5 Movies list.
This movie ranks as #5 on my list because of the following:
-You won't find Gwyneth Paltrow with a low-cut bodice in this film. Thank you! The actors aren't "beautiful" and, actually, they shouldn't be. Because the actors look like real, average human beings, I think I was able to immediately connect with the characters.
-Anne's transformation during the movie. Her character development is carefully handled, not only by the plot, but also by the mise-en-scen and editing. As the movie progresses, she transforms from a sad, lonely woman into a strong, independent one. As she goes through this emotional transformation, she goes through a physical one as well. That mousy, pallid little woman who cowers in the corner, now becomes a radiant woman who is out in the world. There is one particular scene that illustrates this quite well. She bumps into a rather attractive man while she is out walking. The man tips his hat and smiles at her. She walks by and gives him a double take (Was he smiling at me?). When she gets back to her room, there is a shot of her looking at herself in the mirror. She gently brushes back a strand of hair from her face and smiles back at herself. That shot alone indicates that she is recognizing the transformation in herself. I doubt she would have noticed the man had she met him earlier in the movie, but now, the compliment - his smile and tip of the hat - is recognized and appreciated. Ever had that experience in real life?
-You find out almost everything you need to know about Anne and the other main characters in the movie in one scene with careful editing and shot construction. Anne is sitting and conversing with her sister Mary and Mary's in-laws. The scene consists of shots of Anne sitting next to various people as they talk about one another. She sits and talks to Mary as Mary complains about her husband. Cut to a shot of Anne talking to the husband as he complains about Mary, and so forth. All shots are of Anne in two-shot with another person. Essentially, you come to realize that Anne is an important part of this family and is herself a very patient and caring person.
-Finally, the best part of the movie is the end, when she gets her guy. Oh, how it pains me to admit that I like the happy, kissy-faced ending. I think I've mentioned that I'm not fond of romance movies and heterosexual coupling is incredibly over used as means of self-realization in the movies ("I am complete because I have a man now." Uh, I'm going to be ill). But this girl-gets-her-guy ending is not like that. Her transformation in the movie isn't because she realizes that he is what she needs to complete her life. She realizes that she can be happy on her own. They wind up together in the end because he realizes that he loves her and he - after an entire movie of seemingly avoiding her - expresses that love in a brilliantly crafted scene. The two of them are in a room filled with other friends. Frederick - that's the "guy" - sits and writes a letter at a desk, while Anne talks with another man. Frederick leaves to run an errand and leaves a letter for Anne on the desk. We see her reading the letter and hear him reading it in voice-over. Her voice is mixed in with his as he reads and then it transitions to her voice alone reading the letter in voice-over. The acknowledgement of their love is expressed subtly through that use of audio.
In summary, good story, great characters, and some amazing uses of film style make this #5 on my top 5 movie list.
at September 11, 2005 8:48 AMWow. This is one of my favorite movies ever, for all that you mention, for the brilliant, subtle acting (and what a cast - no, no big budget, overprimped Hollywood stars, just a whole big bunch of English character actors), and for, yes, the romance. That letter scene blows me away every time. But no one else has heard of this movie! So nice to see it on your list.
Posted by: Susan at September 12, 2005 9:46 AMi think we saw this at the uptown theater (if i'm remembering correctly). reading this makes me want to see it again! blockbuster...here i come.
Posted by: Cathie at September 12, 2005 2:40 PM