Product Details

• Actors: Anne Firbank, Bryan Marshall, Basil Dignam, Valerie Gearon, Marian Spencer
• Format: Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 2
• Studio: BBC Warner
• VHS Release Date: July 19, 2000
• Run Time: 225 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00004WGAL
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #139,521 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very impressed. Especially after seeing the 1995 version..., October 1, 2001

By 

"zveronic" (Vancouver, BC. CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Persuasion [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I saw the review above and thought that I should offer another opinion to anyone thinking of buying this video. I felt that the 1995 version was extremely shallow and the characters not faithfully suited to Austen's intended personalities at all. This version's Anne shows extremely well the reactions and feelings of a mature woman who is remembering a distant past. She remembers more and more as the story continues just how afflicted she has been and how lowly she has felt over the previous years. She tries to keep her feelings in check but they slowly overwhelm her. I found this version very touching despite the 1971 production. The Anne of the 1995 version seems to be always pouting. Her unmarried sister is shown more as being rude and apt to throwing tantrums even though Austen protrayed her as indifferent, selfish and conceited. That is just the beginning of the incorrect portrayals of Austen's characters in the 1995 version. If you loved the novel, see this movie.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the easily the best version of Persuasion, July 28, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Persuasion [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is the best version of Persuasion that I've seen, and I've seen them all. It follows the book almost perfectly, without any unnecessary, aggravating modern day innovations. This is Persuasion as Jane Austen wrote it. Attitudes and opinions were different in the early 1800's and it is absurd to force the attitudes of today onto characters from the past, as so many modern movies do. I hope this version is produced on DVD soon.

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but not exciting, January 14, 2003

By 

"cloudia" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Persuasion [VHS] (VHS Tape)

If you've seen the 1995 movie starring Hinds and Root enough times, read the book and want to see another execution of the story and that's all, then this isn't too bad. It's very length is satisfying; it's about four hours in all, enough time for a little more shading of character and manner. We see the Musgroves and Anne arriving at the inn at Lyme for example, and the character of Sir Walter is a little less obvious and hilarious, though equally narcissistic. What is remarkable is how much alike the two versions are; they really both are very accurate adaptations. And it's good to see the Italian concert scene as executed by different actors. There are different production values of course, this version is much more cheaply done, perhaps that is why the sailors are in civvies throughout the show. And this version does delve into the connection between Mrs. Smith and young Mr. Elliot, a connection which was entirely ignored in the film, but at least makes more sense than his chasing after his broke cousins for their money. And if you're an afficionado you may notice that this Mrs. Smith entirely lacks the charm of the film one. Lady Russell is also quite different, a sweet old lady, rather than a society queen and fashion plate with philosophical inclinations. This version doesn't capture at all the dull depression and cruel neglect experienced by Anne Elliot that the 95 film does so well. And I'm sorry to say that the actress playing Anne seems rather more like a model than a great lady with a warm heart. Still it's fun if you can't get enough Persuasion, but read the book and see the movie a bunch of times before attempting the miniseries.