The Complete Jane Austen: Persuasion
I know, I know. I've been home a month and haven't updated. Will do so this week sometime. But because I'm a crazy lady and the Jane Austen season has begun on PBS, and I know a number of you are also watching, hey, why not a post where we can discuss our reactions to the new (and old) adaptations? So, tonight we have Persuasion (some PBS stations will repeat later this week).
Sally Hawkins plays Anne with a touching tragedy imo, and Rupert Penry-Jones is a very nice (and dishy looking) Capt Wentworth (shuddup Moon!), but someone please tell me wtf is up with all the running around Bath at the end? And why are directors now trying to make Jane's heroines writers?! The intimacy created by Anne's direct looks into the camera does make the viewer into her diary in a way, though, no? I did like that touch.
Charles Musgrove was not an idiot, so please God, WHY this characterization? Does Capt Wentworth really need to be shown off as being the better man by showcasing Charles as a plank? It's the Keira Knightley P&P all over again with Mr. Bingley being an utter dork. Indeed, the entire supporting cast seems to be played this way which seems a rather lazy way to develop characters or a script (simpering, conceited Mary drove me nuts).
Some scenes I quite liked: Anne and Charles' moment on the log just after the ridiculously stupid fall; Capt Wentworth's reactions to Louisa's tale of Charles wanting to marry Anne initially; Capt Wentworth's speech re the kind of wife he wants (kill Anne why don't you, man); Capt Harvill knowing Anne is "Anne Elliot"; Frederick's reaction to being socially and morally bound to Louisa because of his conduct; Louisa's fall at The Cobb (of course it would've been wet and her head would've been bleeding! why hadn't I thought of that before?!)
Scenes that made me want to scratch out my eyes: Anne's "loving longest" speech in Lyme Regis instead of at Bath and to Benwick instead of Harville no less!!; Anne's running around Bath to find Frederick at the end.
Anyway, I'll stop now. :p Suffice it to say there are a number of things that deviated from the book and a number that stuck very true and which played quite well. Overall, not a bad adaptation I think. 6/10 perhaps. What say you?
Sally Hawkins plays Anne with a touching tragedy imo, and Rupert Penry-Jones is a very nice (and dishy looking) Capt Wentworth (shuddup Moon!), but someone please tell me wtf is up with all the running around Bath at the end? And why are directors now trying to make Jane's heroines writers?! The intimacy created by Anne's direct looks into the camera does make the viewer into her diary in a way, though, no? I did like that touch.
Charles Musgrove was not an idiot, so please God, WHY this characterization? Does Capt Wentworth really need to be shown off as being the better man by showcasing Charles as a plank? It's the Keira Knightley P&P all over again with Mr. Bingley being an utter dork. Indeed, the entire supporting cast seems to be played this way which seems a rather lazy way to develop characters or a script (simpering, conceited Mary drove me nuts).
Some scenes I quite liked: Anne and Charles' moment on the log just after the ridiculously stupid fall; Capt Wentworth's reactions to Louisa's tale of Charles wanting to marry Anne initially; Capt Wentworth's speech re the kind of wife he wants (kill Anne why don't you, man); Capt Harvill knowing Anne is "Anne Elliot"; Frederick's reaction to being socially and morally bound to Louisa because of his conduct; Louisa's fall at The Cobb (of course it would've been wet and her head would've been bleeding! why hadn't I thought of that before?!)
Scenes that made me want to scratch out my eyes: Anne's "loving longest" speech in Lyme Regis instead of at Bath and to Benwick instead of Harville no less!!; Anne's running around Bath to find Frederick at the end.
Anyway, I'll stop now. :p Suffice it to say there are a number of things that deviated from the book and a number that stuck very true and which played quite well. Overall, not a bad adaptation I think. 6/10 perhaps. What say you?