13
Jul
2009
Persuasion
A few nights ago I watched Persuasion for the Everything Austen Challenge. I didn’t know anything about it going in, except that the love interest was in the navy (Stop it Village People! Get out of my head!).
Of course, despite the wittiness and early feminist critique found in Austen’s works, she does follow a pattern. It is something like this:
1. Boy meets girl
2. Girl hates or is annoyed by boy
3. Girl comes around but there are obstacles due to her lack of wealth or similar
4. Boy and girl overcome obstacles and live happily ever after.
The details, however, are always different. So it doesn’t matter how well you know the formula–it’s how the story progresses that makes said formula irrelevant.
I thought that the BBC did a great job in Persuasion. Particularly the bits at Bath highlighted the ridiculousness of the place (reading up on Jane Austen online recently I’ve learned that she lived there for a spell and hated it). And they did a good job using persuade/persuade/persuasion quite a bit, driving home the point. This would have irked me, but since I know that Austen loved to drive home the symbolism of a title, I quite enjoyed it.
New thought: Everyone doing the Everything Austen Challenge: Let’s make a drinking game in which every time the title or parts of the title are mentioned in a film adaptation, you take a drink. Just watch out if you watch Emma.
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Glad you enjoyed this! I prefer the 1995 film version of Persuasion, but I must say that this Captain Wentworth was drool-worthy. The drinking game sounds dangerous. Even Pride and Prejudice could result in black-out…
Of course, dangerous also = fun. Let me know when we’re doing this…
Ahhh, a drinking game for Everything Austen! I’m in!!
I am in for some JA Drinking games.
I just watched this version of Persuasion as well! I enjoyed it very much! And too bad I don’t drink…!
I really liked this adaptation, too! Loved both of the lead actors — thought they did a great job.
And a JA drinking game would be awesome
I’d have a hard time explaining it to my friends — or getting them to actually sit down and watch an Austen adaptation! — but if I could jump those hurdles, we’d have a great time! 
Ahhh…. still laughing about the Village People in your head…. I went right there with you!
“Young Man!”……. nah nah nah nah nah nah…. “I say, Young Man!”
I love your drinking game idea! Too funny!
Celia: if there’s no potential threat, it wouldn’t be fun!
Stephanie: so…drinking game mini challenge? LOL!
Mari: just name the movie, I’ll be there!
Heather: I’m sure that we could think of something for you to do instead!
Meg: Just don’t tell your friends before you invite them over!
Sheila: I’ve had YMCA stuck in my head all day since I read your comment this morning..
Jenners: Would it interfere w/ your diet? Maybe on your day off?
I have never seen a movie version of Persuasion thanks for recommending this one. It seems like I never get tired of her formula. She does have a knack for making each one different.
lol – with the village people. you mentioned how jane wasn’t keen on going to bath and so too was anne’s feelings about bath. this movie was also my intro to persuasion. my fave scenes were the walks along the sea wall in lyme.
LOL! Love your drinks suggestion.
I’m about to do this one for my challenge. I better get the gin and tonics lined up. You said Emma would be problem and I’d add Mansfield Park as another not to drink to.
now if they could change the ending to the 1995 version, it would make a better movie, though I think changing the ending did create a more dramatic urgency, usually it’s the guy the runs after the girl and here the girl does the running
& I really hate how to butcher the us dvd cover of Anne, she is suppose to be older with lines on her face, come on
sorry for the late comments, I am browsing through your archives