Review of Persuasion

Introduction

You know where you are with BBC historical dramas. You get a literate, witty script and excellent (although mannered) acting. This DVD of Persuasion is no exception. Originally shown in 1995, this adaptation is true to Jane Austen’s novel, and does an excellent job of compressing the plot into 100 minutes.

If you haven`t read the novel (and you should), the plot revolves around Anne Elliott who, at 19, loved young Captain Wentworth and was "persuaded" to reject his attentions.

Seven years later, Anne is a sweet and intelligent woman, who is generally consider to be past her prime and is constantly persuaded to do what is best for everyone but herself. Then, Captain Wentworth cones back into her life ...

Video

The video transfer is adequate for the source material but is nothing special. It is not anamorphic. It is a 4:3 image matted to 14:9. The matting is uneven; you get a large bar at the top of the image and a tiny one on the bottom. Strange, but not a big problem.

The fact that it is a TV adaptation is obvious in every shot, from the lighting to the way the scenes are framed. It is a quality TV production though, so there should be no cause for complaint. The DVD transfer gives an image as good as you are likely to see from this source.

Audio

The soundtrack is DD 2.0, although there is no noticeable stereo content. For a period drama like this, though, that isn’t a problem. Dialog is crisp and clear and any ambience is effective.

The score consists largely of piano pieces. These are well reproduced and are effective in capturing the appropriate moods.

Features

Other than the film, all you get on this DVD is a guide to the characters. You get a list of the main characters and can call up a page of background on each. This is actually quite useful and I suggest that you read these before watching the film. It sets the scene nicely.


I suspect that the BBC can do better here, and I hope that subsequent releases have better extras.

Conclusion

Overall, you get a good drama that is well written and impeccably acted. Sound and vision are more than adequate and will certainly be an improvement over the VHS version. As a DVD, it is lacklustre. But if you rent or buy it for the content, you will not be disappointed.