Binge Watching “Persuasion” Adaptations

Last weekend, I watched the two most recent movie adaptations of Jane Austen’s Persuasion.

Watching them back-to-back was an unexpected thing! I found the 1995 version at a great thrift store, so I decided to watch it first and follow with the newer one, from 2007, in a few weeks. My mom was enthusiastic after the credits rolled on the 1995, and we decided to watch the next one over the weekend, too.

A little about the two films: the 1995 Persuasion stars Amanda Root as Anne Elliot and Ciarán Hinds as Captain Wentworth. The 2007 Persuasion stars Sally Hawkins as Anne Elliot and Rupert Penry-Jones as Captain Wentworth. Both were originally made for British television and both filmed on location in the countryside, Lyme, and Bath.

I recommend either version, as both do a excellent job adapting the beloved Austen novel. Some things were more distinctly likable in each one, yet I find they have enough differences to make them both watchable for their own merit.

~a brief comparison (or, reasons to watch both of these ASAP~

Cinematography: Both have sweeping English views, coastal visits, and on-location filming. The 1995 version, however, takes its time a bit with the storyline and the scenery, allowing for slightly more contemplative shots. The 2007 has tighter framing on the cast, so the emotions are at the forefront in many of their interactions.

Supporting characters: Vibrant! I find a little more empathy and understanding for Anne’s family in the 1995, while the 2007 periphery cast showcases more faults and annoyances. Either way, I can’t believe Anne puts up with them so gently! In both cases, I LOVE the Crofts.

Protagonist casting: I like the protagonist casting of both adaptations. I think the Amanda and Ciarán of the 1995 suit the more reserved, subdued tones of the story — the passion is still there, just under the surface. Sally and Rupert as Anne and Wentworth in the 2007 do an admirable job, especially in the asides Anne has toward the camera which mirror the narrator of the novel itself. But when it comes to the two Captains side by side, I must choose Rupert Penry-Jones as the most handsome Wentworth!

The endings: *Spoiler Alert* each suits the story build-up. 1995’s Anne is to have her first adventure and chance to see the world, as she has expressed desire to do, with her place now as the Captain’s wife on a ship. Perhaps the sweeter ending, to me, is that of the 2007 with what appears to be “home” settled: Wentworth has acquired Anne’s home estate, Kellynch. From Anne’s sad and frazzled appearance in the beginning, and her having to step away from home, this brings closure and a sense of a happy future with Wentworth’s gift. I appreciate that Austen’s original ending left the characters in a happy situation together with an open-ended future, and both adaptations had freedom to depict what that looks like.

For more about Austen’s Persuasion here on the blog, check out my post with Favorite Quotes from “Persuasion” from a few years ago!

Have you read or watched one of these adaptations? Which is your favorite?

Top Ten Tuesday: Top {11} Book Quotes

It’s another Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by  The Broke and the Bookish

This week is a FREEBIE topic for Top Ten Tuesday! So, looking back through past topics, I was inspired to share some favorite book quotes (originally a topic in 2010, I believe). While I have many favorite book quotes, I have chosen 11 to share here that hopefully make sense out of context. Narrowing it down was not easy!

Top {11} Book Quotes

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Taking a sip of tea, she felt immediately better. Tea was comfort. Tranquility. Civility. – Love’s Awakening by Laura Frantz

She felt that she could so much more depend upon the sincerity of those who sometimes looked or said a careless or hasty thing, than of those whose presence of mind never varied, whose tongue never slipped. – Persuasion by Jane Austen

“You put new meaning to the word bookworm. More like a book… boa constrictor.” – Blake in Here to Stay by Melissa Tagg

We said goodbye at the end of the day with the kind of reluctance usually reserved for small children leaving Disneyland. – A Table by the Window by Hillary Manton Lodge

“…one cannot turn one’s back on the truth. One cannot wish it away, or pray it away, or even live it away.” – Verity in Ross Poldark by Winston Graham

“I know it’s difficult to see right now, but if we trust Him, God can bring us through these dark places, through our fears and even what we think is impossible, to give us more. More of Him. Even more of ourselves, through Him. In fact, He can do more than you can ask or imagine if you let Him.”  – Grace in When I Fall In Love by Susan May Warren

“I wanted to see the place where Margaret grew to what she is, even at the worst time of all, when I had no hope of ever calling her mine.” – Mr. Thornton in North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

“Do you know-” her tone went musing- “belief does something marvelous to courage. Courage is something to be drummed up without it, but if you have belief, it does the drumming.” – Clare in Maggie Bright by Tracy Groot

Not everything that happens to us in this life will bring us joy. …But in time God will work even the worst things men do to us for our lasting good. Eternal good. Trust in the Almighty, in His love for you, and you’ll have no need to dread anything He has befall you. For with a test, a trial, He gives an equal measure of grace to bear it and the comfort of His fellowship as He strengthens us. He is acquainted with suffering. – The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn by Lori Benton

Imagine how differently we’d treat people if at the beginning of an acquaintance we were given opportunity to know how that person would affect our life. – Mark of Distinction by Jessica Dotta

Have you read any of these? What are some of your favorite book quotes?

Favorite Quotes from “Persuasion” by Jane Austen

As you may have read, I recently participated in a read-along of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Amber over at Seasons Humility put together some wonderful posts full of quotes, discussion questions, and great observations. (you can check them out here) Oh, and we had some fun discussions on Twitter with the hashtag #InspiredbyAusten. And watched the 1995 movie adaptation. July was a month of Jane Austen for me!

This book is FULL of wonderful quotes. Jane Austen had such wit and skill with prose! I wanted to share a few of my favorite quotes with you here. If you are unfamiliar with the story, may I suggest you read it? Or at least watch one of the movie adaptations? The 1995 version is very true to the book, while the 2007 version has a dreamier Captain Wentworth (it’s just the truth!). (Kara has compared some characters from each one in this fun post!)

“It sometimes happens that a woman is handsomer at twenty-nine than she was ten years before…” from chapter 1

“A lady without a family was the very best preserver of furniture in the world.” from chapter 3 (oh, Sir Walter is SO dramatic!)

“Anne hoped she had outlived the age of blushing; but the age of emotion she certainly had not.” from chapter 6

“…there could have been no two hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no feelings so in unison, no countenances so beloved. Now they were as strangers; nay, worse than strangers, for they could never become acquainted. It was a perpetual estrangement.” from chapter 8

“I knew that we should either go to the bottom together, or that she would be the making of me. – Captain Wentworth, from chapter 8, speaking of his ship. (I think this such a neat parallel to he and Anne. While their relationship failed, his naval achievements were a success.)

“One man’s ways may be as good as another’s, but we all like our own best.” – Admiral Croft, from chapter 13

“She felt that she could so much more depend upon the sincerity of those who sometimes looked or said a careless or hasty thing, than of those whose presence of mind never varied, whose tongue never slipped.” from chapter 17

“A man does not recover from such a devotion of the heart to such a woman! He ought not, — he does not.” -Captain Wentworth, from chapter 20

“…and Anne, –but it would be an insult to the nature of Anne’s felicity to draw any comparisons between it and her sister’s; the origin of one all selfish vanity, of the other all generous attachment.” from chapter 20

“At nineteen, you know, one does not think very seriously.” -Mrs. Smith, from chapter 21

And then we have Captain Wentworth’s letter ♥ in chapter 23! The whole thing is quotable, but here is my favorite part: “I am half agony, half hope.” 

“Such a letter was not soon to be recovered from.” from chapter 23

“…and soon words enough had passed between them to decide their direction towards the comparatively quiet and retired gravel walk, where the power of conversation would make the present hour a blessing indeed, and prepare it for all the immortality which the happiest recollections of their own future lives could bestow.” from chapter 23

“There they returned again into the past, more exquisitely happy, perhaps, in their reunion than when it had been first projected; more tender, more tried, more fixed in a knowledge of each other’s character, truth, and attachment; more equal to act, more justified in acting.” from chapter 23

“At last Anne was at home again, and happier than any one in that house could have conceived.” from chapter 23

What about you? Are you a fan of Jane Austen? Do you have more favorite quotes from Persuasion? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

You’re invited to join a Jane Austen Read-Along!

I’m thrilled to share with you an announcement of a Jane Austen read-along July 6th-24th. My fabulous author/blogger friend Amber Stokes is hosting a special read-along of Persuasion over at her blog, “Seasons of Humility”. I’ve never read this book myself, so I’m very excited for this opportunity to read AND discuss it with fellow Austen-enthusiasts!

We would love for you to read with us and join the weekday discussions (whether this is your 1st or 947th time reading Persuasion)!!!! Along with Persuasion, we will also be reading and discussing another book — an upcoming release compilation of prayers written by Jane Austen — The Prayers of Jane Austen.

For a “formal invitation” and for further details on the schedule and books, please visit Amber’s original blog post here. 

I hope you decide to join us! #InspiredbyAusten