PERSUASION 2007 filming tidbit
Alert Janeite Chantel let us know that a poster at the IMDB forum for PERSUASION 2007 was an extra in the film and posted a bit about the film.
Rupert Penry-Jones seems very dashing as Capt. Wentworth and all the cast are much younger than before. My main surprise however was that no one wore Naval uniforms, or any miliatry uniforms for that matter (I was playing a Colonel!) We shall see what happens next week when we do the scenes at the Assembly rooms!
Anne Elliot is played by Sally Hawkins, who was recently seen in “Finger Smith’ on BBC TV. I expected her to be older but I think she’ll be very good.
October 12th, 2006 at 5:16 pm
But Sally Hawkins is 30 years of age, actually a bit older than Anne, so our informant was probably referring to how she looks. Amanda Root, on the other hand, was 32 when they shot the 1995 adaptation.I’ve seen her (Hawkins’) admirable performances in Tipping the Velvet, Vera Drake and Fingersmith, but didn’t see the subdued strength of character projected by Amanda Root as Anne Elliot. By the way, did anyone else notice that the IMDb page on the 2007 adaptation has “Elliot” spelled as “Elliott”? I hope this is the only serious inaccuracy in the film.Now I am more eager than ever to see this one. For now I’m still of the opinion that the 1995 version is the truest adaptation of any Jane Austen work, although some may give that distinction to Northanger Abbey (1986).
October 15th, 2006 at 11:52 pm
As to uniforms, there is a comment Austen included in Mansfield Park, when Fanny’s navy midshipman brother complains that in those days, it was not permitted to wear the naval uniforms except when about to go aboard ship; thus Fanny is unable to see him wear his Navy uniform while he is visiting at Mansfield Park. Thus the 1995 Persuasion was historically inaccurate in having Wentworth and the Admiral wear Navy uniforms constantly; the 1971 BBC Persuasion was more accurate in that these characters never wore Navy uniforms. Perhaps the 2007 Persuasion is not using Navy uniforms because it wants to be more historically accurate.
October 16th, 2006 at 11:19 pm
Ed–normally I’d be all about the historical accuracy, but like Louisa Musgrove, I have fine naval fervour and thus a weakness for naval uniforms. Naturally I *approve* of historical accuracy, but in this case I am definitely torn.
October 17th, 2006 at 12:15 pm
Dear Mags — I agree with you, I prefer the uniforms, too.
October 19th, 2006 at 2:27 pm
I was working on this production and noticed navel uniforms being prepared by the costume dept, so I guess there wil be some glimpses of them being worn at some point.