A visit to the set of Persuasion 2007
The latest issue of Jane Austen’s Regency World includes an article about a visit to the set of PERSUASION 2007, which is available to read as a PDF. There are some fabulous cast photos (including a nearly unrecognizable–but fantastic–Anthony Head as Sir Walter Elliot, complete with flowered waistcoat) and great information about the new film. We’ll let you enjoy it for yourself, but we take note of a couple of passages:
…Snodin was determined from the outset to stay as true to Jane Austen’s plot as possible. One of his preconditions for producing Persuasion was that it be set in and around Bath (”I was totally fixed on that,” he says, “I wouldn’t have done it otherwise”)
Bless you, sir! Bless you!
About Sally Hawkins, who stars as Anne Elliot:
In fact, having been wondering about her suitability for the part myself–she looks nothing like my mental picture of Anne Elliot–I find that on set she seems to practically melt into the character.
That sounds promising indeed!
But we did have a whisky-tango-foxtrot moment:
“The ending of Persuasion is something of a farce of missed opportunities,” (Snodin) comments. “Anne and Wentworth are like ships passing in the night. We’ve taken that one step further and made it quite funny and desperate, with Anne’s hair becoming more and more disheveled the more anxious she gets.”
Hrmph.
Thanks to Alert Janeites Karenlee and Sylvia M for the heads-up on the article.
January 17th, 2007 at 11:16 am
I got the article in my e-mail box and read it thoroughly. I expect Anthony Head to be fabulous. RPJ isn’t quite as rugged as Ciaran Hinds, but you wouldn’t find me kicking him out of my boudoir.
Hearing that Anne de Bourgh from P&P3 will be playing Henrietta has me worried — she seems more than a tad too old for the role. But then, P&P3 is the only thing I’ve ever seen her in, and I don’t know what she’ll look like in P3.
Call me superficial, but I’m still worried about Sally Hawkins. I only hope that the author if this piece is right and that she’ll grow on me too.
January 17th, 2007 at 11:42 am
Hrmph, indeed. But if I recall correctly, the two adaptations I saw have taken their own liberties with the ending too. I just hope that “funny and desperate” turns out to be better than it sounds.
But this is very encouraging, to be sure. I catch myself smiling pleasantly while reading the article, for I should be more critical about all this until I see it for myself, yes?
And Sally Hawkins is a fantastic actor. She did a great job in her Fingersmith role, et al.
“We need to understand Anne’s attachment to it [Kellynch Hall], but it can’t be so beautiful that the wrench for Sir Walter and Elizabeth would be too great to comtemplate leaving,” tells me that they spent some effort to get below the surface and get into the characters’ (and Jane’s) heads.
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And of course, with the birth of the artist came the inevitable afterbirth—the critic.
January 17th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
Lovely!! I am ever so excited about Rupert P-J as Wentworth!
The mauve fabric on Anne’s bonnet looks very pretty, as does the paisley fabric of her jacket.
January 18th, 2007 at 4:37 am
I loved and was highly encouraged by the article from start to finish except for the exact same wtf moment as Mags. Anne is not – and never is – a desperate or disheveled type in the book (nor unwittingly ‘funny’). Even in moments of emotional extremity she tends to stay quiet and composed. She really is a very ‘controlled’ sort of person – almost too much so – even in moments of emotional extremity. On the other hand, because of that, I wouldn’t be adverse to touches that show that she really is just ‘human’ and quite vulnerable in her own way too, as long as the touches are not glaringly out of character.
January 18th, 2007 at 4:50 am
Karenlee–exactly. I don’t mind little changes to add some fun, but changing the characters TOO much is jarring.
I really like the costumes, too!
January 19th, 2007 at 8:11 am
Julie P.: Your assessment of Sally Hawkins is based solely on her looks and not upon having seen any of her performances. How can that be anything but superficial?
January 19th, 2007 at 10:31 am
Because, in the book, we are told that Anne is a pretty girl but that she has “lost her bloom.” I would think that means we should have a pretty girl playing her. How am I being superficial if I want the film to be true to the book? I’m not saying I want a sexpot playing the role, but a delicately pretty girl is appropriate. Ms. Hawkins does not, IMO, fit the bill.
And, I don’t answer “Anonymous” as a rule. I am making this exception because my integrity is being called into question. But going forward, if you wish to accuse me of anything, don’t do it under cover of “Anonymous.”
January 20th, 2007 at 7:35 am
Julie, I myself was taken extremely aback by the first pictures of Sally Hawkins for the exact same reason you were. So much so that I took the time and trouble to get my hands on a British miniseries she starred in so I could see her ‘in action’. I must say that I am now reassured to a very large extent. At first glance, she is certainly not what you would ‘traditionally’ call very pretty’ but her face has a wonderful play of expression which is not only warm and charming, but intelligent. This, I think, is a crucial element of Anne’s attractions, and the overall effect is of a girl who could be very appealing to a man of sense and taste - one to whom mere superficial ‘beauty’ would not be enough motivation for him to fall in love. And she is definitely a formidable actress. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and give her a chance.
January 20th, 2007 at 9:53 am
Thanks Karenlee. I’ve known you long enough to trust your opinion. Most of your opinions, anyway. No matter how I try, I’ll never understand what you see in Sam West.
January 22nd, 2007 at 6:12 am
Sam West?? Eh, maybe you’re thinking of someone else? I’m not even sure who Sam West is!
January 22nd, 2007 at 10:57 am
Sam West is William Walter Elliot in Persuasion 1995.
January 22nd, 2007 at 11:24 am
Julie, you’re thinking of Karen Lee–capital L. Different person. Also I think she moved on from Sam after she got to stick her thumb in his espresso (not a smutty innuendo).
January 22nd, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Ooops. My bad.
That sounds like an interesting story though!
February 3rd, 2007 at 2:51 pm
Hear hear on your Hrmph… I don’t think my Anne (i.e. the one in my head whenever I’m reading P would ever have got any more disheveled than in the 1995 feature version, which I found fairly realistic on that score… Guess we’ll have to see…