Another False Dawn

A bit after the event but anyway...

Persuasion by Jane Austen is a novel about two people who separate then meet again after eight years and find themselves still in love. On Sunday ITV showed a drama about two people who separate then meet again after eight years and find themselves still in love; it was called Persuasion. But it had many differences from the book and wasn't a patch on the 1995 version. I was right when I thought that one couldn't be bettered. However, this doesn't mean I didn't like it. I have watched it again, some scenes several times, and it's grown on me.

It started off well: I liked the feel of it. I liked the characters: Sally Hawkins as Anne was fine and so were the portrayals of Sir Walter, Lady Russell, the Crofts and Captain Wentworth. I didn't like Mary or Elizabeth and we really didn't see enough of the Musgroves from the Great House for them to make any sort of impact. 

The scene where Anne meets Captain Wentworth for the first time was good: he looks at her rather disdainfully on hearing that Anne had never said a word about their already being acquainted to her sister. She next meets him again at Kellynch. It should be the Great House at Uppercross but I didn't really mind this alteration, except that there was no scene where Wentworth sits at the piano and apologises for taking her place and there was no reference to Anne having given up dancing.

It was prabably when Anne fell off a log during a long walk where I began to feel dissatisfied during the first viewing. It isn't in the book, though I have seen it suggested that this may have replaced a scene where Captain Wentworth removes Anne's nephew from her back: here Captain Wentworth picks her up. I didn't like the camera angle though.

One of the most poignant moments in the book is where Captain Wentworth suggests to the Crofts that they take Anne home and he helps her into the gig. It was wonderfully and subtly portrayed in the 1995 version but here Wentworth drags Anne by the arm and hoists her onto the back. Somewhat undignified.

I think my mouth dropped open when we see that Anne has her 'constancy conversation' with Benwick, rather than Captain Harville, at Lyme and Captain Wentworth doesn't overhear it. Thus the most crucial moment in the whole book completely disfigured.  That's impossible to forgive!

There is a nice moment when they're at Lyme though. After Louisa's accident, Wentworth is holding his neckerchief against Louisa's head. Anne's hand is on his. She moves it to stroke Louisa's head then puts it back on his hand again. We see the scene from above so we can't see their faces but the turns of their heads indicate that they look at each other. Then Anne looks at her hand and moves it away. It was subtle. Why they couldn't have shown the same degree of subtlety with the Crofts' gig scene I don't know. Later, Captain Wentworth looks particularly fetching when he's in his shirtsleeves and his collar is undone.

One thing (and probably the only thing) that was better about this version than P95 was the inclusion of Wentworth asking Anne about his 'plan' to tell the Musgroves of Louisa's accident when they arrived back at Uppercross. 

The scene where Anne and Captain Wentworth meet in Bath for the first time is nice too. Their conversation is transposed from the concert scene. The delivery of the, 'He ought not, he does not [recover from such an attachment],' line is better here than P95: it's clear that Wentworth is trying to tell Anne it's the same for him. The concert scene was rather short. In P95 it's my favourite, even though it bears no resemblence to the book. This version seems to have copied it.

Mrs Smith is a very peripheral character in this version, and in my opinion, so is Mr Elliot. This version seems to suggest Anne might seriously consider marrying him: I don't think she does in the book.

At the end, Anne receives a note from Captain Wentworth saying he will visit at 11am (to ask about the Crofts' lease; also copied from P95 even if it is in the cancelled chapters). Sally Hawkins conveys Anne's panic very well at his imminent arrival especially when, at the appointed hour, Mary and Charles arrive just before him. 

Sadly everything descends into farce after this point. Anne runs around Bath trying to find Captain Wentworth, she receives his letter (rather flatly read) and then literally bumps into him, gasping for breath. Rupert Penry-Jones has said that what followed was his best screen kiss. It didn't do anything for me. Well, it was a tortuous wait for their lips to meet and when they finally did the scene was cut. Moment ruined. 

Despite all the bad points as an adaptation of Persuasion, it's quite a good romantic costume drama. Rupert Penry-Jones was very handsome as Captain Wentworth, more so than he is as Adam Carter in Spooks: it must be the regency dress!

ITV's Jane Austen season starts next Sunday with Mansfield Park. It's followed by Northanger Abbey then Persuasion. In preparation for Persuasion, I'm reading it again. I don't know why I haven't re-read it before: it's wonderful. I'm actually imagining Rupert Penry-Jones as Wentworth rather than Ciaran Hinds. It's making me realise just how good the 1995 adaptation is. Considering the time constraints it's very faithful to the book. Fantastic dialogue lifted straight from the text. This new version has a lot to live up to.

I also went to see 'Becoming Jane' yesterday: a film purportedly about Jane Austen's life. I'm no Austen scholar and not qualified to discuss how truthful it is but the romance didn't really touch me and I didn't feel much sexual tension between the leads. It was just OK. It looked nice. Anne Hathaway is far too attractive to play Jane. James McAvoy doesn't particularly appeal to me. I read an article that suggested that Jane Austen thought of Tom LeFroy until late in life. Perhaps that is why she wrote in Persuasion: "All the privilege I claim for my own sex ... is that of loving longest, when existence or when hope is gone."

Laurence Fox was in 'Becoming Jane'. He plays Hathaway in 'Lewis'. I am quite obsessed with this at the moment and in the absence of new episodes I have to console myself with watching lots of episodes of 'Inspector Morse'.  

I have really enjoyed the series of 'Lewis'. It ended on Sunday with a very good episode. It looks like four more will be filmed. Fab.

I've seen the trailer for the up and coming Jane Austen season on ITV1. I am so looking forward to Persuasion. It seems unthinkable that the BBC's 1995 version could be bettered but Rupert Penry-Jones looks wonderful as Captain Wentworth. I think Northanger Abbey could be good too but I can't see Billie Piper pulling off Mansfield Park's Fanny. By my reckoning, the season should start on Sunday 11th March, after Lewis has ended.

I've watched 'Dancing on Ice' from the start this series. It isn't as good as Strictly Come Dancing but it's amazing what the celebrities can do after so little training. Kyran Bracken, ex-England rugby player, is in it and I am supporting him. He is absolutely fantastic and has been from the start but it's not of the proportions of my Matt Dawson obsession, which has fizzled out although I still enjoy watching him on A Question of Sport. I don't quite know why, but I'm also rooting for ex-footballer Lee Sharp.

Actually, one of the draws of Dancing on Ice is Torvill and Dean. They're still fantastic skaters and I love their routines at the start of the show. They were probably my first obsession. I remember ripping articles out of magazines about them - this was long before the internet! One of my favourite routines is the Paso Doble OSP from 1984. It took me a while to like Bolero and it was travesty that they didn't win Olympic Gold for the second time in 1994.

A week after the event (I've been away). Mark won. Not much of a surprise but had Matt won, he would have deserved it after the way he danced.

A perfect waltz. Well - 9,9,10,10 = 38 from the judges.



A creditable samba. Hmmm. 7,7,9,8 = 31. Hmmpphh. It was at least as good as the first time he did it when he got 32. Mark's Salsa got 40. I don't think it was that good...



A fantastic quickstep. 9,9,9,9 = 36.



A lovely Viennese waltz.



A smooth show dance.




What spoiled the evening for me was the judges' over the top reaction to Mark's show dance. I know I'm biased, and many Mark fans disagree, but it was not so much better than Matt's that Len had to stand up and ovate him. Matt's lifts were effortless but Mark looked like he was heaving a sack of potatoes onto his shoulder at one point.

However, Matt was very gracious in defeat and I have a sneaky feeling that the title wouldn't have rested easily on his shoulders.

Oh well. Another obsession over with. I'm sure another one will come along soon!

I adore the BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion from 1995. Ciaran Hinds and Amanda Root were perfect as Wentworth and Anne. ITV have adapted it with Rupert Penry-Jones (of Spooks fame!) as Captain Wentworth. I have to say he looks rather nice in the Winter drama preview trailer. I'd say it looks like it could be a good adaptation but, after the disappointment of Jane Eyre, I shall reserve judgement until I've seen it and not get my hopes up.

Some of Matt's recent performances:

Viennese Waltz


Samba


Foxtrot


Argentine Tango



ITT last Thursday

He's in the final!!!!!!

Foxtrot: 9,8,9,9 = 35. I was too nervous to appreciate it.
Argentine Tango: 8,7,7,8 = 30. I liked the simmering understated passion but it wasn't good enough for the judges.

I watched in horror as the judges gave Emma's untidy salsa a high score then Mark's Argentine Tango wowed the judges (39/40). I felt tearful that Matt was bottom. So much for it not meaning much. But Mark was top with the judges overall and it dawned on me that that only meant good news for Matt. Public support for Emma over the past couple of weeks has been woeful, as evidenced by her finishing in the bottom two despite being top with the judges. I believed that out of the remaining three Emma was likely to be bottom with the public which meant 2nd place would be good enough to keep Matt in. Matt was in the bottom two but my confidence was high that he would be safe and I was proved right.

In all honesty I wouldn't be surprised if Mark won and I did say if Matt went out I'd want Mark to win but revelations about Mark's private life have changed my opinion of him. Hmmmm. Matt must have won the public vote a couple of weeks ago: he'll need to again to win outright. Whatever. I hope he does himself justice on the night.

Matt's hardly been on SCD: ITT this week. I wasn't the only one fuming that their's was the only Argentine Tango not shown and they were the only ones not 'live in the studio' at rehearsals. Len was drooling over Matt's foxtrot on Wednesday but Arlene was picky tonight. He could finish bottom with the judges again. It could be all over. Not the end of the world though: he's done well to get this far. But it's nice to have this little obsession!

A line from 'Gunning Down A Romance' by Savage Garden:

Feelings of aggression are the absence of the love drug in your veins

Yep. That could explain it.