Persuasion (2000, DVD)

At seventeen, about to embark on pre-University studies, I was persuaded to give up my very first boyfriend so that I wouldn't be distracted from my schoolwork. Deeply hurt and offended, he exited my life and I never heard from him again. It is something I have always regretted.

Now, this movie has a similar theme with (fortunately) a somewhat happier ending! Back in the early seventies, at University, I studied Jane Austen's classic novel about thwarted love later rekindled, and discovered how she takes the reader into a microcosms of social mores and values, while gently mocking and challenging them. Her ability to portray deep emotion and passion in an extremely understated way is something I have always admired.

The time is 1814, after the defeat of Napoleon and his abdication to Elba. The British Navy is returning home.

The Story
In England, an impoverished Baron - Sir Walter Elliott - and his family are gloomily contemplating how they are going to maintain their luxurious lifestyle while cutting costs. The quintessential upper-class British snob, Sir Walter agonizes over renting his manor to a returning Admiral, because the prospective tenant does not meet his aristocratic criteria: noble blood, good connections, etc.

He has three daughters, of whom Anne (played by Amanda Root) is the eldest. She is no beauty but has compelling black eyes and a sweet, accommodating, altruistic nature - a contrast to her sisters, coarse in nature and manners. Her commonsense and level-headedness mean that she often has to take charge - running the household, taking the lead in a crisis - as well as being sounding-board for other people's complaints and problems.

Anne was once in love with a certain Frederick Wentworth (Mrs Croft's brother, played by Ciaran Hinds), who asked for her hand. On the advice of a family friend, Lady Russell, who deems Wentworth unsuitable because he has 'nothing but himself to recommend him" - in terms of money, name or prospects - Anne refuses his offer of marriage. She has always regretted the decision, which has marked her emotionally and physically. However, since it's an English scenario, Lady Russell will not admit that she was wrong to persuade Anne against her heart's inclinations.

Frederick Wentworth, devastated by this rejection, joins the Navy and leaves England, returning some time later with not only a name but also plenty of capital and prospects - an eligible bachelor. The parties and dances commence along with the hunt for a suitable wife, and Anne, convinced that her former beau no longer loves her, watches helplessly as young women in their social circle are thrown together with him.

As the film progresses, we see a change in Anne as she becomes more assertive and determined not to make the same mistake again. Mrs Croft (the Admiral's wife) advises her: "When you make a decision, you must stick to it."

Without exposing too much of the plot, once Wentworth has re-entered Anne's life, it is a question of when and how the former lovers will be reunited. I am always amazed that given how coldly the British project themselves, there are a heck of a lot of intense looks flying across the dinner table or parlour!

Much of the film is conveyed in understatement, brooding and demure expressions and the characters are divided into two camps - goodies and snobbies, caricatures almost, of certain types of that era.

The theme of persuasion is paramount (people attempting to persuade Anne to act as they want) as well as that of snobbery and class distinction. Jane Austen is clearly poking fun at the upper class; Anne's father's is a case in point, toadying to the aristocracy in order to be accepted by the aristocracy, his fear of being snubbed and preoccupation with blood connections are really quite ludicrous and an ongoing source of humour.

As in the book, the film comments on women's perceived status, likes and dislikes: for example, it is not seemly for women to go sailing; it's surprising that a woman could accompany her sailing husband and actually enjoy the life on board ship! A woman who reads widely is something of a curiosity rather than the norm.

It is an era where women are emerging as thinking individuals, rather than as appendages or accessories for men's pleasure. The frivolity of the frequent dinner parties, social gatherings and dancing sets into relief Anne's self-imposed isolation and preference for more serious pursuits, unlike other young women of her age.

How It's Done
The cinematography is splendid, with stunning shots of the English countryside, wonderful recreation of the times: scenes of country life, cottages, shepherds with their flocks, horse-drawn carriages. and so on. Chiaroscuro shots of interiors are reminiscent of the Classical paintings - dark, gloomy, candle-lit houses, splendid costumes - transporting the viewer into the magic of the era.

Without exception, all of the actors are excellent, the whole film executed with the class and distinction so typical of many English films. Amanda Root is convincingly demure and diffident in her portrayal of Anne, while conveying the intensity of her feelings through huge black eyes; Ciaran Hinds gives a fine performance as the wounded, brooding Wentworth.

For all those who enjoy historical movies, this is one to watch, clever and subtle, yet alive and full of little gems of British wit, language and refinement. The way the UST (unresolved sexual tension) between the two main actors is presented is far more effective than any overt love scene could be, and far more exciting.