‘Persuasion’ (1995)
The 1995 film version of Persuasion is a beautifully subtle adaptation of Jane Austen’s most mature and deep work. The film stars Amanda Root as Anne Elliot, a demure woman who was coerced into giving up her one chance of love in her late teens. Now the suitor in question, Captain Frederick Wentworth (Ciaran Hinds), has re-entered her life as a wealthy, esteemed, and most eligible bachelor. This film version uses close ups on Anne’s face to let Root’s performance convey her tormented emotions. That she must remain silent about her passions in a society that views marriage as a transaction becomes all the more heart-wrenching to watch. Root and Hinds have volcanic chemistry and the supporting cast is rounded out by British acting faves like Samuel West, Simon Russell Beale, and Fiona Shaw.