What more is there to say about Netflix’s Persuasion that hasn’t already been said? It has become public knowledge that the film lacked in specific areas and did too much in others. For many watchers, this is their first introduction to the novel (or even Austen herself). In hopes that Persuasion doesn’t scare anyone away from streaming any other Austen movies, we’ve gathered five of our favorite adaptations and retellings for you to watch!
Note: Many excellent Austen miniseries and show adaptations are worth watching too! We are only discussing feature-length film adaptations in this article.
Emma. (2020)
This adaptation was one of the best things to come out of such a terrible year. If you’ve read Austen’s works, you know her books are naturally humorous. Persuasion seemed to add modern references that were meant to be lighthearted and witty but instead came off more cringeworthy. This film is an honest retelling of the story and keeps the source material’s integrity, cleverness, and humor.
Clueless (1995)
Now, this is how you do a modern and diverse retelling! While keeping most of the plot and even a few character names, Clueless takes Emma and transforms it into its own entity. It upholds the same humor while making the story relatable to modern audiences. Persuasion could’ve gone this route, considering how relatable of a story it is!
Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Two things Persuasion needed: some sense and sensibility. Months after Clueless came this highly praised Austen adaptation. They carried the story wonderfully with a star-studded cast featuring Kate Winslet, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, and many more. The movie adds on scenes that were not featured in the book, but they were so in character and well written that you’d think Austen herself wrote it!
Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
Maybe Persuasion needed Hugh Grant or Colin Firth. They seem to be a common denominator in these adaptations. This film was a modern take on Pride and Prejudice where our protagonist, Bridget Jones, faced similar pressures to Elizabeth. Like Clueless, Bridget Jones was able to take the core plot of the novel and turn it into a modern and relatable story for audiences.
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
This is probably the most popular Austen adaptation. Like Sense and Sensibility, it added new scenes to the story, including lines still quotable today. To be fair, I have seen many people quoting the new Persuasion (specifically, the “A 5 in London is a 10 in Bath!” line)…But can anything top Matthew Macfadyen’s hand flexing scene? NO.
Bonus: Becoming Jane (2007)
Here’s a bonus Austen movie that deserves to be streamed! Although it is not an adaptation, Anne Hathaway portrays Jane Austen in a movie about her life. Obviously, some elements are dramatized for the film, but it does an excellent job drawing audiences into her life and work.
Jane Austen once wrote, “Laugh as much as you choose, but you will not laugh me out of my opinion.” We hope you’ve found a few movies to rewatch or add to your streaming queue! Want to listen to Jane Austen audiobooks instead? Click here!
