MovieChat Forums > Persuasion (2008) Discussion > why they cast Anne as a ugly plain wo...

why they cast Anne as a ugly plain woman???????????

posted 14 years ago by linaf
37 replies | jump to latest

I just dont get it, the book description says that Anne was a very pretty girl, she may have lost part of her joy and glow, but she still was beautiful.

In this adaptation they made Sally look like an old maid in her late 30's. I simply coulndt buy the gorgeous and rich captain to be soo in love with such lifeless creature.

Sally's wardrobe was just awful, even Mary was made to look better and younger. The horrible oil hair stuck at the top of her head, the dark ugly clothes ugh.

I dont get it at all. I can picture Anne as Carey Mulligan, Rachel Mcadams, Anne Hathaway, I mean cute girls that are no fantastic beauty, but Sally even looked older than Frederick.

PS - I forgot to add that I do find Sally the cutest, but not in this film, in this they made her look old and hideous, watch Happy Go Lucky and you will see hoe charming and lovely she can be.

[–] emeraldstar85 13 years ago

"Sally's wardrobe was just awful, even Mary was made to look better and younger."

Mary is younger.

[–] maharani78 13 years ago

When I first saw this I could not get over her hair and thought they made her too plain looking, but I've just watched it again and I changed my mind.
She has nice features and lovely clear eyes and skin and I noticed none of the other actresses were any better looking, so it worked for me this time. I liked this adaption but it wasn't perfect.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ellie246 12 years ago

Hehe, me too cattness.

And that bloody staring at the camera, sooooo annoying.

[–] Ilario1 13 years ago

Now that I've read the book, I find myself imagining who would be the perfect Anne. And no not Hathaway or McAdams. Anne was pretty but lost her bloom and the poor thing suffered in silence while trying to make others around her happy.

Still wondering who would be a good Anne. Maybe Haley Atwell, Abby Cornish, Sophia Myles and even Carey Mulligan come to mind.

"What happens to a dream deferred?"

[–] MrHogs2001 12 years ago

Sally Hawkins IS Anne Elliott! At least, in this film anyway. Anne wasn't a 'beauty' in the novel. Some considered her quite plain, if I recall correctly, and only her godmother called her pretty.

Secondly, Sally Hawkins is a very talented and attractive actress: made more so by the vulnerability she portrays, and her incredible, uncliched acting overall.

And I don't think that we, you, should judge her on how attractive she is as it is inevitably a subjective viewpoint; not to forget the difficulty many actresses face with being recognised for their ability and not for their looks, is another reason to tread carefully on this issue.

[–] Julie-30 12 years ago

Not true.

We are told that Anne was a very pretty girl until she had lost her "bloom." But by the end of the story, she's gotten it back.

And, since we are told that Anne was a pretty girl, it's not superficial at all to want the actress playing her to be pretty.

Amanda Root in P95 really shows the progression between tired/emotionally drained and glowing.

http://currentscene.wordpress.com

[–] heartfelt4-1 12 years ago

Personally, I found Sally to be a good fit for the role - a bit washed out at first glance, passed her bloom, but quite pretty up close in those shots where she looked at us through the camera's eye. Wentworth was in love enough with the entire woman - who still had a pleasing figure, a steadfast gaze and comeliness enhanced by her inner character and beauty - to look past the signs of age and care and see the girl to whom he had given his heart years ago. Wentworth was not fixated on appearance. Her clothes reflected the tone of that period of her life: spinsterhood, but he only saw her. To him she was still lovely.

[–] klorentz 12 years ago

By the end, she's supposed to look lovely to everyone except her immediate family who see what they want to see. Even William Elliot is smitten.

[–] runforfree 9 years ago

Actually that's not true, you should read the book again. There was a part that says something to the effect of her being even prettier than her sister (who was considered quite pretty) when you really look at her.

[–] mark-1589 11 years ago

WOW & OMG - to each his own and beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I for one certainly do not consider Ms. Hawkins to be "ugly". She certainly is not Helen of Troy, but she is unusual and interesting looking. Also, I've seen Anne Hathaway attempt to "do British" (the GHASTLY bomb, "One Day") and I don't recommend a repeat performance.

As for your your shock that a "gorgeous and rich captain" would favor her, I think you must have misunderstood the story and Austen's works in general. A suitable marriage partner is one who has the proper virtues, not one who is a great beauty or has the fanciest dresses. You'll notice many great beaties in Austin that turn out to be horrible matches, and you could not have missed the point that Anne Elliot's father and sister have spent them into destitution (although the "slumming it" digs in Bath would have more than suited my needs) in the effort to maintain a posh lifestyle. Elizabeth is always very fashionably dressed. Undoubtedly Anne has to make up for it by only buying the plainest of attire. Of course, Austen cheated on her on system of values and world-view. In the end, the heroine and the suitable partner ALWAYS turn out to be beautiful.

[–] rizdek 11 years ago

I thought Hawkins was at least as attractive as Root, and more attractive/interesting than Firbank. Mind you I'm not criticizing either of these two as Anne, I like Amanda just fine. But as far as basic good looks, I think they were all about the same.

And, being a guy, I could EASILY see a Capt Wentworth finding her attractive not only in appearance but in character. So, I agree that the story was intended to be that the rich captain renewed his love for Anne because of the perfection in her character. It is a good point that he clothing may have been shabby because her father and sister were spendthrifts.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] tncnyc 11 years ago

I thought Hawkins was attractive in this movie, once I looked past the hairstyle! It was painful to look at her hair..I didn't mind the clothes, THE kiss, etc.

OT, the actress who played her sister, Elizabeth looked as old as the godmother.