MovieChat Forums > Northanger Abbey (2008) Discussion > Oh BATH, where art thou?

Oh BATH, where art thou?

posted 18 years ago by mikyway
7 replies | jump to latest

I have just watched this new version of NA on DVD and I was very disappointed not to see the novel's most important "character": the city of Bath! Despite the most "unusual" soundtrack and crazy acting, the 1986 BBC version at least was filmed in Bath and you could admire the beauty of this city in all its splendour...the honey-coloured Georgian crescents, the Roman baths, the Royal Crescent.. some scenes were even filmed in the original drawing room of N.1 Royal Crescent! That was really brilliant. You don't see anything of Jane Austen's Bath in this version and that's such a pity.

[–] randommovies2002 18 years ago

The usual reason: money.

http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/BathNES/media/press+releases/2006/lifeandleisure/filmofficepersuasion.htm

Now, if Bath had been able to come up with a tax-break package to rival that of Dublin...

[–] Julie-30 18 years ago

Also, Persuasion was being filmed in Bath, and they would have had problems trying to do two films at the same time in the same locations.

[–] mikyway 18 years ago

I'm looking forward to watching Persuasion, then!!!!.. Don't know why bothering filming another Persuasion, though - the BBC version starring Ciaran Hinds was PERFECT already!!!!!

[–] Fifitrix 18 years ago

Sadly, I think you will be disappointed with this version of Persuasion then. It's good to watch in places, IS in Bath, has lovely dramatic moody music but is VERY annoying in places!

[–] mikyway 18 years ago

Just watched this new PERSUASION version and I must say I was quite disappointed ..I much preferred the old BBC version!! So you were totally right.. but at least there IS a bit of my beloved BATH... even if Anne's house in Bath is NOT n.1 Royal Crescent ( but Camden Place)and you can clearly see Anne running out of her house and that's N.1 Royal Crescent.

[–] randommovies2002 18 years ago

I wouldn't call it PERFECT. There were unfortunate deviations from the book, among other problems.

No mention of "poor Dick Musgrove." Why did they change Phoebe Harville's name? (and Charles Hayter's name) Totally messed up Mrs. Smith's backstory. Poor casting of Elizabeth Elliot, and while I enjoy Hinds and Root, they are a bit old for their roles.

[–] irlandesa 18 years ago

Why did they change Phoebe Harville's name?

Because no actor nowadays could keep a straight face nowadays when saying how excellent Fanny was. And even if they could, their watchers couldn't.

and Charles Hayter's name?

Because there were already at least half a dozen Charleses in the fillum/book. It was getting confusing.

Yeah Hinds and Root were a wee bit old for their roles, but I think that was probably necessary. Nowadays no 29 yr old would be considered on the shelf. And they didn't have nivea those days. Wentworth was about 33 or 34? Well, maybe the sea air would have weathered him a bit.

messed up Mrs Smith's story - true. And had her living in a bedsit with a harridan for a nurse. And Harville's house in Lyme was waaaay too small.

Still, good fillum though.