the heir to the Elliot baronetcy and estate. Anne is introduced to him, and they realise that they briefly saw each other in Lyme. Much to Lady Russell's pleasure, Mr. Elliot begins to court Anne, but she remains uncertain of his true character. Meanwhile, Louisa has recovered and become engaged to Captain Benwick. Wentworth arrives in Bath and encounters Anne on several occasions, though their conversations are brief. Anne learns from an old friend, Mrs. Smith, that Mr. Elliot is bankrupt and only interested in marrying Anne to help ensure his inheritance from her father. Anne is told that Mr. Elliot wishes to keep the baronet from possibly marrying Mrs. Clay to produce a male heir. Soon after, Wentworth overhears Anne talking with Captain Harville about the constancy of a woman's love, and writes her a letter declaring that he still cares for her. Anne quickly finds him and the two happily walk off down a street, arm in arm. That night at a party, Wentworth announces his intention to marry Anne, much to Mr. Elliot's consternation. The final scene shows Wentworth and Anne on a naval ship, happy to be together. Cast Amanda Root as Anne Elliot Ciarán Hinds as Captain Frederick Wentworth Susan Fleetwood as Lady Russell Corin Redgrave as Sir Walter Elliot Fiona Shaw as Mrs. Croft John Woodvine as Admiral Croft Phoebe Nicholls as Elizabeth Elliot Samuel West as Mr. Elliot Sophie Thompson as Mary Musgrove Judy Cornwell as Mrs. Musgrove Simon Russell Beale as Charles Musgrove Felicity Dean as Mrs. Clay Roger Hammond as Mr. Musgrove Emma Roberts as Louisa Musgrove Victoria Hamilton as Henrietta Musgrove Robert Glenister as Captain Harville Richard McCabe as Captain Benwick Helen Schlesinger as Mrs. Smith Jane Wood as Nurse Rooke David Collings as Mr. Shepherd Darlene Johnson as Lady Dalrymple Cinnamon Faye as Miss Carteret Isaac Maxwell-Hunt as Henry Hayter Roger Llewellyn as Sir Henry Willoughby Sally George as Mrs. Harville Rhys Alexander Brown as Baby of Anne and Frederick Production Conception and adaptation The filming of Persuasion coincided with a sudden resurgence of Jane Austen adaptations, as it was one of six such productions released during the mid-1990s. The media dubbed the phenomenon "Austenmania". While it was common for a successful adaptation to lead to the production of others, this surge in Austen's popularity involved many simultaneous projects—Persuasions production, for instance, coincided with the TV serial Pride and