 Near the end of filming , Rebecca Eaton noticed the growing " buzz " surrounding Austen and costume dramas in Hollywood . WGBH had never made a theatrical film before , but " decided to try its luck on the big screen " . Sony Pictures Classics saw a cut of the adaptation and requested permission to show it in American cinemas , releasing it on 27 September 1995 . There , it was characterised as an " art @-@ house " film , with a small niche audience . It was shown at the Toronto and Chicago International Film Festivals . Persuasion earned $ 56 @,@ 000 in its first week of release in New York , and grossed $ 150 @,@ 000 in Los Angeles . The total US gross was $ 5 @,@ 269 @,@ 757 . It was less financially successful than the popular Sense and Sensibility , which was released in cinemas several months later . The film was released in VHS format on 12 November 1996 ; a DVD version followed on 1 February 2000 . 
