This
production starts moderately well, but it is apparent within the first
fifteen minutes that the scriptwriter has not understood the plot line
well. He has also fallen into the all too common trap when dramatising
novels, of destroying the dramatic tension while attempting to improve
upon the original.While in themselves, interesting, the conversations between Wentworth and Harville at Lyme, leave the viewer in no doubt of Wentworth's intention for travelling to Bath, thus the dramatic tension is broken. This is replaced instead by the rather hashed ending of Anne Elliott running around Bath in search of Wentworth. Such an activity would no doubt have had Anne laughed out of all good society.
It appears that the scriptwriter cut up a copy of the novel, threw the dialogue in the air and then tried to fit it into the plot's scenes in the order they fell. The conversation between Anne and Captain Harville in Bath (which Wentworth overhears) is moved to the conversation between Anne and Captain Benwick in Lymne. This of course removes the metier of the Bath scenes, making Wentworth's final letter completely implausible within the plot structure and hence Anne's Bath-Marathon.
The character of Mary Musgrove is incorrectly played and truely irritating, Anne isn't much better and what could be said of Wentworth's portrayal is probably best not written.
The only saving grace in this production is that Louisa fell down the correct steps on the Cob at Lyme, but that is certainly not enough to recommend it.