Persuasion, 1995

“Persuasion” is Jane Austen’s last completed work and Ciaran Hinds played her intense hero flawlessly, displaying all the character’s essence and conveying the suppressed passion powerfully. His declaration at the end was heart-squeezing. It is no surprise to learn that he was cast as Mr Rochester in “Jane Eyre” two years later. Despite being one of the most acclaimed adaptations, it was actually made on a restricted budget by Screen Two, a BBC film series conceived in the mid-eighties.