Emma (2009)

Being an avid Jane Austen fan, I have watched every single adaptation of Emma (as well as Austen's other works). The older 1972 BBC adaptation, Emma (BBC, 1972) was quite tepid and the lead actress was not very inspiring in her role, lacking the upbeat, and sunny disposition that one associates with Austen's character. Then there was the A&E version starring Kate Beckinsale in the title role, in Emma (A&E, 1997) which though much better than the 1972 version (which also suffered from inferior production qualities), was still not the best adaptation. Finally, there was the movie version of "Emma" starring Gwyneth Paltrow, and until this current adaptation, this was actually my personal favorite (even though I personally found Paltrow's accent rather stilted)- it was a gorgeous movie with beautiful cinematography and the chemistry between Emma (Paltrow) and Mr. Knightley (Jeremy Northam) was simply wonderful and altogether credible.

When I came to know about this latest BBC adaptation of Emma, I was predictably excited and could not wait to watch it - thanks to a friend residing in England, I was able to watch this entire series and have pre-ordered the DVD on Amazon. This is truly a stellar production in terms of casting, and production qualities. The title role of Emma is credibly portrayed by Romola Garai, who has also been in other notable productions such as I Capture the Castle,and Daniel Deronda. She is perfectly cast - luminously beautiful, snooty, a busybody matchmaker wannabe who feels self-justified in her quest to pair off couples regardless of their own wishes, and yet possessing of a warm and sunny disposition. Romola Garai convincingly portrays all of Emma's characteristics - both her lovable and annoying qualities, her immaturity and impetuousness, and also shows her ability to transform from a self-centered immature young girl into a mature woman who realizes her flaws.

The other lead is of course Mr. Knightley, and he is also convincingly portrayed by Johnny Lee Miller, who had portrayed Edmund Bertram in the 1999 movie adaptation of "Mansfield Park"Mansfield Park (1999) which was rather reviled by critics and purists alike for its liberal adaptation of Austen's classic. Miller was also excellent as Lord Byron in Byron.I was quite concerned initially because I had always thought Jeremy Northam's portrayal of Knightley to be the best thus far, but Miller comes close, and in fact brings a new interpretation to the character that I really appreciated. There is this one scene in the series where Emma invites Knightley to dance, and as they dance...viewers get the sense that these are two individuals who are gradually realizing their real chemistry, not just as childhood friends and relatives-in-law, but as true soulmates. It is definitely one of the most romantic parts of the series and a highlight!

The other characters are also generally well-cast - Mr. Woodhouse is played to delightful effect by Michael Gambon (aka Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movie franchise); Harriet Smith is portrayed by Louise Dylan (though I still prefer Toni Collette's portrayal of Harriet in the movie version); the talented Jodhi May plays Emma's governess turned Mrs Weston (Jodhi May is a veteran of BBC productions and Henry James' The Turn of the Screw, The Other Boleyn Girl (2003 BBC Version), as well as others, including the coincidence that she was also in Daniel Deronda cast as the Jewess Mirah Lapidoth who attracts the attentions of Daniel Deronda, showcase her diverse acting talent); Frank Churchill is portrayed by Rupert Evans and I must say this particular adaptation portrays Frank Churchill in a thoroughly unflattering light - the man is simply infuriating, and gives Mr. Elton a run for his money! Mr. Elton is played by Blake Ritson who recently portrayed Edmund Bertram in Masterpiece Theatre: Mansfield Park.

The cinematography is excellent, capturing the beauty of the lush English countryside through the seasons, and the score is memorable (I still cannot get the music from the Emma-Knightley dance out of my mind!). The costumes are gorgeous - simple in their beauty, yet detailed and period-accurate, and the other production qualities are impeccable (the English manor houses picked for the various residences such as Hartfield etc are well-chosen).

Austen purists might take issue with some of the liberties taken here - the way the characters are portrayed, missing dialogue, the sequencing of certain story arcs, etc - but I still loved this adaptation - it is sunny, and bright, and all that I love in an Austen adaptation, and it is certainly my favorite adaptation of "Emma" thus far!

DVD features
Contains the scenes deleted from the PBS airing, and in addition:

Emma's Locations - this nine-minute featurette focuses on the locations used during Emma's filming, and why these places were chosen. I just loved the places they used (as is the case with most BBC period dramas) and found this illuminating.

Emma's costumes - this twelve-minute featurette explores the details behind costuming decisions for this period drama, including the choice of fabrics, color, etc. It's really a wonderful opportunity to see what goes on in the costume department, and these folks certainly take their jobs seriously, to wondrous effect!

Emma's music - this ten-minute featurette explores the music behind Emma with a brief description of how one goes about creating a score that matches the mood of the drama (I'd say they did a great job, especially on that Emma-Knightley dance!), and how important this is as the score should complement and not detract from the show itself.

Emma's Mr. Woodhouse - fans of Michael Gambon (aka Dumbledore) will rejoice in this thirteen-minute featurette. This veteran actor is truly a great talent, and this interview covers his career from his early beginnings in the craft until today. It's more of a special focus on Gambon, not so much on his role in Emma, but it is a nice touch nevertheless.

I did wish they had a director's commentary (I guess we'll have to wait for a special edition release for that, and spend more money!), and other cast interviews, sigh...but I'm happy to have the drama itself on DVD so that I can enjoy repeat viewings, and have an Emma adaptations marathon (the 1972 BBC adaptation, Kate Beckinsale's A&E adaptation, and of course, Paltrow and Jeremy Northam's pairing in the movie version). Enjoy!

I really, really enjoyed this version of Emma, although there were a few aspects of it that I didn't really agree with. First, the good! JLMiller's Knightley is my favorite by far! He's not too wishy-washy, not too stern - he finds a perfect balance between boyish charm and firm, quiet manly goodness :). I thought Romola Garai was quite good as Emma as well, although at times I was a bit put off by her slightly modern mannerisms. Almost everyone else was really well cast - I especially appreciated that Ms. Bates wasn't portrayed as a complete fool (in the other films she seemed more like a caricature than a character to me).
Now the bad: Emma's modern mannerisms. Things like plopping down on sofas, and generally being a bit lacking in the grace department. If she thought so highly of herself, it seems to me she would have been a bit more self-aware.
Also, Mr. Woodhouse. He was just depressing. In the book he's portrayed as a lovable, slightly silly, worried old man, and I really thought Michael Gambon would do a really good job playing him, but I felt that his performance fell rather flat. I just felt uneasy and depressed watching him.
The last aspect I have an issue with is the script. It's a great script, but I would really like to have seen more of Jane Austen's witty dialogue in there. The script seems to rely a little too heavily on new ideas of humor, or to leave it out altogether. I just don't understand why more of Austen's subtle humor couldn't be included.
That said, overall I thought it was a really good adaptation, with a (mostly) spot-on cast, great acting, decent script, beautiful sets and costumes, and a lovely score. Oh, and I haven't mentioned the best part - people play the piano and sing, and it actually sounds like they're singing! There's no sudden prima-donna-on-a-sound-stage moment. That is a thing of beauty rarely experienced in most period movies. Five stars for that, minus one for slight character and script flaws.

I've seen the various adaptations of Jane Austen's "Emma," but no movie (or actress) really seemed to capture the lighthearted brightness, romance and sweetness of that book. Fortunately, such is not the case with the BBC's latest adaptation -- it's a sunlit, enchanting little story that dances along at a leisurely pace, and has a brilliant cast headed by the astonishingly good Romola Garai.

After matchmaking her sister and her governess Miss Taylor (Jodhi May), Emma Woodhouse (Garai) fancies herself an expert on human nature, and on "nudging" couples into matrimony. The acerbic Mr. Knightley (Jonny Lee Miller) isn't impressed.

And after Miss Taylor becomes Mrs. Weston, Emma ends up becoming best buddies with Harriet, (Louise Dylan) a sweet (if not very bright) young woman who is the illegimate daughter of "somebody." Emma becomes determined to pair Harriet with someone deserving of her, and focuses her efforts on matching Harriet to the rather smarmy but charming Mr. Elton. When Emma's latest matchmaking attempt falls apart, she vows not to mess with people's lives again -- but she can't help but be interested by Harriet's potential suitors.

At around the same time, two people that Emma has heard of her entire life have arrived -- the charming Frank Churchill (Rupert Evans), and the reserved and "perfect" Miss Jane Fairfax (Laura Pyper). Emma begins a flirtatious friendship with Frank, but for some reason is unable to get close to Miss Fairfax -- and ends up alienating her further on a disastrous day out. And as she navigates the secrets and rumors of other people's romantic lives, she begins to realize who she has been in love with all along.

Out of all Jane Austen's books, "Emma" is the frothiest and lightest, and this adaptation reflects that well -- it's bright and sunny most of the time, full of "fairyland" balls, lush green fields and forests, and the a quaint little village. There's some moments of seriousness (such as the somber, rainy examination of the similarities between Jane, Emma and Frank), but nothing that keeps Emma Woodhouse's sunny charmed life from proceeding as usual.

Fortunately, the story also explores Emma's maturation over the course of a year or two, and the writers also expand on the feelings and lives of Frank, Jane and Mr. Woodhouse. Ir's laced with plenty of clever dialogue ("That man is so full of himself, I'm surprised he can stay on his horse!"), gently barbed humor and beautifully orchestrated moments of subtle romance, such as Emma and Knightley's dance together or Emma's simple declaration of "I began to examine my own heart, and there YOU were."

And Romola Garai makes the perfect Emma: young, bright, well-meaning and assured of her own knowledge of the human heart, but also naive and a little snobbish. She flits around like a clumsy butterfly, and Garai makes her lovable and endearing even when she screws up. Jonny Lee Miller is similarly brilliant as the restrained, stern Mr. Knightley with his sharp wit and unconventional habits (such as when he tells Emma why he rode a horse to a dinner party).

The supporting cast is also brilliant: Michael Gambon is of particular delight as Emma's dismal hypochondriac dad, who still tried his best for his daughters, and Jodhi May is amazing as Emma's ex-governess. Dylan was adorable as the naive Harriet, and Evans and Pyper are excellent as Frank and Jane. Tamsin Greig, Blake Ritson and Robert Bathurst all do good jobs as well -- and Christina Cole is wonderfully horrible as the snobby, domineering Mrs. Elton.

The newest adaptation of "Emma" is enchanting from beginning to end -- beautiful direction, solid writing, and an amazing cast. Definitely a must-see for Austen aficionados.

My absolute favorite version of Jane Austen's Classic Book. Within the first 30 minutes I'd fallen in love with the characters and the amount of detail from the book. Though events are somewhat out of order, or rather you learn the information about the characters a little out of order, this version is close to perfection. Add in the charming Edmund from Mansfield park, Jonny Lee Miller as Mr. Knightley, and who can help wanting to watch this mini series over and over. Well done!

I have always considered myself an Austen purist, therefore I am not a little surprised at my reaction to this 2009 production of "Emma". In spite of the modernization of the language (phrases like "set the record straight" among others), and Romola's flouncing and padding and plopping about (entirely, charmingly in character, I feel; Emma, as played by Romola Garai (I Capture the Castle), is an enthusiastic young lady who has grown up without much reining in), I was enchanted by it.

What some see as out-of-character lowness in this portrayal of Emma, I see the behavior of a very spoiled, unworldly, untraveled country girl-- yes, Emma is every bit a country girl-- who has had her way in everything, is very used to praise (her class as much as anything, opens her to this, since her "inferiors" want to please and flatter her constantly), has never wanted for anything, and is, by nature, not given to introspection. Her heart is good, and she eventually learns to empathize with those around her even though she wreaks havoc in the meantime. It is interesting that the only two characters given to impulsive/compulsive smiling are Emma and Miss Bates, suggesting that, perhaps, in better days, Miss Bates' character was similar to Emma's ?

In the book, Emma's father, Mr. Woodhouse, a country squire and fearful but lovable hypochondriac(played by the equally lovable Michael Gambon), is somewhat unconventional and blurs the lines of social distinction on occasion (for example: after the marriage of Miss Taylor Mr. Woodhouse is concerned whether his coachman, James, would be agreeable hitching the horses up to the carriage for such a short trip as the half mile to Randalls. This familiarity with servants would be frowned upon by some other Austen characters like Sir Walter Elliot of "Persuasion" or Lady Russell of the same novel.), so this leaves in Emma's upbringing something to be desired according to the standards of the day. Thus, it is not that unusual for her to present a somewhat less than perfect model of behavior. Certainly, the vulgar Mrs. Elton (played by Christina Cole) is as critical of Emma as Emma is of her. Perhaps they see themselves as mirrors of one another as well as social rivals.

Knightley is played by Jonny Lee Miller, himself a native of Surrey and the same age as the book's character (Knightley is 37; Emma is 16 years his junior; Miller and Garai are 10 years apart). His approach to the character is understated, realistic, layered, and natural. He portrays this Austen hero as a mature, comfortable very un-Darcy-like man. Hinting at a humanist approach, Knightley appears to judge others on their merits rather than their positions (he is friendly with Mr. Cole, although he is "in trade"), and his observations are handled with a dry wit that would be appreciated in the period. Ever realistic, he casts a blind eye on the merits of poor, Harriet Smith (played by Louise Dylan), later to admit his error. The chemistry between Garai and Miller is natural, fluid, and friendly. I find Romola Garai luminous,radiant and buoyant, this radiance playing off Miller's calm concern. This is not the hidden, grand passion of "Pride and Prejudice" where all codes are broken to attain the beloved. It is a marriage of equals and of friends.

The production itself is radiant with sun dappled fields, snowy landscapes, persimmon colored gowns, gorgeous candlelit interiors, and the obligatory, revelatory Austen ball. How these filmmakers put together these beautiful ballroom scenes and make each one unique is beyond me. The costumes are meticulously accurate in fabric, color, and detail, and appropriate to each character's station in life.

In all, the adherence to the emotional story of these people, the dynamics of the relationships, whether between family members, friends, or acquaintances, really fleshes out the characters in a way that another treatment might not. Still, my generosity does not extend to a full five stars. That level of perfection I must reserve for two other productions. One is the 1995 theatrical release of "Persuasion" with Amanda Root as Anne Elliot and Ciaran Hinds as Captain Frederick Wentworth (Persuasion), directed by Roger Michell. The other is the 1980 production of "Pride and Prejudice" (Pride and Prejudice (BBC, 1980)), directed by Cyril Coke. To me, Elizabeth Garvie will always be Elizabeth Bennet and David Rintoul will always be Darcy.

As for this lovely presentation: the little modernizations of language and behavior (Emma goes unescorted, in the carriage, to the ball; she steps down and stands alone outside the Inn where the ball takes place; not a soul in sight to greet her, help her down, or protect her if she is accosted) do take down the level of Austenian purity but it is made up for with emotional content and sheer beauty (even the musical score is lovely and supportive).

My earlier standard for "Emma" has always the Beckinsale version (Emma (A&E, 1997)), which for many reasons still remains a favorite, but this newer version will share that position and may-be even overtake it. The beautiful, vibrant love story is wonderfully told without slipping into a gushing, heavy handed romanticism which would be so inappropriate for the period and flavor of Jane Austen's work.

As a long time Janeite, I've seen all the adaptations, and one thing that is critical for them is to recapture the manners and spirit of the period, and the flavor of the novel. To me, the best adaptation of Emma to screen is the BBC version with Beckinsdale and Mark Strong, who were perfect as Emma and Knightly. Emma in this latest version appears more like a skivvy or a shopgirl in her expressions and manners - Romola Garai is gauche and gushing - with her abrupt bobbing curtseys and bouncing in and out of chairs and rooms she seems more like a chambermaid in a middle class house than the daughter of a gentleman. How can she be appalled at the middle class Mrs Elton when her own manners and demeanor have none of the polish or poise of a gentlewoman?

One of the characteristics of Emma was that she was very full of her family's position as one of the first in Highbury, which necessarily leads to her imagining Harriet as a gentleman's daughter too good to throw herself away on an otherwise respectable farmer, to her clashes as the Coles attempt to "move up" into "first class" society - something the rest of her set -- Knightly, the Bates -- have no issue with, or her rejection of Elton and Mrs Elton. Emma's expressions, posture, even her hair, are entirely out of character for this important point in the novel.

Knightly (Johhny Lee Miller) appears too young -- you don't get the sense there is the necessary 16 year difference that is essential to maintaining the initial romantic distance between them. He also doesn't have the inherant dignity and decorum that is Knightly. The whole cast appears skewed to 2010 values in demeanor. Jane Fairfax had a great deal of revealing expressions for someone who is supposed to be so reserved.

On the pluses, Mr. Woodhouse is rather good, but he's been doing this sort of period work often in his career, and understands the requirements. The rest of the cast is passable.

The best adaptations also use as much of the books narrative and dialogue as possible. Unfortunately the author of this screenplay, unlike Andrew Davies, chose to put her words in the character's mouths. The dialogue doesn't have the cadence of the original, and the dumbing down of the expressions to 2010 speech is a serious annoyance for those of us who love the irony and wit in Jane Austen's turns of phrase.

Still, the film is pretty to look at and it is passable. But if the point of putting Jane Austen to film is to recreate Jane Austen, it would help to take some care to make it Jane Austen, in characters, in mores, and in period. Emma and Knightly have been brought forward too much and lost their essential natures. This flawed adaptation reminds me of the recent adaptation of Mansfield Park, -- if not as bad -- where they substantially transformed the heroine and the dialogue to 21st century standards. I'm sure there are people who will like this more populist version of Emma, but it doesn't work for me. For other purists, again, I'd recommend the BBC Beckinsdale version, which is unfortunately a much shortened version of the book, but still captures better its tone and spirit. I can only hope someday someone does a more faithful adaptation of my favorite Jane Austen novel. In the interim, this is worth a rental, if not a purchase.

I approach my Jane Austen adaptations as I do productions of Shakespeare....each will bring their own view to the story, each emphasizing different aspects. Some will more true to the original text, some less so....and unless they violate the spirit of the original (sadly like Mansfield Park), I take each one on its own merits. This Emma may not follow Austen's text exactly, but in my opinion it was one of the most enjoyable Emma, or for that matter Jane Austen, productions I have seen. In retrospect, previous movies/series have been beautifully done...but this was both beautiful and the most emotionally engaging.

Ramola Garai is a lively Emma that, after early reservations due to her more modern manners, grew on me as the series progressed...much as Emma does in the book itself. Emma's maturation over the course of the series is more believable and more evident here than in any other Emma adaptation I have seen. Any hesitation I may have had about the casting of Emma faded as I watched the series - and the scene where she realizes she loves Mr. Knightley, but has potentially lost him due to her own actions was an incredible piece of acting on the part of Ms. Garai.

Ms. Garai's chemistry with Jonny Lee Miller is palpable and believable. My highest compliment of all is reserved for JLM: he is, by far, my favorite Knightley of all time...and this is from a huge Jeremy Northam fan (forgive me!). He was the first I've seen to strike the perfect chord between the character's big brotherly scolding and his dawning realization of his true feeligns towards Emma. Incredibly subtle acting which conveyed more of this somewhat opaque character's inner workings than I could have imagined possible.

I just received my Emma DVD and I'm happy to say that the DVD includes in the original BBC version - not the PBS version. Upon watching the DVD I was surprise to see delightful scene after scene not seen in the PBS airing. More shocking is that the multiple scenes cut where not just "filler" scenes, but actually dialogue scenes between major characters. Most shocking is that PBS cut a conversation between Knightly and Emma prior to the dance - discussing her dance card and a scene following the proposal in which Emma & Knightly discuss when each of them realized their love for one another and many other scenes... shame on PBS for cutting the story to pieces! Bravo to BBC for including them on the DVD.

Believe you me when I say that I was very very skeptical and cynical before I started watching this version of Emma. I had my doubts about Romola Garai and being such a big fan of Jermey Northam, I did not think Jonny Lee Miller would make a good Mr. Knightley. I was proved wrong on both accounts.

This new version of Emma is absolutely delightful! Some reviewers have called this Emma "skivvy" and too modern, but I found her to be fresh and lovable. She is energetic and full of life. Romola Garai portrays the many emotions of Emma so very well.

And as for Mr. Knightley--KUDOS to Jonny Lee Miller!! I really did have my doubts--I just keep seeing him in Trainspotting--but he played this role like he was born to play it. He begins to grow on you as Mr. Knightley right away. The chemistry between the two is so very sweet. The scene when they dance together at the Crown Ball was my absolute favorite--even more than the proposal. I've watched that scene about a 100 times now (NO JOKE) and it makes my heart swell every time.

The supporting characters do a great job as well--though I prefer the last adaption's Miss Bates (PORK!). The music is beautiful as well as the scenery. Overall, so very well done! Yay!
Emma (2009)

Fantastic work! Just a quick note to say yes, this DVD DOES have the extra scenes that were missing from the Masterpiece Theatre presentation on PBS. These are some very wonderful and necessary scenes--you will not be disappointed!