EMMA
As with every collection of adaptations some are better than others. Here is my ranking for the adaptations I've seen.
1. Emma 1996 - starring Kate Beckinsale and Mark Strong
I adore that the story includes chicken thieves because it makes it just slightly more entertaining (since it's not my favorite Austen, that's enough for this adaptation to nudge into first place for me). It amuses me that they show up as part of the neighborhood's daily life drama. I also adore that Emma uses the presence of the chicken thieves to convince her father it's a good idea for her to marry Mr. Knightley and have him move into the house with them for protection. Her father isn't mean-spirited, just fanciful and concerned about losing her and facing change. It's a cute way to convince him that Mr. Knightley moving in is actually something he wants.
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| Dreaming up fanciful thoughts of Harriet marrying Elton |
The splendor of Mr. Knightley's wealth is fantastically displayed with the strawberry picking and a manservant to attend to each guest. Also with the number of servants and preparations that go into the trip to Box Hill. It's a subtle way to show just how much wealth he has despite his always walking everywhere and not using a carriage.
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| The procession on the way to a picnic at Box Hill |
I think Emma is delightfully fanciful and young, without falling into being generally mean spirited or bullying Miss Smith. When she does the wrong thing she seems to truly feel awful for it, not just that she feels bad for being called out for it (as in some adaptations). This Emma is the most likable portrayal I have seen in a movie. She's still naive, but she's much more sympathetic in this portrayal. I think Kate Beckinsale does an amazing job with the character.
2. Emma 2009 mini-series with Romola Garai
The movie opens with Mr. Woodhouse and shows him losing his wife and explaining why he is both a hypochondriac and extremely overprotective of Emma. It also draws a distinct parallel between Emma, Jane Fairfax, and Frank Churchill who all lose people very young and must adapt to a new life. Emma has the good fortune to stay at home with a governess, where Frank and Jane are both sent away to grow up elsewhere. It's nice to explain their circumstances and backstory upfront and not try to piece it together later in the film. This is part of this adaptation's whole approach to include more details about all the side characters which really rounds out the story in a lovely way.
This detailed backstory also allows us to see why Emma is bored to death of hearing about Jane Fairfax, without us thinking she's just a brat. I like that the movie takes a moment to explain that Jane is reluctant to be friends with Emma because she immediately sees her as a rival for Frank Churchill's affections. Though nobody knows that Jane and Frank are engaged until the end of the story, Jane can't watch Frank's devoted attentions to Emma without jealousy and pain.
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| Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax finally together |
Also towards the beginning, we set up a dynamic between Mr. Knightley and Emma that is really cute and helps us understand where the lecturing comes from. Emma and Mr. Knightley watch through the window as John and Isabella chase each other around with branches trying to playfully hit each other. Emma says they will marry soon and it's all her doing because she's arranged it. Mr. Knightley disagrees and says IF they marry it'll be because they want to not because of Emma. I love that they show this argumentative quality to their relationship early in a scene where they are both right. Emma can be a keen observer of people's desires (though nobody is ever perfect on that score) and she does smooth the way for certain interactions to have space to unfold. At the same time, Mr. Knightley has a better sense of how the world works and the external forces that govern certain behaviors that Emma is occasionally completely unaware of. Both are right and both are wrong. Watching them argue over issues throughout the film is cute and I like that the film sets this up early.I like that this Emma has a confident kindness about her. She is a gentle Emma, a young, enthusiastic, lovely, and sympathetic Emma. At least, she is up until she meets Frank Churchill. I do not enjoy that as the movie progresses, Emma becomes a worse person. In the beginning, she is shown to show delicacy and spare feelings in an easy polite way that is charming. She makes Mr. Westin feel good even as his son repeatedly fails to show up. She smooths comments and is charming. We love her for this.
After she begins to spend more time with Frank Churchill she becomes more cruel, less polite. Emma's posture becomes more and more noticeably modern. She slouches. She slouches when she walks, talks, and even dances. She shouts at a dance later. Under the influence of Frank Churchill, she doesn't just commit small indiscretions, she becomes downright cruel. She is more openly cruel to Jane and Mrs. Bates at Box Hill, laughing so openly at things that have clearly, already distressed them, jokes in very poor taste.
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| Being cruel at Box Hill and slouching |
Next, she is cruel to Harriet when she learns of Harriet's feelings for Mr. Knightley. She doesn't even try to conceal her shock or disapproval. Emma essentially immediately asks her to leave after finding this all out. At this point we've watched Emma's training of Harriet pay off, Harriet is acting like a real lady, proper posture, and behavior. Harriet, in company, is now demure and kind as Emma acts less like a lady is brazen and cruel. I didn't like this, I had been enjoying her portrayal as a sensitive gentle, and young Emma.
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| Emma slouches over, all improperly |
The earlier parts of the film have Emma as a much more sympathetic creature. We know that she is lonely after her governess marries and becomes Mrs. Westin. It gives us a sense of Emma feeling not only alone but unsettled without her normal routines. It makes much more sense why she would suddenly become best friends with Harriet. Also, this film makes a point that Emma is worried she will instantly lose her friend in marriage to a farmer, just like she lost Miss Taylor, it's still not right for her to interfere but the motives feel more pure and less snobby than in the 2020 version.
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| She even manages to slouch while dancing. |
Luckily the film is saved from Emma's decline into modern, excessively rude behavior with the return of Emma's good heart. After the scolding she receives from Mr. Knightley for hurting Mrs. Bates' feelings she truly reforms again. The scene where she wakes up from a night of tossing and turning, and goes at the break of dawn to visit Mrs. Bates to apologize is a nice touch. She arrives with disheveled hair, truly upset at her own behavior, and at a loss as to how to make it right. Also after Frank and Jane's engagement has become known she admits feeling upset for Jane and outraged at her treatment and only moderates her language to assuage Mr. Westin who feels so bad about everything. Despite her precipitous descent into cruelty, this Emma is generally likable and sympathetic.
I think this Mr. Elton is creepy. I do love that this version has John Knightley call Emma out for being so attentive to Mr. Elton and telling her he's very into her. As she realizes his attentions might just be towards her and not Harriet that night she keeps catching smirks from John Knightley who is telling her wordlessly across the room "I told you so". It's quite excellent.
This isn't my favorite Mr. Woodhouse, but he's still very cute. I love the scene where he stands next to the wedding cake the whole time and shoos people away to keep them all from getting sick. I don't love that he's more grumpy in this portrayal. I do love that he cries as Emma leaves for her honeymoon. Emma's sister cries too, it's really cute scene.
I love this Mr. Knightley. I love that Mr. Knightley proposes the idea of the picnic at Box Hill so that Emma can see a fresh new place and a lovely view. He knows that she has never traveled and finding that she desires to without leaving her father, he arranges a day trip to Box Hill for her. It's so tender. Everything is right with this Mr. Knightley. He is kind, he is comfortable with their family, he argues with Emma just the right amount. And I adore the ending where he takes her to the sea for their honeymoon. So thoughtful and charming.
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| Emma glimpses the sea |
3. Emma 2020
I like this portrayal of Emma, it's consistent, but I don't love it. She is a bit more snobby and a bit less young than I'd like to see her. It's funny, they do a nice job of leaning into the comedy. The clothes are gorgeous and I like that they include folk music.
I adore Bill Nighy as Mr. Woodhouse. I love that you can see the servants being utterly confused by the waxing and waning concerns about chill drafts. "Do we still need to move the screen? Or is he past it and we should stand out of the way again?" You can read it in their body language and it's charmingly funny.
I will probably watch this version more often than the mini-series, partly because it is shorter, and partly for the clothes. The clothes are stunning.
Oh, I like that Miss Smith has a bit more character in this version and I love the opening with the flowers in the greenhouse. I'm not saying I want her to be turned into something she isn't. But I don't enjoy watching Miss Smith be excessively dumb, and get bullied into everything. Here she is almost more persuaded than bullied even though Emma is incredibly snobby in this version.
The reason I don't 100% love this movie is that although I do like that they lean into the comedy of the story they take a few scenes a little too far. I don't know why they needed to give Emma a bloody nose when Knightley proposes to her. It's distracting and awkward and not funny to me. It's really the one scene in the movie you shouldn't try to make hilarious. It sort of ruins it all.
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| Really? Why? |
They make Mr. Elton a little too cringe in my mind. And there are several scenes with awkward "nudity" alone in front of fires and with servants while being dressed. One might have been sufficient, or even one with Mr. Knightley and one with Emma. How many times do I need to see a servant putting on or removing socks? I should say once is really enough.
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| The Eltons, larger than life, including their hair |
I know that Mr. Knightley wasn't quite old enough but that didn't bother me in this one. They still have the right scolding dynamic, even if he isn't considerably older than Emma. He's still helping her become a better version of herself.
I did like the portrayal of Mrs. Elton best in this one. She's perfectly obnoxious and self-important. And her hair and her use of foreign languages here and there to prove how important she is? Yes, she's perfectly irritating and believable.
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| Mrs. Elton has a horror of being over trimmed she tells us, but her hair... |
I liked that they show Emma being proficient at piano and singing, just not as expert as Jane Fairfax. I like that you see Jane Fairfax being horribly upset so you feel for her more. In most versions, you don't know anything about Jane and you find her as flat and irritating as Emma does. It's nice to find Jane with a little bit more dimension here.
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| Harriet has a bit more character, young but less flat. I like her. |
I also liked the way that they made Miss Smith a little proud of her father, who you find out in this adaptation sells galoshes. This gives Emma the chance to prove she truly cares for Miss Smith's friendship and has learned to be less of a snob. It gives us a chance to see how much Emma has grown. She no longer feels she cannot even associate with a tradesman without damaging her dignity, and she cares for Harriet enough to make the effort to meet her father.
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| This is such a lovely display of miserable love. This is my favorite scene. |
I love that when Mr. Knightley realizes he's in love with Emma he throws himself on his floor and his servant leaves the room and closes the door. This is probably my favorite scene in the movie actually.
There is a LOT to love about this adaptation. And truly it's a close call for me. But I don't think I can say it's my second favorite because of the really awkward nosebleed during the proposal. It's supposed to be the best moment in the film and they ruined it. Sigh.
4. Emma 1972 mini-series
All that being said, why is this such a close call for me? The reason I almost put this movie in third place is that I adore the portrayal of Emma's father in this version. He is my all-time favorite Mr. Woodhouse. And since my favorite character in all of Emma is her poor father, he stole the movie for me. I just want to wrap him up in a blanket and take him home and hug him. (In front of a properly stoked fire of course). He's so adorable. I find his concern for everyone's health as charming as I find Emma unlikeable.
This is a really solid adaptation. Because of its length, it allows the plot points to develop at a reasonable pace. This movie almost came in third because it at least treated the romantic proposal scene between Mr. Knightly and Emma with respect and didn't add anything awkward. I must admit that even with all the amazing things they did with the 2020 version of Emma it almost came in fourth just because of the bloody-nose proposal. What an awkward moment. It took the comedy one step too far. This 1972 version is at least a respectable one that doesn't try to make the romantic scene funny. But if you can get past the bloody-nose proposal, the 2020 Emma is actually a great deal more fun than this version.
I only watch this version for Mr. Woodhouse.
5. Emma 1996 with Gwyneth Paltrow
In other versions, she misunderstands things because she's rather young and naive, but she doesn't pout like a five-year-old. This Emma is mean, she makes cutting remarks about everyone all the time.
This Miss Smith seems to be a little less dumb (fractionally) and then more easily dissuaded of everything. I think it makes Emma even worse for all her actions. If the person really doesn't know what's going on and you're trying to help it's better than if you bully them into doing what you want even when they really don't want to.
I did like this version of Mr. Knightley. He's caring, attentive, and has that older brother style lecturing down perfectly. The costumes and sets are lovely and it does have some charm. But I can't stand watching this whiny Emma whine and cruelly complain about everyone throughout the entire film.
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| Emma pouts, constantly, I swear it's all she does in this film |
6. Clueless 1995 - a modern retelling
Personally, I don't think it's aged well. They did such a good job of setting it firmly in the '90s that some of it feels a little cringe to me at this point. Of course, I was never cool, so what do I know? I think it's actually a better more consistent film than the 1996 Emma with Gwyneth Paltrow. But I consider it a "not quite Austen" because it's set in high school in modern LA. And it's my list, so I've made it last.
Clueless does have its charming moments. As ever, I like the father even though he has a rather minor role in this movie. He is also not a hypochondriac, he's just a busy lawyer, but nobody is perfect. Telling your daughter that you don't want her to date a boy who doesn't see her merits is a timelessly good message. Smiling as you see your step-son falling for her, but saying nothing about his protective behavior, is pretty cute.
The scene where Dionne accidentally gets on the highway in LA and they all think they're going to die is hilarious. I'm sure that has nothing to do with my feelings about driving in LA. Ok, it does, but it's still a funny scene.
I like that Christian, who is filling the role that Frank Churchill plays in the novel, isn't intentionally leading Cher/Emma on. I like that when he realizes she is that into him he leaves and they just become friends. I never liked that Frank Churchill used Emma on purpose to hide his engagement to Jane Fairfax (who he is awful to throughout the story until the very end). He doesn't deserve any of the women. In this version, Christian is gay and turns out to be a great friend of Cher's. That works out just perfectly.
I think I have always been too old for the high school antics in movies about high school drama. Even when it's being made fun of, it's still not my favorite thing to watch. Yes, the drama does make a bit more sense when it's with high-schoolers. Emma would have been 21 according to the book, but her more juvenile antics make more sense in some ways as a 16-year-old. But watching a very drama-filled high school rendition of Emma sort of made me cringe. Perhaps I'm just too old. Perhaps I've always been too old.
I have not seen the following adaptations:
Emma 1948 (tv movie)Emma 1960 (mini-series)
To see my ranking of Every Jane Austen Adaptation, go here.
For a discussion of all the Pride and Prejudice adaptations, you can go here.
For a discussion of all the Persuasion adaptations, you can go here.
For a discussion of all the Sense and Sensibility adaptations, you can go here.
For my discussion of all the Mansfield Park Adaptations, you can go here.
For my discussion of all the Northanger Abbey Adaptations, you can go here.
For my discussion of the Lady Susan Adaptation (Love and Friendship), you can go here.
For my discussion of all the "Not-Quite-Austen's" you can go here.
I have a whole page dedicated to Jane Austen where you can find my rankings of different movie adaptations and essays etc.
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