Emma (1996, PG)

Adaptation-wise, Emma and Mansfield Park are my odd Austen books out.  With the others, while most have more than one fine adaptation, each book has one that rises to the top as the quintessential version.  On the other hand, I think a definitive version of Mansfield Park has yet to be made, and as for Emma, I think a lot of them are equally great in different ways.  This Hollywood film was the first adaptation I saw, so that does make it stand out.

Emma Woodhouse is wealthy, well-to-do, and well-meaning.  Though she herself is rather blithely single, she doesn’t think it’s something that looks particularly good on other people and sets out to do good by making matches.  When she takes Harriet, her new friend of obscure origins, under her wing, Emma thinks she’s found the perfect man for Harriet, but her good friend Mr. Knightley warns her that she may be meddling in what she doesn’t fully understand.

This is a peppy, frothy adaptation that approaches everything with an arched eyebrow and a bit of a wink.  While it sticks pretty faithfully to the story, it also employs some nice cinematic devices to bring that story to life, like well-timed cuts to short flashbacks for more humorous effect, or the use of Emma and Knightley’s target practice as a visual representation of their argument when they’re talking about Robert Martin.

Another thing Emma has in common with Mansfield Park is that both books have heroines who are a bit tricky.  If Fanny can feel overly timid and doormat-ish, Emma is the opposite; she can be conceited, too reliant on her own rightness, and more than a little snobbish.  As such, it’s important for any adaptation to put her flaws plainly on display but still temper them with her good qualities.  Overall, I think Gwyneth Paltrow does a good job in the role (although her accent is a little flat at times.)  In her performance, we see Emma’s genuine desire to help others go hand-in-hand with her self-congratulation at doing so, and we see how many of her misfires stem from her youth and inexperience.  Paltrow walks a tightrope here, usually staying just on the right side of rootable, if not always likable – sometimes, her bad decisions can make you crazy, but you’re still hoping she gets it right.  Meanwhile, Jeremy Northam is absolutely my number-one Mr. Knightley.  He doesn’t pull punches with Emma, but he doesn’t feel like he’s constantly lecturing her, either.  It really comes across that he has her best interests at heart and only wants her to be the person he knows she can be.  Northam also expertly brings across Knightley’s humor, consideration, and good judge of character.

Plenty of familiar faces here.  Alan Cumming is a stitch as Mr. Elton, Toni Collette makes a sweet Harriet (although I think the writing makes her a little too dim,) Phyllida Law is a fine Mrs. Bates without saying a word, Juliet Stevenson kills it as the odious Mrs. Elton, Ewan McGregor feels somewhat miscast as Frank Churchill, and Polly Walker (Anne from State of Play) does well capturing Jane Fairfax.  Additionally, Greta Scacchi hits all the right notes as Mrs. Weston, and Sophie Thompson is perfection as Miss Bates.

Warnings

A little drinking.