Emma

Here we are at the last book of Jane Austen's which I had yet to cover; saved the best for last!!

Emma is another book in which Jane Austen does something daring, by, in roughlyher own words, creating a heroine that only she could like.  Well, I know we all love Emma, but unlike most of Austen's other heroines, there are moments that we hate her too.  Emma is a delightful combination of heart and snobbery, intelligence and rashness, beauty and carelessness.  How more real could you get?  At times we may love her and at times we may want to jump into the book and give her a good hard slap.  But we can't.  We can only watch as the story unfolds, and as Mr.Knightly gallantly takes on the role of scolder we wish we could take, except he performs it with much better success - and more surprising results - than we ever could have.

If I say any more about the book, I would be raving for another full 5 pages.  So instead I will cut right to the chase, and share with you all the film adaptations of Emma:

1) Emma (1972) - This is again, the original BBC adaptation of the book.  It does a good job of following the book closely, and the costumes are good, and I enjoy the script of the title "Emma."  I have my quibbles with it though - the actress for Emma is far too old to play the part, and consequently, if finding an actor who maintained the age gap between Emma and Mr.Knightly, the actor for our hero is too old as well.  Emma's way of saying her "s"s gets on my nerves after a while too, and Frank - ANNOYING.  Some of the scenes also, I am not crazy about their interpretation.  However, Mr. Weston is a rather endearing fellow on the whole, and there is one scene in this movie I LOVE and wish the others had included - Emma has just returned from meeting Mrs.Elton and is venting heatedly to Mr.Knightly, who is taking it calmly and smiling, and while she is ranting she is walking around, rummaging through drawers, clearly looking for something although the audience is not sure what.  Finally she sits down with a sigh, done ranting, and having given up searching for the lost item.  Mr.Knightly quietly takes the scissors out from under her work and hands them to her - it was what she was looking for the whole time.  SO iconic of their entire relationship.  Youtube does not have a clip of this scene unfortunatly, but I would go so far as to recommend you rent it just to see that scene.  Here is a clip of various compiled scenes, and the first two are worth watching for some good lines :  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9740aM2wEMo

2) Emma (1996) - This is one of two 1996 versions, starring Kate Beckinsale and Mark Strong.  Personally, I think Kate Beckinsale does a pretty good job.  She is a much more subtle Emma than her counterparts, which doesn't always bide well with modern audiences, but which is much more real and to-the-times.  Some of the moments of this movie are priceless, and there is good comedy interspersed with everything else.  However, it is very rushed, and the realtionship between Emma and Mr.Knightly is not given much time. I find John Knightly in this version very endearing, so the clip I will include will be featuring him. Watch from 0:51 - 1:59: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QCfYFo3OgQ&feature=related

3) Emma (1996) - Starring Gwenyth Paltrow and Jeremy Northam.  I LOVE this version.  And if I could only own two versions of Emma, this would be one of them.  The actors for Emma and Mr.Knightly are perfectly cast and have great chemistry.  The music is cute and brisk, meant to compliment the humour of the tale which this version certainly brings out.  Honourable mentions to Miss Bates (played by Emma Thompson's sister) who is HILARIOUS, and is also the same actress for Mary in the 1995 Persuasion; and to Mr. Elton, who is...special. lol.  One of my favourite scenes is at the Westons' Christmas party, when Emma and Mr.Knightly are settled beside eachother in a cozy conversation and Mr.Elton sits between them. lol.  I will include it here, please watch the whole thing, including the faces Mr.Knightly makes in the background, and you will be sure to smile!!!  Watch from 6:54 - 7:58: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ajhny5XWwU&feature=related

4) Emma (2009) - the cream of the crop!!!  While it certainly hasn't replaced my love of the Gwenyth Paltrow version, it has bumped it down to second on the list.  This version is AMAZING.  Casting, music, visuals, script, everything AMAZING.  I have a few issues with one or two scenes that Romola Garai does, in particular the scene where Frank puts his head on her lap - which NEVER would have happened, I don't care what the circumstances were, however other than that, this movie is perfect.  Long, which makes it better.  Honourable mention to Mr. Elton, played by the same man who played Edmund in the most recent version of Mansfield park, in which he gives a totally opposite performance, and almost made me split my side laughing.  Couldn't choose a scene, that's how good it is, so here's a promo.  Watch the movie.  Promo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjPMEopKtDs

Worth noting that the film "Clueless" was based on the story of Emma.  :)