Rating  - A&E's Emma....
A&E's 1997 "Emma" was unlucky enough to follow 1996's popular big screen production of "Emma", starring Gwyneth Paltrow in a sunny, funny turn on Jane Austen's classic romantic comedy. However, A&E's "Emma", built for the small screen and starring Kate Bekinsale, has its own distinctions.
The storyline is familiar. Emma is the young, charming, and perhaps too clever daughter of the wealthy and indulgent hypochondriac Mr. Woodhouse (Bernard Hepton). Emma has just managed to marry off her governness as the story opens, and fantasizes about being a match-maker for her friends and neighbors. Mr. Knightley (Mark Strong), Emma's confidante and brother-in-law, warns her against this, to no avail. Emma's first target is her friend Harriet Smith (Samantha Morton). Emma persuades Harriet to reject the marriage offer of Mr. Martin, a honest and hardworking farmer without social status, in favor of the more sophisticated local vicar, Mr. Elton. This plan collapses, hilariously, when Mr. Elton proposes instead to a horrified Emma.
The arrival of the mysterious, handsome Frank Churchill in Emma's small village creates additional complications for Emma, in whom he seems to take a welcome interest, and for Jane Fairfax, a target of gossip who was once the paid companion for a gentlewoman and who must now make her own way. At a picnic in the country, some rather harsh teasing by Frank Churchill is topped by Emma, who thoughtlessly insults the poor spinster Miss Bates. The picnic breaks up in confusion, and Emma is properly upbraided by Mr. Knightley for her bad manners.
Following the picnic, Emma learns that Frank Churchill has been engaged to Jane Fairfax (in a nice turn by Olivia Williams) all along, and was using Emma for cover. She also learns that her protege Harriet believes she has drawn the affection of the ever-gentlemanly Mr. Knightley. In a classic epiphany, Emma realizes that she loves Mr. Knightley and must face the possibility of losing him altogether to Harriet. The stage is set for a fateful conversation between Emma and Mr. Knightley.
A&E's Emma is perhaps truer to the spirit of Jane Austen's novel than its big screen competitor. It is much clearer on the status of Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax, and by extension on Churchill's misbehavior with respect to Emma. Mr Knightley is portrayed as a mature gentleman landowner, critical of the much younger Emma's mistakes but also obviously caring. Emma measures people by social status, and tends to interfere in their lives without understanding the possible consequences. Her mistake in encouraging Harriet Smith past her social status is clear. By story's end, she has arrived at some painfully-earned maturity that makes her finally worthy of the man she was meant to be with.
This movie is a well-cast quality production highly recommended to fans of Jane Austen.
Rating  - Strickly Jane Austen/Persuasion and Emma
This DVD is as close to the written word as possible. Not one of my favorite Austens'. However it was well done!
Rating - Kate Beckinsale's Emma
I love Jane Austen. I've rarely seen an interpretation of her work that I didn't especially like. (Sadly the recent feature film "Pride and Prejudice" with Keira Knightley most certainly tops that list.)
As for "Emma"...while the feature film with Gwyneth Paltrow was gorgeous and as a whole well done, Beckinsale's version simply rings truer. Also a gorgeous and well done production it's a more faithful rendering of Austen's book. If you have to choose, this A&E offering is really your best bet.
Rating - Light-hearted and enjoyable
This is an entertaining film with actors well-suited for their parts. Our whole family enjoyed it.
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