Rating  - j. austen lover
I was very impressed with this BBC version of the Jane Austen classic. The movie arrived in excellent condition and I was very happy with the price as well. I intend on ordering more movies from Amazon in the future.
Rating - Keeps getting better with each viewing!
I have watched three adaptations of Emma: the 1972 BBC adaptation, the 1996 Hollywood version, and the 1997 A&E production. Of the three, the 1997 adaptation starring Kate Beckinsale in the title role is my favorite of all time. Kate Beckinsale's Emma is vivacious, witty, and charmingly infuriating all at the same time. As the main character she breathes life into Jane Austen's most lovable heroine. The 1972 BBC version had Goran Godwin play Emma Woodhouse, and though it was the most faithful adaptation of Ms Austen's work, the title character appeared too old to play Emma, lacked the vibrancy that was Emma Woodhouse, and appeared cold at times. The 1996 version with Gwyneth Paltrow, although not fully faithful to the novel [due to time constraints] had a fairly lovable Emma [though Gwyneth's attempts at an English accent left much to be desired]...the Hollywood version was entertaining though as it had a stellar cast in Jeremy Northam as the dashing Mr Knightley, Alan Cumming as the loathsome vicar, and even Ewan McGregor...BUT, my favorite version is still this 1997 A&E adaptation as Kate Beckinsale[a true English rose] truly plays Emma Woodhouse to perfection!
Rating - ------------DELIGHTFUL------------
I enjoyed this adaptation of EMMA and highly recommend it.
Emma Woodhouse is a young woman who fancies herself a matchmaker. She feels like she's able to pair off the people around her and tries to do so without the individuals asking her for help. Emma, played by Kate Beckinsale is headstrong, all knowing, a gossip and mettlesome. She can also be caring, sweet and kind. The truth is Emma doesn't even recognize the men who are infatuated with her, much less be able to discern the attractions between others. She makes some terrible blunders and its interesting to see how everything is straightened out in the end. Mark Strong portrays Emma's friend Mr. Knightly and Olivia Willis plays Jane Fairfax. I found the sequences where the characters sing and dance to be very charming and great entertainment.
I have also reviewed the other adaptation of this film with Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeremy Northam in the starring rolls. That was also very enjoyable! Truth be told, the two films are so different that they are too difficult to even compare to one another. I really believe they are equally well done. Jane Austen may prefer this version as I think it's closer to her original story.
Rating - Superior in Every Way
I was originally introduced to Jane Austen's Emma when it was on my reading list in college many years ago. I enjoyed it, but I was then more interested in action stories than in parlor romances, no matter how well written. Even then, however, I marvelled at how Austen uncovered the emotions and motivations of her characters with such beauty and facility of language.
With the inexorable passage of time my tastes have evolved, and now I am less enamored with action and more with depth of emotion and meaning. Hence, on a day like today as I am home with the flu, I gravitate toward quality films like "Emma" to pass the time. With both the Paltrow and the Beckinsale versions of the film here at hand, I watched them both.
Though I do enjoy Gywneth's acting and hold her performance in "Shakespeare in Love" to be superb, she has less to work with in this film. Against the Kate Beckinsale version, which I am primarily interested in applauding, her's pales in comparison.
This film, which stars the Kate Beckinsale whom I first met in "Much Ado About Nothing" as Hero, is rich with attentiveness to Austen's story. It maintains to a great degree the story's language with the dialogue often just as the author wrote it. In addition, the setting amongst some of the more splendid period homes in England lends to it an authenticity that helps with that all so needed suspension of disbelief. The acting and casting are solidly excellent with Mr. Knightly believable in both age and nobility and Beckinsale an ideal choice as a charmingly effective Emma. This version is the one to watch. If you enjoy Jane Austen, her language and characters, you'll enjoy this film.
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