Jane Austen novels have adapted to the big screen very effectively and continue to be popular among film-going audiences. I have previously reviewed four of the best Austen adaptations: Pride and Prejudice, the A&E version of Emma, Sense and Sensibility, and Persuasion. The present review completes the group of five Austen adaptations that I personally rank as the best. There are some other very good ones as well, in the second tier, but these five stand out above the rest in their emotional impact and production values.

Historical Background: Emma was the fourth of Jane Austen's six great novels. It was published in 1816, after Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), and Mansfield Park (1814). In 1815, shortly after completing Emma and before its publication, Austen took ill, surviving only another two years, to July 18th, 1817. She died, most likely, from Addison's disease (adrenocortical insufficiency), which is the same disorder from which John F. Kennedy suffered as a young congressman, when he was pale and frail. The ability to treat the disorder came along around 1950, enabling Kennedy to go to become President of the United States, but in 1815, nothing could be done for the disease and Jane Austen simply withered away. Her brother later stated, "She wrote whilst she could hold a pen, and with a pencil when a pen had become too laborious. The day preceding her death, she composed some stanzas replete with fancy and vigour." Two other novels were published posthumously, including Northanger Abbey (1818), which had been sold to a publisher in 1803 but shelved, and Persuasion (1818), her last. Emma was a failure in just one respect. Austen had declared that with Emma, she had attempted to create a heroine that no one would like but herself. In that, she failed miserably.

Douglas McGrath, who directed this version of Emma, was born in 1958. He began work in the entertainment industry, in 1975, as a writer for the famous American television comedy show, "Saturday Night Live." He also wrote an episode for the series "L.A. Law," in 1986. He later turned to writing screenplays, with Born Yesterday (1993) and Bullets Over Broadway (1994). He continued writing his own screenplays when he took up directing. Emma (1996) was his debut directorial effort. He has since directed Company Man (2000) and Nicholas Nickleby (2002) and is currently filming a yet-to-be-titled movie that is scheduled for release in 2006. McGrath has also worked occasionally as an actor, with minor roles in some eight films to date.

The Story: Emma Woodhouse (Gwyneth Paltrow) is the light in the life of her aging father, Mr. Woodhouse (Denys Hawthorne), a country gentleman with a large estate, called Hartfield, in Highbury. As a young lady of wealth and position, Emma's concerns relate mainly to developing her skills at the pianoforte, singing, painting, and needlepoint, and pursuing her charitable efforts on behalf of her insular community. She also imagines herself in possession of great talent as a matchmaker, as she revels in the wedding celebration of her former governess and supreme confidant, now Mrs. Weston (Greta Scacchi). It was Emma who had encouraged Mr. Weston (James Cosmo), a widower, in his visits and initial interest. Emma congratulates herself on her success and sets her mind to duplicating her triumph by finding a match for the vicar, Mr. Elton (Alan Cumming), who had performed the ceremony.

Emma has no interest in marriage herself. As she herself points out, "I have none of the usual inducements to women to marry." She wants for neither fortune nor employment. "I believe few married women are half as much mistress of their husband's house as I am of Hartfield." Never could she expect to be more truly beloved or important or always right than in the eyes of her own father. So, lacking romantic intrigues of her own, Emma chooses to meddle in everyone else's.

Emma's older sister, Isabella, is well situated in marriage to the gentleman, John Knightley. John's brother, the dashing Mr. Knightley (Jeremy Northam), owns a fine estate, Donwell Abbey, that lies adjacent to Highbury, where he is a frequent visitor, being on close terms with both Emma and Mr. Woodhouse. To Emma, he is something of an older brother, and the only person in her life who has the determination to question the more foolish of her self-deceits. Emma has set her mind to marrying her young protégé, Harriet Smith (Toni Collette), a pleasant enough lass but somewhat uncultured and of uncertain birth, to Mr. Elton. Knightley warns Emma, "Vanity working on a weak mind produces every kind of mischief." Harriet has a suitor from her own station in life, a prosperous farmer, Robert Martin (Edward Woodall), but Emma judges him as not good enough for her friend and uses her influence over Harriet to discourage her receptiveness to the young man.

Emma organizes opportunities to throw Harriet and Mr. Elton into contact with one another, never suspecting that Mr. Elton's real interest lies with Emma herself. When the vicar finally declares his passion in no uncertain terms, Emma is simultaneously horrified and mortified. In vain, she attempts to remind him that she is not Miss Smith, thinking that the party spirits have confused him. Elton declares, unambiguously, "Miss Smith! Who can think of Miss Smith when Miss Woodhouse is here?" Elton sees himself as much above Miss Smith as Emma imagines herself above Mr. Elton. Elton leaves the next day for Bath to find himself a proper wife. He later returns with the exceedingly haughty and annoying Mrs. Elton (Juliet Stevenson).

Mr. Weston had a son by his first wife, but when she died in childbirth, he gave the boy up to be raised by his sister, at some distance away. That boy is now a handsome young man, Frank Churchill (Ewan McGregor), and his impending visit to Highbury becomes the talk of the town. The Westons secretly hope for a match between Frank and Emma. Emma first encounters the man by a timely chance meeting when he rides by just as her carriage becomes trapped in a large puddle.

Highbury is full of eccentric characters. Two of the more amusing are Miss Bates (Sophie Thompson) and her mother, Mrs. Bates (Phyllida Law). The well-meaning Miss Bates is the ultimate chatterbox, talking so incessantly that no one in her vicinity can get a word in edgewise. Her mother, on the other hand, is stone deaf and probably the better off for being so. Miss Bates is also prone to ridiculous statements, such as when she tells the vicar how much they enjoyed his latest sermon. "We were speechless. We haven't stopped talking about it since." Miss Bates has sunk into poverty and is one of the objects of Emma's charitable community efforts, but the price Emma pays for her good will is having to listen to endless diatribes, often centering on Miss Jane Fairfax (Polly Walker), for whom Emma has some distaste, because she is one young lady who rivals Emma in beauty and accomplishments.

Frank Churchill and Emma soon discover that they have something of a natural rapport. Both possess a kind of winsome irreverence and enjoy gossiping about the neighbors. One of their topics of speculation concerns a pianoforte delivered to Jane Fairfax by an unknown benefactor. Frank offers the theory that the gift comes from Jane's former employer, a Mr. Dixon, who might be Jane's secret admirer. The speculation is too delicious for Emma to ignore. Frank, however, has the upper hand is his sporting repartee with Emma. Unbeknownst to Emma, Frank is Jane's real admirer and benefactor. In fact, Frank and Jane are secretly engaged and have been so for months. They've needed to hide the engagement because Frank's guardian, the elderly and sickly Mrs. Churchill, would never approve. Frank's unconscionable flirtation with Emma is mere cover for his secret involvement with Jane. Emma, happy to be enlivened and flattered, is easy prey to Frank's scheme. As Austen so deftly puts it, they open themselves to that very word – flirtation – and the observation was "soon sent off in a letter to Maple Grove by one lady, to Ireland by another."

At a dance party, Mr. Elton crudely snubs Harriet, when she is in lack of a dance partner. Elton is still smarting from Emma's effort to pair him with the poor girl, who he considers well beneath his own social standing. Emma is delighted when she observes Mr. Knightley gallantly going to Harriet's rescue, inviting her to be his partner for the dance. Emma expresses her gratitude to Knightley and the two pair up to lead the next dance. Emma declares, "We are not so much brother and sister that it would be improper for us to dance together." Knightley mutters to himself, "Brother and sister? No, indeed!", revealing to us, for the first time, his true feelings for Emma.

The next day, while out walking, Emma and Harriet are attacked by a group of gypsy children, who hope to steal Harriet's purse. Frank Churchill shows up in the nick of time and rescues the pair, like some gallant out of a gothic novel. Later, to wile the days away, the ladies and gentlemen of Highbury and vicinity organize an outing at Box Hill, where a couple of relevant developments occur. Harriet announces to Emma that she has forgotten about Mr. Elton and has set her heart on a real gentleman. Emma, imagining that she means Frank Churchill, is delighted to encourage her. They agree, however, not to speak the man's name. Later, when the group has sat down together for their picnic, Frank, in order to spare Jane from Mrs. Elton's overly eager interest, suggests a game. "Ladies and gentlemen," he says, "I am ordered by Miss Woodhouse (who, wherever she is, presides) to say, that she desires to know what you are all thinking of." To Mrs. Elton, this idea is emphatically offensive, especially when Frank adds, "I am ordered by Miss Woodhouse to say that she waives her right of knowing exactly what you may all be thinking of, and only requires something very entertaining from each of you . . . either one thing very clever, be it prose or verse, two things moderately clever, or three things very dull indeed." Poor Miss Bates responds, "Three things very dull indeed. That will just do for me, you know. I shall be sure to say three dull things as soon as ever I open my mouth." Emma is unable to resist. "Ah! But there may be a difficulty. You will be limited as to number – only three at once." This saucy put-down effectively ends the party. Later, Mr. Knightley roundly scolds Emma for her insolence. "I assure you," he says, "she felt your full meaning. Her situation being below you should secure your compassion." Emma is deeply chastened.

The next morning, Emma immediately sets out to make amends, paying a visit to the Bates household, where she is greeted coldly. Back at Hartfield, she encounters Mr. Knightley, who is leaving town for a few days. Emma expresses her dismay that he might now doubt her capable of charitable behavior. Knightley replies, "The truest friend does not doubt but hope." He leaves auspiciously, telling Emma that he has a matter of great delicacy to discuss with his brother.

Frank Churchill, meanwhile, is called back to his home, due to his mother's sudden illness. He stops to provide his farewell to Emma and is on the verge of revealing to her his secret romance with Jane, but is interrupted mid-sentence. Without the proper context of his opening, Emma is left surmising that Frank was about to declare his love for herself. In the days that follow, however, Emma discovers herself strangely impassive about Frank and scarcely thinking about him at all. Emma soon learns from the Westons that Frank has, in fact, been long engaged to Jane Fairfax, only now revealed because Frank's mother has passed away. Though Emma is a bit hurt to learn that his flirtatiousness was disingenuous, she is surprised also to realize that she doesn't really care. "He is benefiting from a very lucky coincidence," she says, to her old friend, Mrs. Weston.

Now, Emma has the unpleasant task, she thinks, of breaking Harriet's heart a second time. Emma is shocked, however, to discover that Harriet had no designs on Frank Churchill whatsoever. Harriet explains that her love interest is . . . Mr. Knightley. Emma is devastated. Harriet's revelation triggers her own recognition that she doesn't merely view Mr. Knightley as a friend . . . she loves him dearly. This she does not reveal to Harriet, of course, especially when Harriet indicates that she believes her feelings to be reciprocated.

Knightley returns from his soul-searching mission (at his brother's home) and seeks out Emma. He has something important to tell her. Emma, fearing that he is about to announce his intent to marry Harriet, begs him to say no more. Pained, and his willpower shattered, Knightley starts to stomp off, but Emma compassionately bids him tell her, as a friend, what's on his mind. As viewers will have already surmised, it is not Harriet that Mr. Knightley has on his mind. "Maybe it is our imperfections that make us so perfect for one another," says Knightley, after the business is concluded. "Now I cannot call you Mr. Knightley," responds Emma, "I may call you my Mr. Knightley."

Themes: The character Emma is a work in progress. She is a young woman caught on the cusp of maturity, with a lack of self-awareness as a residue of immaturity. To dismiss her as a "bitch" or a "snob" as some reviewers do is itself a supreme lack of charity. As an educator and a parent, I've learned to make allowances for the foibles of young people, who are still works in progress, slowly becoming the person they will ultimately be. Like Knightley, I find Emma highly appealing, not merely despite her flaws but, in part, because of her flaws. What makes Emma different than the average flawed character is that she is a victim of her own naivety and not about to settle for remaining the slave of her own vanity for the rest of her life. She strives to improve and, by the end of the film, is a better person. She merely has to learn that some of her instincts are reliably wrong. I can think of nothing more enjoyable than watching an adolescent or young adult in the process of forging an identity. Emma should ignite our friendly concern, as she meddles in everyone else's love life, while neglecting her own.

Production Values: Jane Austen novels are comedies of manners set in the insular world of provincial ladies and gentlemen. Romance is the core theme and, especially, the business of finding proper husbands for eligible daughters. Modern readers and film viewers often don't understand that the importance of all that matchmaking activity lay in the fact that women of that era had no meaningful alternatives to marriage. Unmarried ladies could not support themselves independently and became burdens to their families of origin. Austen's novels provide vivid, psychologically coherent characterizations, deft interplay between characters, and a solid moral foundation. Her skillful use of language ranks her among the great novelists. McGrath, with his background in comedic writing, emphasizes the intelligent humor and ironic elements of the Austen novel, as the sprightly Emma ponders the mysteries of love and life. The sight gags that McGrath incorporates are largely of his own creation rather than Austen's. Those who view the Jane Austen films as merely predictable romances are missing the incisiveness of Austen's social commentary, psychological insights, and devastating wit.

The cinematography is rich and varied, featuring lots of appealing shots of the English countryside. The set designs and costumes are magnificent. The soundtrack by Oscar-winning composer Rachel Portman is lush and delightful, adding emotional depth to the proceedings.

I have previously reviewed the A&E version of Emma, which coincidentally came out the same year as this one. Although each of the versions has champions among the critics who review them, I consider the two to be so close in overall quality and potential for viewer satisfaction that I refuse to name one as better than the other. In reviewing the other version, I stated that I felt that the romantic element involving Emma and Knightley is more effective in this version but that the intrigues involving the secondary characters are better rendered in the A&E version. Austen aficionados will want to see both versions, as well as Clueless, the transposition of the story to a modern context.

Paltrow absolutely shines as Emma. She has a natural aristocratic refinement in her small-boned elegant beauty that is perfect for the part. Jeremy Northam, as Mr. Knightley, strikes the perfect balance between big-brotherly condescension and evident affection for his beloved. It is in the chemistry between these two where this version finds its greatest superiority over the A&E competitor. Paltrow delivers her lines in perfect rhythm and with just enough of an assumed British accent to avoid standing out from the otherwise English cast, at least for American viewers. Though Paltrow had some previous success in pictures such as Flesh and Bone (1993) and Se7en (1995), it was her turn here in Emma that propelled her career toward the stardom that she now enjoys. Her affair with Brad Pitt also didn't hurt her rise in public awareness. She has since appeared in Great Expectations (1998), Sliding Doors (1998), A Perfect Murder (1998), the monumental Shakespeare in Love (1998), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), Possession (2002), and Sylvia (2003). Northam's other work has included Carrington (1995), An Ideal Husband (1999), and Possession (2002). He also starred opposite Sandra Bullock in The Net.

Among the secondary performers, Sophie Thompson is a standout as Miss Bates, as she was also in another Austen adaptation, Persuasion. I don't know another actress who plays neurotic women any better than Thompson. Sophie Thompson is the sister of Emma Thompson, who starred in Sense and Sensibility, and their mother is the actress, Phyllida Law, who plays Mrs. Bates in the present film. Alan Cumming is outstanding as Mr. Elton, playing the role for all of its sleazy potential. Greta Scacchi had a very nice touch as Mrs. Weston and Juliet Stevenson was successfully irritating as Mrs. Elton. Although Toni Collette as Harriet Smith, Polly Walker as Jane Fairfax, Denys Hawthorne as Mr. Woodhouse, and Ewan McGregor as Frank Churchill were all adequate, none were remotely as effective as their counterparts in the A&E rendition. Polly Walker appeared in Patriot Games (1992), Juliet Stevenson in Nicholas Nickelby (2002) and Mona Lisa Smile (2003), and Ewan McGregor in such films as Trainspotting (1995), The Pillow Book (1996), Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999), Moulin Rouge (2001), Black Hawk Down (2001), and Big Fish (2003). Alan Cumming was very effective in GoldenEye (1995) and appeared in Eyes Wide Shut (1999).

Bottom-Line: Compared to the best of the other Austen adaptations, and the A&E version of Emma in particular, McGrath's take on Austen's masterful novel is relatively breezy and light, emphasizing the comic elements. What's lost is some of the powerful Austen insights into human nature, but there're enough of them left to provide a little weight, along with the good clean fun. Emma is in English and has a brisk running time of 121 minutes, fourteen minutes longer than the A&E version.

Recommended:
Yes

Video Occasion: Good Date Movie
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12