Emma is my least favourite of the Jane Austen novels because I have very little sympathy for the eponymous heroine. That’s why I only ever watch the Gwyneth Paltrow (and Jeremy Northam) version – she doesn’t make Emma seem quite so spoiled or mean or egotistical. Last time I’d seen the Kate Beckinsale one, I hated it. But that was five years ago. So when I saw the talk on the message boards about BBC’s new Emma with Romola Garai, it compelled me to revisit the 1996 Kate Beckinsale and see if maturity has wrought a different impression.
The Good
I still find Kate Beckinsale too petulant and her voice too whiny for personal taste, but she’s definitely not as bad as I remembered, and has some good moments; I particularly like the fantasy sequences, which ring true. I also like Mrs. Elton and Jane Fairfax, whom I find more interesting and well-rounded than their movie counterparts.
The Bad
Frank Churchill, as portrayed here, is nothing less than a dawg. (Although his hair is better than Ewan McGregor’s.) As this version stands, my respect for Jane goes way down. I haven’t read Emma in a long time so I don’t know how he’s portrayed in the book, but this Frank Churchill is a rat.
The Ugly
Disclaimer: I love love love Jeremy Northam. Any other Mr. Knightley would have to be pretty damn good to even compete. But I don’t find Mark Strong attractive AT ALL (and that’s a large part of it, right? I mean, come on), and his acting is too overwrought for my taste.
So all in all, I’ll still stick with the movie. There is no chance I won’t see the 2009 Emma, but I doubt any version of Emma would receive my whole-hearted approval (because of the titular heroine). However, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeremy Northam (sigh) come close.
- Jean AAR
I think everyone should watch both versions back-to-back in order to get a well-rounded feel for the novel. At least until someone with good sense decides we need a miniseries-length treatment of this rather involved story. Emma is both a comedy and a drama, both playful and serious. The Paltrow/Northam version is mostly comedic, while the Beckinsale version looks more at the dramatic aspects of the novel. Also, the two versions emphasize different subplots, with the Beckinsale version filling out the Churchhill/ Fairfax subplot more fully than the Paltrow version, which concentrates more on Miss Smith.
I also happen to love Jeremy Northam, but think his portrayal of Knightley too light, even if his looks fit the part. In some ways I prefer the serious, more intense portrayal by Mark Strong, which fits the rather staid older hero of Austen’s novel. His declaration of love at the end is far more passionate than Northam’s, imo.
Emma isn’t my favorite Austen novel, for the same reason you mentioned. Emma herself isn’t always a sympathetic heroine. But her good heart wins in the end and I like her for that. My least favorite novel is Mansfield Park. The constantly fearful heroine, Fanny, irritates the heck out of me.
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I love the Jeremy Northam version, even if it turned the book into your usual romantic comedy. I fell in love with him after the movie. The Kate Beckinsale version is meatier and though I didn’t care that Kate’s Emma was meaner, Mark Strong’s appearance really bugged me. I’m so hideously superficial! IMO, he looked too old to be Mr.Knightley (due to bad hair since he looked slightly younger in his later stuff) and he came off as more of a father figure than anything else because he was so staid the whole time.
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Have you checked out “Clueless” – the “updated” version of Emma – featuring Valley Girls? A totally different take, obviously, but very entertaining…
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