I have professed my love of the highly stylized movie before and the recent rendition of Emma proves to be a delicious addition to the genre. It’s a frothy confection with interiors awash in pink and pastels, reminiscent of a Wes Anderson film, punctuated by the vibrant jewel tones of some of the outfits. I’m pretty sure this is what it would look like to take up residence inside a macaron box. And while the clothes may be exquisite, with a breathtaking attention to detail, it must be said that it is the sublime hats which rather steal the show. Meanwhile, outside, scenes are charmingly bucolic and have the feel of a Joshua Reynolds painting. Wes Anderson, Joshua Reynolds and a macaron box. I defy you to find a lovelier combination of things.
Anya Taylor-Joy and Johnny Flynn (above) are striking as the leads but, to be honest, it’s Miranda Hart and Bill Nighy who, like the hats, with their smaller roles still manage to upstage the main attraction. But what I enjoyed the most was the film’s ability to take the usual character traits and overarching themes of Emma and push them ever so gently to their outer limits, butting up against farce without becoming silly. Granted, such styling comes at a subtle loss in depth and nuance but it’s such cheeky whimsical fun that it’s impossible to find fault.
If you weren’t fortunate enough to catch it in the theatre in that brief week before life was taken over by all things COVID, it is available for rent on a variety of platforms for twenty dollars (well worth the splurge IMHO) or you could consider watching one of the many renditions of a Jane Austen novel made for the small screen.
~Northanger Abbey It’s a shame that Northanger doesn’t get the love it deserves because given its subject matter – the parodying of gothic literature – in the right hands it could be made into a sublimely wicked film. I would love to see this being given the highly-stylised treatment like Emma. While this production doesn’t manage to attain quite such lofty heights, it does turn in a solid showing. Felicity Jones – as always – is delightful as the sweet but naive Catherine, an ardent lover of romance novels whose imagination tends to get the better of her and Carey Mulligan has a grand turn as the cunning and wily Isabella who befriends Catherine in Bath. Northanger has an amusing storyline which takes several potshots at the wheelings and dealings of money and marriage of the time and also includes some rather over the top characters. It’s fizzy fun and Catherine’s dreams of being ravished, Gothic novel style, are visualized in the film in the full campiness they deserve.
~Mansfield Park 2007 As much as I love Billie Piper, she really took it on the chin for her role in this film as Fanny Price, the poor relation sent to live at Mansfield Park with her rich aunt, uncle and cousins. In all fairness a stylist bears some responsibility for the hot mess of a hairstyle she failed to create for poor Fanny: it is ridiculously distracting. The aim seemed to have been to give her an earthy sort of sensuality which fails miserably up against the childish, boppy persona that she has. Hayley Atwell is splendid as the snobbish social climber Mary Crawford but she is the only bright spot in what is otherwise a rather dull and clumsy production.
~Mansfield Park 1999 This earlier version proves far more palatable than the one above, maybe because it’s spiced up a wee bit with a brief but full on sex scene and a hint of sexual tension between two women. Some may think Austen might turn in her grave at such a wonton display of passion but I prefer to believe that she would be rather amused. Frances O’Connor turns in a crisp performance as a more feisty and spirited version of Fanny (who also speaks directly to the camera), Johnny Lee Miller is splendid as Edmund and none other than Hugh Bonneville shows up (looking slightly ridiculous) as a friend of the family. The costumes and settings lean towards the austere but the dialogue is lively and amusing. It may not rank up there with the best Austen cinematic renditions but I found it to be perfectly enjoyable – especially the amusing way it wraps up the storylines at the end.
~Emma 1996 Kate Beckinsale makes an admirable, self-assured and slightly more crafty Emma in this rather short production which moves along at such an alarming rate as to be almost disconcerting: I actually replayed the beginning because I thought I had missed something. Unfortunately, I didn’t care for the overly serious Mr. Knightly at all and I’d watched almost the entire film before I realized that it was Samantha Morton playing Harriet (and if you’ve seen her recently in TWD you’ll understand why). I got a kick out of the fact that they made Mrs Elton American, which seemed to be a move to up her obnoxious factor (ouch) and Mr Churchill was divine. Compared to the other Emmas this is pretty subdued as far as set and costume design goes, with a rather toned down neutral palette.
~Emma 2009 BBC Series This is an elegant and beautifully filmed production which has the distinct advantage of being longer in length. Romola Garai is luminous as Emma, walking that fine line between being snobbish and shamefaced, turning in a slightly more girlish (and with lots of eye rolling, decidedly more modern) and mischievous rendition which at least allows for some maturity by the films end. It also manages to superbly balance the quintessential essence of Emma; being both lovable and exasperating. Johnny Lee Miller shows up again, this time as Mr Knightly and he is superb, as is Michael Gambon as Emma’s fretful father. Lively and entertaining with English countryside that never looked so good.
~Emma 1996 This version with Gwyneth Paltrow gets the full on Hollywood treatment. It’s ritzy, glamorous and polished. The costumes are to die for and the backdrops exquisite and while Gwyneth in this role is probably my least favorite (although, honestly, she has a natural haughtiness which works well for the part) it is the explosion of British acting royalty that makes this version so good. Jeremy Northam as the shockingly handsome Mr. Knightly with his much breezier, easy going personality is superb and Alan Cummings turns in the most brilliant version of Mr Alton…ever. Sophie Thompson, as flibbertigibbet Ms. Bates is excellent, as is Polly Walker as Jane and Ewan McGregor as Mr Churchill. I did have a slightly hard time with Toni Colette as Harriet, not because she isn’t good, indeed she is too good and I struggled to accept her in such an insipid role in what is positively the most boring character in all of Jane Austen’s books, and one which never feels quite right to me. This is an elegantly choreographed film on all levels with the prerequisite sparkliness of a Tinsel Town production.
~Persuasion 1995 Anne Elliot is heading into spinsterhood after breaking off an engagement seven years prior. When her family finds itself in financial trouble they decide to rent out their Manor house and decamp to something less expensive just at the very moment that Frederick Wentworth, Anne’s former paramour, shows up in town again with a newly acquired fortune. This was Austen’s final book before she died and always feels like her most melancholy. I think it’s the only story which could never be given a sassy Hollywood spin. In this production, Amanda Root stars as Anne, serene and mature, a little sad over her lost love, but never self-pitying, even as she must contend with her father and sisters who are delightfully self-absorbed and treat her with disdain. Ciaran Hinds is admirably suited to her as the gilted lover who returns with a newly made fortune and their relationship feels genuine and true. This production feels classic and understated – the women don’t wear make-up, clothes tend to be on the simpler side, interior sets are low-key and manners are always kept in check.
~Persuasion 2007 In this slightly more modern version Sally Hawkins takes on the role of Anne which she plays superbly as always, full of nuance although with a slightly nervous edge which I wasn’t wild about. Rupert-Penry Jones (one of my personal fave actors) plays Wentworth with perfection (I may be slightly biased) although he doesn’t look terribly rugged for a Captain who has just made his fortune at sea. I did find annoying the rather cartoonish performance of Anne’s sister which comes across as irritating rather than the comic relief it should be and the film can feel claustrophobic at times due to the slightly bouncy camera work and excessive close ups. Both of these films are admirable in there own way and to be honest I couldn’t choose between the two – they’re just different. Persuasion is the most sober of Austen’s novels and the least complicated in plot, but also the one with more depth and sincerity and after watching these movies in particular, I felt the most compelled to go back and re-read this book.
~Pride and Prejudice 1995 BBC Series This is considered the gold standard for all Jane Austen screen adaptations: it’s exquisitely filmed, lavishly costumed and gives full due to Austen’s razor sharp dialogue. As with the Emma series, it has the advantage of being several hours long which allows for more depth and detail. It finds the perfect balance of wit, wisdom and manners and Jennifer Ehle does rather make for the most perfect of Elizabeth Bennetts; on point in every way. As for Colin Firth as Mr Darcy – well I think that quite enough has been said over the years as to him and his white shirt and flawlessly rendered, snobbish pride.
~Pride and Prejudice 2005 I have to say, I loved this movie. The series was classy and elegant for sure, but one could profess that it was just a little too well-mannered. This on the other hand, has so much more energy and spirit. Its less glamorous settings and simpler costumes give it a much more realistic and earthy feel, emphasized by a more robust and sprightly tone to the conversations. Keira Knightly manages to be both light and intense as Elizabeth and Mathew McFadyen wins my vote as an excellent Mr. Darcy (although again, he’s another fave actor of mine, so, biased). The film is stuffed with excellent actors -Brenda Blethyn and Donald Sutherland make for a perfect Mr and Mrs Bennet, Tom Hollander is brilliant as the ghastly Mr. Collins and then there’s Rosamund Pike, Carrey Mulligan, Judi Dench and Rupert Friend. Fabulous, the whole damn lot of them. Cheeky, spirited, raucous fun.
~Sense and Sensibility 1995 After the Pride and Prejudice series, this is generally considered to be the adaptation that comes closest to achieving Jane Austen perfection. The story of poor Mrs Dashwood and her three daughters who lose their husband/father and subsequently their home, plays out with all the light and airiness that could only occur with Emma Thompson writing the script and Ang Lee directing. And it has a stellar cast to boot: Alan Rickman (a man who can do no wrong as far as I’m concerned) is perfection as Colonel Brandon, Hugh Grant shines as Edward, Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet are beyond reproach as Elinor and Marianne. An elegant and witty production with all of the liveliness that Jane Austen deserves.
~Sense and Sensibility 2008 There’s nothing innately wrong with this production, it’s just that if you watch it in close proximity to the one above, it does tend to pale some in comparison. It’s handsome and tidy, but after Hugh Grant and especially Alan Rickman, Dan Stevens and David Morissey (as good as they are) just don’t quite measure up. Janet McTeer is splendid as Mrs Dashwood as is Hattie Moran as Elinor, while the role of Marianne grates, with the actor pushing over the edge into manic hysteria instead of gentle melodrama (although in fairness there is a scene with Emma Thompson towards the end of the 1995 movie which struck me as rather melodramatic). Definitely worth the watch with its simpler, more subdued approach but also a little dry and flat.
~Sanditon This is based upon the unfinished 1817 novel which had eleven chapters finished before Austen died in July of that year, so only the first episode is based upon the book – which might explain a rather eye popping sex scene. The basic premise involves Charlotte Heywood, a charming seaside town currently under construction, a black heiress from Antigua and siblings who exchange one too many smoldering glances – and, yes, that relationship leads exactly where you feel it shouldn’t, but…turns out they’re step-siblings and share no blood. Crisis averted: this is Jane Austen after all, not Virginia Andrews (and let me just say, I adored her books as a kid). Overall this has a lot going for it: stellar actors, gorgeous seaside backdrop and the dark and broody good looks of a potential love interest for Charlotte. Somehow though, the whole doesn’t quite live up to the sum of its part and it manages to feel melodramatic and flat all at the same time. Worth a watch anyway, although not if you can’t abide loose ends: there are plenty, in preparation for season two, I would imagine; alas, it was cancelled.
~Love and Friendship Based on a little known novella written in her earlier years this felt decidedly un-Austenlike until I realized what the issue was: it’s set in the 1790’s, so it lacks the classic Regency styling that we’ve become accustomed to with a good Austen production. Fortunately, it bears all of her other earmarks. Twenty years after playing Emma, Kate Beckinsale turns in a priceless performance as Lady Susan Vernon, a young widower with neither house nor money but a deep and abiding ability to negotiate her world with wit and temerity. As she strives to find both herself and her daughter a husband, she manages to manipulate everyone around her with a finesse and elegance which is wildly entertaining, leaving a trail of chaos and confusion in her wake. Wickedly funny and as visually stunning as it is clever.
